Eighteen months ago NATS, the UK’s ATC provider, announced implementation of time-based separation standards at London Heathrow Airport, designed to increase the arrival rate at Europe’s busiest hub airport. NATS says an effort it began in 2014 called XMAN, in which ATC in the UK coordinates with controllers in France, the Netherlands and Ireland, is also reducing the time aircraft spend burning holes in the sky around London awaiting their turn to land.
Air Traffic Control in London Improves Again
Key Takeaways:
- NATS implemented time-based separation standards at London Heathrow and uses cross-border ATC coordination (XMAN) to enhance arrival rates.
- These efforts have successfully reduced average aircraft holding times at Heathrow from 8.5 minutes in 2014 to just over 7.5 minutes in 2016.
- The reduction in holding times translates to significant benefits, including over 3,000 fewer flying hours, 35,000 fewer tons of carbon dioxide emissions, and 11,000 fewer tons of fuel consumed.
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