1. — Introduction
The purpose of this AIC is to provide information concerning the implementation of Cross-border FRA operations between SECSI FRA (South East Common Sky Initiative Free Route Airspace) and FRAIT (Free Route Airspace Italy), enabling airspace users to file trajectories in the flight plan regardless of the common FIR/UIR/AoR (Area of Responsibility) boundaries with effect from 21 MAR of 2024.
2. — Objective
Through COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING REGULATION (EU) 716/2014 (Pilot Common Project), it is required to implement Free Route Airspace (FRA) by 01 JAN 2022, enhanced by COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING REGULATION (EU) 2021/116, including cross-border FRA with at least one neighbouring state and FRA connectivity with TMAs, due by the implementation target date 31 DEC 2025.
The objective of Free Route Airspace is, to allow airspace users to plan and file their routes closer to their desired flight profiles in comparison to the ATS routes and DCTs. This should result in a boost of cost-efficiency and reduce the impact on the environment (fuel consumption, emissions of greenhouse gases). Simultaneously, established safety and capacity levels should be maintained or improved.
In line with the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 716/2014, requiring FRA to be implemented by 1st JAN 2022, the cross border free route project SECSI (South East Common Sky Initiative) was launched in 2016, and currently consists of following members: Air Navigation Service Provider of Albania, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia and Montenegro, Slovenia, The Republic of North Macedonia.
In line with the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 716/2014, requiring FRA to be implemented by 1st JAN 2022 FRAIT was implemented on Dec 8th 2016 above FL335 and lowered on May 24th 2018 to FL305.
With effect from AIRAC 21 MAR 2024 FRAIT will be lowered to FL195 and the cross-border FRA will be available H24 with SECSI FRA.
In addition to these accomplished or ongoing implementations of FRA on national level, it is an ambition of the European Union, as laid down in the SESAR Deployment Programme, to foster cross-border implementations of FRA on FAB level and on a Pan-European level.
4. — Flight planning and ATC procedures
Within the applicability described before, it is allowed to file trajectories in the flight plan between FRAIT and SECSI FRA regardless of the common FIR/UIR/AoR boundaries.
With 21 MAR 2024 on the border between FRAIT and SECSI FRA there is no need to file a FRA Horizontal Entry or Exit Point (E, X), nor an intermediate point (I).
Cross-border segments shall be planned via published FRA significant points. For all details in regard of Free Route Airspace and Flight Planning requirements consult the AIP (e.g. chapter ENR 1.3, ENR 2.2, ENR 4.4, ENR 1.10) of the respective FRA area.
No flight plans shall be filed deviating from the state restrictions defined within the Route Availability Document (RAD). This common European reference document contains all airspace utilization rules and availability; any reference to them shall be made via
https://www.nm.eurocontrol.int/RAD/index.html.
