Horizontal perspective

FABEC has reached the optimal horizontal flight efficiency, meaning that aircraft fly the most direct route to their destination. Eurocontrol data shows horizontal flight efficiency within FABEC has reached 97 percent. A certain level of flexibility is necessary to operate the ATM system in an efficient manner; for example to reduce congestion, avoid military airspace, or to navigate around bad weather.

These excellent results are mainly the result of strong cross-border cooperation amongst FABEC partners, the close cooperation between civil and military partners as well as the introduction of the Free Route Airspace concept.

FABEC is enhancing performance of the whole network as a result of cooperative arrangements between adjacent centres in dialogue with the Network Manager and airspace users. This has led to the introduction of shorter routes between Germany and Switzerland, cutting flight time and fuel consumption, with more planned on routes from northern Europe to the Mediterranean. Close collaboration in the complex airspace managed by DFS Deutsche Flugsicherung and Maastricht has resulted in new sector boundaries and simplified procedures, also reflected in more efficient flight profiles.