4 Balkan countries introduce Free Route Airspace
Xinhua, December 16, 2016 Adjust font size:
Air traffic control organizations in four Balkan countries have introduced the concept of Free Route Airspace (FRA), facilitating 24-hour free planning and flights in their airspace, local media reported on Thursday.
Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro, and Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) decided to unite their airspaces above 9,000 meters, Croatian Air Traffic Control (HKZP) said. FRA was inaugurated on Dec. 8.
It was the first time that FRA was introduced in Europe over an area of four countries.
It aims to upgrade security and service efficiency and acts as a measure of environmental protection due to the reduction of fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, it added.
The maximum possible savings are 3,400 tons of fuel, 11,000 tons of CO2 emissions and 40 tons of NOx emissions a year, according to HKZP.
The project was initiated in accordance with European guidelines and was implemented five years ahead of the deadline.
The European Commission has set Jan. 1, 2022 as the deadline for the introduction of Single European Sky, facilitating Free Route Airspace over all of Europe at altitudes above 9,000 meters, HKZP said. Endit