Airspace Volumes

and Sectorisation

Good Design Practice

1

Objective

2

This module provides an understanding of airspace volumes and sectorisation in support

of Air Traffic Management

Airspace

3

✈ Airspace and sector design is used to balance workload

✈ Airspace is delineated to define responsibility

✈ Airspace volumes are used to exclude/contain operations (military, prohibited, national borders, etc.)

✈ Airspace volumes may also be defined due to equipment limitations

Three GOLDEN RULES

4

Airspace Volumes protect IFR Flight paths

Design volumes AFTER the routes have been designed

Do not design routes to fit into pre-existing airspace volumes

Only delineate as much airspace volume as needed

Terminal Control Area (TMA)

A control area normally established at the confluence of ATS routes in the vicinity of one or more major aerodromes. [Doc. 4444]

5

CTR

TMA

En-route

6

En-Route

CTR

TMA

A generic term describing airspace surrounding an airport, within which air traffic services are provided. Such airspace predominantly contains traffic operating along SIDs and STARs or, to a lesser extent, ATS Routes of the Air Route Network.

Terminal Airspace

Airspace Volumes

7

W E

Contro lled A irspace

0

4000

8000

12000

16000

0

4000

8000

12000

16000

DEP 3% DEP 7% DEP 10% ARR MAX ARR 3°

ARRIVALS

DEPARTURES

RWY

W E

Airspace Volumesfrom simple to complex

8

Terminal Airspace System

9

Combines two or more terminal airspace volumes servicing several airports in close proximity

Allows improvement of the design and management of terminal routes and ATC sectorisation

Terminal Airspace Systems

A A

A

D D

D D

D

D

D D

D

X

A A

A

A A

A

ENTRY GATE

ENTRY GATE

A A

X

YCITY CITY

CITY CITY

ENTRY GATE

5

D

D

D

D

A A

A

A

ADD

Sa

Sb

Sd

Sc

S2 S1

S3

S4S7

S5 S6

Se

Sf

FAD

FAD

D

X

Y

A

X

Y

2 3

4

A

DD

A A

A

X

CITY

D

1

VFR Airport

1 Terminal Airspace(As per Chapter 6)

2 Terminal AirspacesN SectorisedNew northern HoldsMore IFR Traffic

2 Terminal AirspacesParallel RWY added at NNew southern HoldMore Traffic to Y

2 larger Terminal AirspacesTwo-Phase holding systemMore Traffic

1 Terminal Airspace systemwith Entry Gates; RevisedSectorisation

D

D

10

Evolution of functions

11

Airspace Volumes

12

Protect IFR Flight Paths

Airspace Volumes

13

Protect IFR Flight Paths

St1

St1

St1

U ncontrolled A irspace

U ncontrolled A irspace

U ncontrolled A irspace

U ncontrolled A irspace

Airspace Volumes

14

Do not take more airspace than needed….

Airspace Sectorisation

15

Geographical Sectorisation

16

Advantages Disadvantages

• ATC fully exploit space available and expedite climb and descent without need for co-ordination

• Easier to balance workload between sectors

• Simpler requirements for radar display and ATC systems

• Easy to describe operational instructions for different areas of responsibility

• Mixed traffic – departures, arrivals and transits

• If sector boundary along runway centreline, departing aircraft go to different controllers depending on direction of travel

• Transit aircraft may require co-ordination if passing through multiple sectors

Functional Sectorisation

17

Advantages Disadvantages

• One traffic type per controller – all arrivals or all departures

• All departing aircraft usually on same frequency after take-off

• Can be more flexible in some circumstances

• Vertical limits can be restrictive as unlikely to cater for all aircraft types

• Workload balance difficult especially where arrival and departure peaks do NOT coincide

• Can place demanding requirements on Radar and ATC systems

• Can be difficult to describe operational instructions for different areas of responsibility

18

Avoid Sector designs that cause stepped climbs or descents

ATC Sectorisation

ATC Sectorisation

19

Sector boundaries should not coincide with route center lines

ATC Sectorisation

20

Maintain holding areain same sector

ATC Sectorisation

21

If able, keep sectorsthe same when runway changes

ATC Sectorisation

22

Avoid crossing too close to sector boundary

ATC Sectorisation

23

Vertical limits of geographic sectors need not be uniform Watch out for conflicts at boundaries

ATC SectorisationBoundary design

24

ATC SectorisationBoundary design

25

ATC SectorisationBoundary design

26

ATC SectorisationBoundary design

27

ATC SectorisationBoundary design

28

ATC Sectorisation

29

What is a good Airspace Design?

Whatever works best for your circumstances.

Iterations

Design Routes & HoldsIterations with PANS-OPS

Design Structures & Sectors

1111 222222223333 3333 Iterations

30

> Extra slides…

Questions?

31