ENAIRE, Spain’s Air Force, the Civil Aviation General Directorate (DGAC) and EUROCONTROL hold the first workshop in
Spain on civil-military coordination in airspace management

• Civil and military representatives from EUROCONTROL, Spain, France, Italy, the United Kingdom and Romania will share their experience on the Flexible Use of Airspace (FUA) during a two-day work session at the headquarters of the Spanish Air Force in Madrid
• In Spain, the DGAC, ENAIRE and the Air Force are working toward the flexible use of airspace by coordinating civil and military needs to facilitate the efficient use of Spanish airspace. Thanks to this efficient management, the safety of military operations is improved, increasing the amount of civil traffic while reducing fuel consumption – and thus CO2 emissions – as much as possible
• Eurocontrol supports and actively participates in this pioneering initiative promoted by ENAIRE, which also includes the DGAC, the Air Force and Spain’s National Aviation Safety Agency

Today and tomorrow in Madrid, ENAIRE and Spain’s Air Force are holding the first workshop on “Civil-Military Coordination to Implement the Flexible Use of Airspace” at the European level. This gathering is a national initiative promoted by ENAIRE’s Civil-Military Coordination Department, in cooperation with the DGAC, Spain’s National Aviation Safety Agency (AESA) and the Spanish Air Force. It is also endorsed by EUROCONTROL, the pan-European civil-military organisation that supports aviation in Europe.

The event, which is taking place at the Air Force headquarters, features significant international participation, with civil and military representatives This information can be used, in whole or in part, without citing the source from Spain, France, Italy, the United Kingdom and Romania presenting their best practices to further the flexible use of airspace.

The FUA concept relies on adjusting airspace usage to the current needs in order to minimise the amount of airspace that is segregated and which forces aircraft to circle around it. Its main goal is to optimise the use of airspace by constantly and dynamically adapting it to the needs of civil and military aviation in a way that minimises aircraft fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.

Consequently, any segregation of airspace for military use is intended to be temporary, meaning it is released for civil use once the activity that required it is complete.

Given the complexity of air traffic control, the variety of airspace users and the need to guarantee the safety of aircraft at all times, the coordination efforts must be joint, dynamic, constant and be done far enough in advance to leverage the advantages offered by the flexible use of airspace.

Throughout the sessions, the testimonies shared will let participants learn about the structures and mechanisms of civil-military coordination, as well as the current status of the implementation of the flexible use of airspace, and identify potential areas of improvement. The experiences other countries have had implementing this concept will also be discussed.

“We are in a real process of transforming airspace that we – authorities, regulators, service providers and users – have to undertake together.

ENAIRE is fully aware of and committed to this process. This transformation goes beyond the traditional idea we have about how to manage airspace. Our goal is to use airspace in the best way possible for civil and military needs in the safest, most flexible and optimal way. And now, we also have to consider new demanding drone activities, as well as space operations”, said Ángel Luis Arias, ENAIRE’s CEO, at the opening.

In the opinion of the workshop’s organiser, the Director of Civil-Military Coordination at ENAIRE, Air Force Major General Manuel Gimeno, in order to further the flexible use of airspace, it is essential that all organisations
continue to work together and learn about one another in an effort to advance and transform. This workshop will identify specific tools and possibilities for improvement.

Speaking at Monday’s session were Major General Karsten Stoye, head of civil-military coordination and military adviser to the Managing Director of Eurocontrol; Razvan Bucuroiu, head of Network Strategy and Development; Giuseppe Acampora, head of the Project Coordination and Implementation Unit; participating from the United Kingdom were: Simon Bennett, specialist in airspace management, and Lt Col Kev McMorrow, from the Airspace Management Cell; France was represented by Colonel Christophe Hindermann, Deputy Director of Airspace of the Military Air Traffic Directorate
(DSAÉ) and Lieutenant Colonel Nicolas Meu.

This first workshop on “Civil-Military Coordination to Implement the Flexible Use of Airspace” at the European level will conclude on Tuesday with a round table to study the initiatives proposed.

ENAIRE also photo