# Presentation: 752803

## Airspace Flow Program(AFP)Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

- Airspace Flow Program(AFP)Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

**Date:  May 22, 2006**

- Airspace Flow Program

- Frequently Asked Questions

- (AFP FAQs)
**            **

- The following list of questions and answers will be available on the CDM Flow Evaluation Team website, under AFP:          _[http://](http://cdm.metronaviation.com/workgroups/route_eval.html)__[cdm](http://cdm.metronaviation.com/workgroups/route_eval.html)__[.](http://cdm.metronaviation.com/workgroups/route_eval.html)__[metronaviation](http://cdm.metronaviation.com/workgroups/route_eval.html)__[.com/workgroups/route_](http://cdm.metronaviation.com/workgroups/route_eval.html)__[eval](http://cdm.metronaviation.com/workgroups/route_eval.html)__[.html](http://cdm.metronaviation.com/workgroups/route_eval.html)_

-  The FAQ page is intended to be a living document that will be continuously updated based on other questions received from the “feedback link”. Once these FAQs appear on the website, URL links will direct the reader to specific reference materials.

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**                             **_**General FAQs**_
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- 1. Q: Who will implement AFPs and coordinate all AFP decisions?
- A: The newly created NESP (National Enroute Spacing Position) at the ATCSCC will have oversight responsibilities for all AFPs.
- 2. Q: How were the boundaries for the six AFPs (FCAA01-A06) decided?
- A: For the inaugural AFP season, six AFPs were defined to generally correspond to ARTCC boundaries, filtered for flights arriving to specific destination centers. By using these ARTCC boundaries, field facilities and customers will be able to identify which flights are included in the AFP, and what routes would be required to reroute out of an AFP. Also, when ground stops are necessary, tier based ground stops that transition into EDCT program revisions will produce more consistent values.
- 3. Q: In what weather scenarios do we expect to use the six predefined AFPs (FCAA01-A06)?
- A: The anticipated weather scenarios will include lines or popcorn storms in the NY Metro/Boston areas, in the Ohio Valley or ZDC, and/or the DC Metro region. The forecast should also include CCFP predictions of medium to high confidence in areas with greater than 50% coverage.
- 4. Q: When will “ad-hoc” AFPs be available for use in the field?
- A: The plan is to start in May, 2006 by using pre-defined AFPs for SWAP events. With collaboration, there may be other limited applications where we can test AFPs.
- 5. Q: How is the AFP Arrival Rate (AAR) set?
- A: Based on the anticipated conditions, the NESP will select an arrival rate based on guidelines developed through analysis of historical data. These guidelines will be refined over time. When ‘ad-hoc’ AFPs are developed, the AAR may be a set number of aircraft allowed to pass through the FCA per hour or may be a percent reduction of known demand.

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- 6. Q: What are pop-ups and how are they figured into the AFP Arrival Rate (AAR)?
- A: Pop-ups are flights that are not part of known demand in ETMS at the time of program implementation. A second form of pop-up is any flight that reroutes into an existing AFP. Pop-up values leave room for anticipated demand and are derived from analysis of historical data for that area.
- 7. Q: In the demand chart, why is arrival volume less than the capacity line?
- A: The demand included in the “pop-up factor” is expected to fill the available slots. If pop-ups do not appear, the NESP may elect to compress the program.
- 8. Q: What happens to a flight that already has an airport EDCT, but is also flying through an AFP?
- A: No AFP EDCT will be issued. The flight will still appear as known demand to the AFP, controlled by another element -the airport GDP.
- 9. Q: Will AFP eliminate the need for miles-in-trail (MIT) and ESP releases?
- A: It is reasonable to expect that reductions in enroute volume resulting from AFPs will reduce MIT restrictions and ESP release times. However, AFPs are not expected to eliminate them. The NESP position will be monitoring MIT and ESP release times.
- 10. Q: What traffic management initiatives will occur if the system under- or over-delivers to an AFP?
- A: If the NAS over-delivers to an AFP, the MIT can be expanded and the possibility of limited ground stops still exists. If it appears that the NAS will under-deliver to an AFP, the MIT can be reduced and a program revision will decrease EDCTs.
- 11. Q: How do we know which EDCTs are cancelled when an AFP is terminated early?
- A: When an AFP is cancelled, all TMUs will send out a program cancellation notice. Each flight will then get an updated EDCT that is either the current time plus 15 minutes or the aircraft’s filed P-time, whichever is later. Those flights are then released, subject to any other restrictions that are in place.
- 12. Q: Is the EDCT Change Request (ECR) tool available in AFP?
- A: Yes – The ECR tool will work the same in AFP as it does in an airport GDP.
- 13. Q: How do I define the control element for a flight’s EDCT (for ECR purposes)?)
- A: ETMS keeps a data field called CTL_ELEM (controlled element). You can see that field for any flight on FSM, in an FCA dynamic list, or on Reroute Monitor. You can also tell by the slot name if you are looking at the list of EDCTs.

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- 14  Q: What happens if my flight has an AFP EDCT, but is caught in an airport ground stop?
- A: The ground stop has the higher priority. If the GS is lifted and the AFP is still in place, the flight will get a new EDCT for the AFP along with a control type of RCTL (re-control). If the number of RCTL flights disrupts the delivery of the AFP, the NESP may elect to  revise the AFP after the GS ends.
- 15: Prior to my flight, how do I know if there is an AFP that affects me?
- A: When an AFP is issued the FAA will send an Advisory that is accessible at _[http://www.fly.](http://www.fly.faa.gov/)__[faa](http://www.fly.faa.gov/)__[.](http://www.fly.faa.gov/)__[gov](http://www.fly.faa.gov/)_. AFP information will also appear on that website’s Operational Information System (OIS) page. ATC facilities should be able to provide specific EDCT information once a flight plan has been entered in the FAA’s HOST computer system.
- 16 Q: What happens to a flight that departs VFR from an uncontrolled airport, yet has an AFP EDCT?
- A: The same rules apply as in an airport EDCT program. The aircraft may:
- -         return to the airport and take the remainder of the delay on the ground
- -         be assigned airborne holding for the duration of the delay, before proceeding on course
- -         request a reroute around the AFP. Reroute information may also be available on the _[http://www.fly.](http://www.fly.faa.gov/)__[faa](http://www.fly.faa.gov/)__[.](http://www.fly.faa.gov/)__[gov](http://www.fly.faa.gov/)_ Operational Information System (OIS) page.
- 17.  Q: What actions will be taken at larger hubs when the number of departures with EDCTs becomes unmanageable?
- A: Every attempt should be made to depart all flights within the plus/minus 5 minute EDCT compliance. The NESP position will monitor larger hubs and, if necessary, coordinate alternates to keep EDCT volume manageable.
- 18. Q: When reporting AFP delays in OPSNET, who do you charge the delay to?
- A: AFP delays are recorded automatically and do not need to be reported in OPSNET.

**                           **_**Customer FAQs**_
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- 19. Q: Are the substitution rules for AFP the same as they are for an airport GDP?
- A: Yes

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- 20. Q: Will the average and total delays be less in an AFP than they were in Ground Delay In Support Of Swap?
- A: While the amount of delay may or may not be less, there will be a more equitable distribution of delays amongst flights filed through the constrained airspace. Also, the delays should be more effective in reducing the demand in the impacted airspace.
- 21. Q: If I reroute out of an AFP, do I lose that slot (CTA/EDCT)?
- A: Yes, it is lost. If you have other flights that have EDCTs that you want to sub, you must swap slots before rerouting the flight.
- 22. Q: What happens to those vacated slots?
- A: The NESP position will monitor the AFP and issue revisions as necessary. If a revision occurs, the vacated slots are re-allocated.
- 23. Q: Should I wait to cancel a flight before or after an AFP is issued?
- A: If you cancel a flight before the eligible FCA has been created, you will lose that slot. It is in your best interest to wait until the flight is captured in the FCA database before you cancel it, so you can sub into that slot with another flight.
- 24. Q: What triggers an AFP revision?
- A: If the demand does not meet capacity, or if the conditions change, the NESP position may initiate a revision. The implementation of other TMIs may also impact the AFP demand, necessitating a revision.
- 25. Q: Will Flight Service Stations (FSSs) be able to assist me in determining if my flight is captured in an AFP, what my EDCT delay is, or help file routes around an AFP?
- A: FSSs are currently unable to obtain AFP EDCT information without calling a Tower, TRACON or ARTCC. Although they do receive Advisories, they are not equipped to keep up with updates, reroutes, revisions or cancellations.
- 26. Q: Will DUATS show AFPs and alert me that I am included in the program?
- A: DUATS (Direct User Access Terminal System) is a web system that provides a wide range of services to pilots, but does not provide EDCT information.  Services include weather briefings, flight planning, aeronautical data, NOTAMS, TFRs, weather graphics, etc. DUATS provides Advisories in plain text format, but they are very difficult to read. It is unlikely that a GA pilot will get any AFP or EDCT information from DUATS based on their current capabilities.
- 27. Q:Will prop aircraft receive an EDCT delay during an AFP?
- A: No, prop aircraft will not be included in AFPs.
- 28. Q: Will international flights overflying the AFP get an EDCT delay?
- A: No. The only aircraft that will receive an EDCT will be traffic **landing** at airports within ZNY or ZBW’s airspace. ZDC airports will be included when using FCAA05 or FCAA06.

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