FCA
Flight Centric Air Traffic Control (FCA) represents a paradigm shift in the management of our increasingly crowded skies. Traditionally, airspace is partitioned into sectors managed by separate teams, each responsible for guiding aircraft safely through their assigned portions. In contrast, the FCA concept envisions an airspace free from these geographical constraints. Instead of confining controllers to fixed sectors, an air traffic controller under FCA is responsible for a specific number of aircraft throughout an entire flight segment within a unified airspace, regardless of their physical location. This restructuring is not merely administrative – it fundamentally transforms how controllers interact with the airspace, enabling a more balanced distribution of workload and facilitating more direct routing between departure and destination, which in turn can reduce fuel consumption and carbon emissions.
Historical background and development
The origins of Flight Centric ATC can be traced back to EUROCONTROL in 2001, where the initial ideas for a sectorless approach to air traffic management were first proposed. Subsequent proof-of-concept simulations conducted between 2010 and 2012 by DFS Deutsche Flugsicherung GmbH and the German Aerospace Center (DLR) as part of the national project “Airspace Management 2020” demonstrated not only its feasibility but also a host of potential benefits. Among the key findings was a significant reduction in radiotelephony and coordination needs, allowing controllers to manage up to six aircraft simultaneously. However, these studies also revealed that while increased workload efficiency was achievable, maintaining situational awareness remained a critical challenge. It became clear that further improvements, particularly to the human-machine interface and automation of conflict detection and resolution, were necessary to fully harness the potential of FCA.
Advancement through research and projects
Over time, the concept has evolved through various initiatives and projects. In the SESAR2020 framework, projects like PROSA/PROSA-W2 (specifically solutions PJ.10-01b and PJ.10-W2-73 FCA) – have advanced the maturity of the FCA concept to the point where it has achieved a technical readiness level of TRL6 on-going, with certain aspects needing to be refined. These ongoing efforts are now being picked up by the DES HE SESAR FCA project, which aims to address remaining challenges that were previously set aside due to disruptions such as the Covid-19 pandemic. By focusing on these remaining issues, the project endeavors to elevate FCA from its current TRL6-ongoing status into a fully mature solution ready for operational implementation in medium complexity environments under the lead of the German Aerospace Center.
Innovative approach to fight allocation and conflict management
An important element of the FCA concept is its innovative approach to flight allocation and conflict management. By assigning controllers to manage specific flights over an entire airspace, rather than by fixed sectors, the system inherently balances the workload. This non-geographical allocation enables controllers to respond more dynamically to varying air traffic conditions. Controllers are supported by a suite of advanced tools – ranging from conflict detection and resolution systems to dynamic allocation centers and adapted radar displays – which are integral to maintaining the high level of safety required in air traffic control. Such tools not only support situational awareness but also assist in managing abnormal and degraded operational conditions, such as adverse meteorological situations.
Real-world implementation: A case study in Ukrainian airspace
A concrete demonstration of the potential benefits of Flight Centric ATC has been carried out in exercises that have put theory into practice. A joint exercise between DLR and the Ukrainian State Air Traffic Service Enterprise (UkSATSE) in the upper Ukrainian airspace investigated the concept’s operational feasibility. In this exercise, twenty-one sectors – formerly managed by four separate area control centers at flight levels above 275 – were merged into a single, seamless FCA airspace. Two teams of five Ukrainian air traffic controllers each participated, using tools such as filtering, probing, and resolution advisories alongside conventional systems. The real-time simulation, conducted in November 2024 using DLR’s validation platform TrafficSim and radar HMI prototype Skynet, not only tested the FCA concept under nominal conditions but also under medium-complexity scenarios where, for example, adverse meteorological conditions were simulated. Data on fuel consumption, conflict incidences, and flight times were logged to assess operational efficiency and cost savings. Additionally, comprehensive feedback was gathered through questionnaires and debriefings, focusing on both the controllers’ subjective experience and objective performance metrics.
Implications for airspace management and future trends
The implications of transitioning to a Flight Centric ATC are significant. For one, by eliminating the traditional sector boundaries, the concept addresses the structural limitations of current airspace management systems – limitations that have become more pronounced as air traffic continues to grow. It also offers a promising approach for reducing the fragmentation of European airspace. Beyond operational benefits, the reimagined air traffic control system is designed to work harmoniously with emerging technologies such as enhanced Controller-Pilot Data Link Communications (CPDLC) and advanced human-machine interfaces, all of which are crucial for achieving higher levels of automation.
A visionary future for air traffic management
Ultimately, Flight Centric ATC is a visionary solution for the future of air traffic management. It rethinks the traditional methods of managing crowded skies by employing a holistic and data-driven approach to airspace management. Through the careful integration of new technologies, improved automation, and innovative allocation strategies, FCA not only promises to ease controller workload but also paves the way for a more efficient, environmentally friendly, and modern air traffic control system. As projects and exercises keep refining and testing the concept, this move toward a sectorless, flight-centric system is looking more and more like the future of how we manage global air traffic.
Key data
Project | FCA (Flight Centric ATC) |
Participants | DLR (Coordinator) Agentfly Technologies Indra Sistemas Sa Integra Consult Enaire Eurocontrol Ukrainian State Air Traffic Services Enterprise |
Duration | 2023 – 2026 |
Funding | SESAR 3 JU / Horizon Europe programme |
Website |
The project is supported by the SESAR 3 Joint Undertaking and its founding members. Funded by the European Union under Grant Agreement No 101114764. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or SESAR 3 JU. Neither the European Union nor the SESAR 3 JU can be held responsible for them.
SESAR/EU