iFlex improving cost and fuel efficiency while maintaining safety

The iFlex trial between Johannesburg and Atlanta was completed at the end of August.  The iFlex concept provides for a greater and more flexible choice of routes on long-haul operations which cross multiple flight information regions to deliver shorter flight times, improved fuel efficiency and reduced CO2 emissions while maintaining safety.

Delta Air Lines reported that the implementation of the iFlex concept between Johannesburg and Atlanta resulted in average time saving per flight of 8 minutes, equating to 900 kg of fuel and 2.9 tonnes of CO2. Annualized and on the basis of two daily flights, this translates to savings of some 100 hours of flight, 690 tonnes of fuel and a reduction of 2,150 tonnes of CO2 emitted. A more flexible routing structure also provides a safety benefit in that airlines have more options to avoid adverse weather.

The iFlex implementation did not change existing air traffic management procedures, separation standards or communication, navigation or surveillance requirements. In certain areas, short cuts (direct routings) given by different air traffic control authorities, on a day-to-day basis, were formalized. This formalization provides better situational awareness for all airspace users.

News Brief: iFlex Trial a Success

The iFlex initiative is the culmination of eight months of work between IATA, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), Civil Air Navigation Services Organization (CANSO), the Agency for Aerial Navigation Safety in Africa and Madagascar (ASECNA), (Dakar Flight Information Region-FIR), Ghana CAA (Accra FIR), Trinidad and Tobago CAA (Piarco FIR), SNA-Antilles Guyane (Rochambeau Cayenne FIR), ASA - Cabo Verde (SAL FIR), Delta Air Lines and Emirates Airline. The routings were made available to all operators as of 25 August. Thanks to everyone involved.

Aviation System Block Upgrades cleared for take-off

ICAO has recently hosted the Global Air Navigation Industry Symposium (GANIS) in Montreal.

The symposium provided insight to the aviation industry, air navigation service providers and States on the new ICAO Aviation System Block Upgrades (ASBU) initiative, which is an effort to develop a set of air traffic management upgrades, to take advantage of current equipage, to establish a transition plan and enable global interoperability.

For the ASBU work IATA is represented both at the working level (at the Technical Team) by the Infrastructure department and the executive level (at the Challenge Team) by the Director General Tony Tyler and by the SVP Safety, Operations & Infrastructure Guenther Matschnigg.
ICAO estimates that US$ 120 billion will be spent on the transformation of air transportation systems in the next ten years.

For additional information please visit the GANIS website.