# Presentation: 335031

## Edmonton Area Control Centre Northern Airspace and Polar Routes 

**April 23-26, 2007**

- Edmonton Area Control Centre Northern Airspace and Polar Routes

## EDMONTON  ACC 

- An overview of Airspace Structure and Traffic Flow  Patterns

## Slide 3

## Edmonton North High Airspace

**Edmonton North High Airspace**

** ****Procedural airspace with  **
**   ****limited radar coverage**
** ****4,000,000 Square KM **
** ****Average 350 flights/day**
** ****30% of radio contacts are **
**  ****HF**
** ****HF & VHF Comms via **
**  ****Arctic Radio**
** ****No direct controller-pilot  **
**  ****communications North of  **
**  ****70N**
** ****Polar Routes**

## EDMONTON  ACC 

*High Level*
*Traffic Flow*
*Patterns*

## Edmonton High Level Traffic Flow

** ****Domestic flights**

** ****NAT System**

** ****Pacific Tracks**

** ****ACA Tracks**

** ****Polar Tracks**

- Polar Route Traffic

- Customers -  UAL, COA, CCA, CPA, ACA, SIA, THA, CES, KAL, AAL, JAL
- Random routes to the Russian entry points
- Traffic conflicts with:
-  Itself
- Arctic Control Area
- Westbound NAT traffic
- and occasionally Eastbound NAT traffic.
- 41 flights per day – summer traffic

## Edmonton Flight Information Region (FIR)

**  ****RADAR coverage**
** ****(200 NM)**

**  ****PAL coverage area**
** ****(160 NM)**

**NEW PALS**
**  ****July 2007**

**SUMMER 2007**
**PALS configuration**

**Notes:**
Radar coverage is conservative at 200 nm, more like 225nm

PAL Coverage conservative at 160 nm, more like 200 nm

## SEPARATION STANDARDS

**LONGITUDINAL**
**15 minutes **
**10 minutes identical tracks**
**Less than 10 minutes identical tracks**
**Different speeds**
- Lateral
- 30 miles each side of track

## Conflict: GRL Times vs. ATC MANOPS

- Controllers base separation on first come first serve
**Controllers utilize the GRL in altitude and route assignment when available**
- ATC assigned altitudes, routes, speeds must be adhered to unless a flight safety situation exits
- The GRL, in its current form, does not work!!!!

## TRAFFIC SCENARIO

**Based on actual traffic events**
** ****Many times in the recent past**
**GRL was utilized to resolve this situation vs  MANOPS 132.1(c). **

## Feb. 2007 – 2110Z

**Notes:**
Time: 2110Z 
This slide shows the initial traffic configuration.

## Feb. 2007 – 2117z

**Notes:**
Time: 2117Z 
KAL036 is descending from 340 to 310 to get underneath UAL895, who has been climbed to 320.

## Feb. 2007 – 2131z

**Notes:**
Time: 2131Z
KAL036 now level 310

## Feb. 2007 – 2134z

**Notes:**
Time: 2134Z
UAL851 now in the picture 320 climbing 340. KAL038 is A.82 for spacing.

## Feb. 2007 – 2140z

**Notes:**
Time: 2140Z 
Large overall picture.

## Feb. 2007 – 2146z

**Notes:**
Time: 2146Z
KAL036 now A.82 for spacing.  KAL036 flew for about 2 hours at a reduced speed of A.82 (requested A.84. Note the KAL036 estimate of 2220Z @ 70/90. This will be referenced to in slide #34. KAL038 now re-routed after 65N to join the UAL895 route. Note the relative positions of KAL036, KAL038 and UAL895.

## Feb. 2007 – 2216z

**Notes:**
Time: 2216Z
Note KAL036 now estimating 2229Z @ 70N vs. 2220Z in previous slide, and the relative positions of KAL038, 036 and UAL895. KAL036 is now between the other two flights as compared to being ahead. This was the result of KAL036 being cleared to “spin” at least once. Also note the times at 70N between KAL038 and UAL895 – 9 minutes, 0.03 Mach difference, joining identical routes.

## Feb. 2007 – 2232z

**Notes:**
Time: 2232Z
UAL895 now level 330, and KAL038 now level 340, A.83.

## Feb. 2007 – 2240z

**Notes:**
Time: 2240Z
KAL036 now re-routing to fit behind KAL082 on the same route.

## Feb. 2007 – 2344z

**Notes:**
Time: 2344Z
This is the final traffic configuration. UAL895 is at 340, KAL036 is at 320, and UAL851 is at 340. Our control actions resulted in an en route delay of 10’ for KAL036.  Should KAL036 ever have been at FL340, considering that the flight was filed FL320 at RAMEL?

## GRL Scenario RecreationSummary

| Aircraft | APVD
GRL Time | APVD
GRL 
Altitude | Initial 
RAMEL
Estimate | Initial
Altitude | Final 
RAMEL
Estimate | Final
Altitude |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| KAL082 | 0021 | FL320 | 0030 | FL330 | 0028 | FL320 |
| KAL036 | 0041 | FL320 | 0033 | FL340 | 0043 | FL320 |
| UAL895 | 0033 | FL340 | 0036 | FL300 | 0036 | FL340 |
| KAL038 | 0053 | FL340 | 0043 | FL330 | 0049 | FL340 |

## Feb. 2007 Alternate ending

## Short Term Proposal  - Spring/Summer 2007

**   ****Improve or replace the GRL.**
**   ****The reservation system must be:**
**  ****Dynamic (flexible)**
**  ****Factor in Mach numbers in the case of **
**   ****overtaking flight, consistent with ATC **
**   ****requirements.**
**  ****Spirit of “1****st**** come-1****st**** served” **
**  ****MANOPS or**
**  ****reservation (GRL)**

## Short Term Proposal  - Spring/Summer 2007

**  ****Remove FL380 from the GRL.**
**   ****Retain FL380 as an altitude that can be assigned by ATC **
**    ****to solve problems.**
**  ****FL380 not attainable by most flights.**

**Short Term Proposal  - Spring/Summer 2007**

## Short Term Proposal  - Spring/Summer 2007

**Improve the delivery to the polar gateway fixes.**
**  ****Current design leads to congestion & problems.**
**  ****Alternatives:**
**  ****Random routing to gateway fixes is maintained**
**interval to 30 minutes to achieve 15 minutes**
**Identical tracks 70N to 141W/polar gateway fixes **
**	****	****- 6 aircraft per hour vice 4 aircraft per approved FL**
**	****	**

## Medium Term Proposal  - prior to 2008

** **
** ****Develop improved procedures for more strategic **
**    ****management and intervention of polar flights.**
**Improve education of ATCs and airlines through **
**   ****communication, familiarization visits and briefing **
**   ****packages.**

**Medium Term Proposal  - prior to 2008**

## Long Term Proposal

**   ****Implement RNP-based separation standards in CMNPS **
**    ****airspace. **
**   ****Improved communication in Edmonton ACC - this will allow for reduced separation standards.**
**  ****ADS-B leads to random routing**

**Long Term Proposal**

## EDMONTON  FIR 

***Safety***
***Service***
***Efficiency***
***Through***
***Professionalism***

- Photos courtesy AIRLINERS.NET

## QUESTIONS ?

**QUESTIONS ?**