The London 2012

Olympic Challenge

Paul Haskins General Manager, London Terminal Control Brian Wheeler Operations Supervisor, London Terminal Control

The Size of the Challenge?

Departures Heathrow

Departures Heathrow, Gatwick

Departures Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted

Departures Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Luton

Departures Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Luton, London City

Arrivals Heathrow

Arrivals Heathrow, Gatwick

Arrivals Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted

Arrivals Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Luton

Arrivals Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Luton, London City

Departures & Arrivals Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Luton,

London City

Half a million overseas spectators

70,000 overseas ‘Olympics Family’ members;

150 Heads of State flights

700 extra commercial flights into London’s main airports;

10,000 business jet movements.

Maintain and maximise capacity of London’s core airports Create extra capacity to satisfy a significant expected increase in IFR movements to London’s secondary airports

Departures & Arrivals Demand from 40 airports

Accommodating the biggest ever Military Operation during peacetime in the UK Multiple fixed wing and rotary fighter and surveillance aircraft

Adjacent ANSP Partners Co-ordination and agreements

Delivering the Solution

Building Critical Relationships; UK Ministry of Defence UK Department for Transport UK Home Office UK Civil Aviation Authority Business & General Aviation Community Commercial airlines IATA Airport operators Airport Coordination Ltd Eurocontrol UK and European Meteorological Offices LOCOG Media and politicians

Dealing with the risks; The UK Aviation Network faced risk of significant ATM delay throughout the Olympics Security restrictions/flights/interceptions affecting civil use of airspace

Weather disruption and ability to recover from disruption

Additional demand to secondary airfields and non adherence to allocated runway slots

Making the preparations; Creation of new temporary controlled airspace

A bespoke Military command centre alongside the civil operation Business & General Aviation briefing and communications

Media, political and customer

communication programmes

ATICCC live throughout

New Temporary Controlled Airspace;

Three new areas of controlled airspace - designed, consulted and approved

4 new holds plus new arrival routes

Additional contingency airspace

Intensive simulator evaluation

Consultation with leisure flying community, Military and local communities

Bespoke Military Solution;

Temporary Ops Room, Procedures and equipment built and equipped by NATS

Managed all flights operating outside CAS in the London area

Managed all Flight Plans

Statistics 34 Days of operation 18,575 flight plans processed 10,739 aircraft controlled

Business and GA Outreach;

Presentations around the world to discuss the Olympics airspace

Publicity material detailing the changes including leaflets, podcasts, articles and online tutorials.

Telephone hotline and information hub, set up to help the business and GA communities understand the changes and the requirements regarding flight planning.

Stakeholder, Media and Political Engagement;

A year of detailed preparatory work with more than 100 commercial airlines

Media campaign to raise awareness of the Olympics and the changes to airspace.

Briefings for UK and international print and broadcast journalists

Briefings for UK Defence and Transport Ministers, Members of Parliament and senior Military Commanders

Air Traffic Incident Crisis Communications Cell (ATICCC);

Value established during the Volcano

Live throughout Olympics with up to 3 calls per day; text/email updates; ability to run operator liaison cell

Single point of truth for UK ATM: Included NATS Centres, FMP, UK and European Met Office, DfT, CAA, Eurocontrol, IAA and Airports

Airfield status map updated daily via live portal

The Results

“NATS’ management of traffic across the entire UK network with delays

substantially down versus last year, including special slot coordination

across 40 airports without any major incidents and using the NATS

coordination and communication cell, has led to a great success for

the UK transport industry”

IATA

The Statistics

London Airspace handled 6,000 flights per day.

3.5% - 4.5% increase in traffic

26 July = 59% increase in general aviation and business aviation flights

9,708 total Business Aviation slot bookings

11 infringements of NATS Controlled Airspace

Three security launches with minimal impact on airline operation

A number of significant weather days

London Airspace handles 6,000 flights per day.

3.5% extra flights, peaking at 4.5% increase versus last year

26 July busiest day with a 59% increase in general aviation and business aviation flights versus last year

9,708 total GA/BA slot bookings

11 infringements of NATS Controlled Airspace

Three security launches (2 x Typhoon & 1 helicopter) with minimal impact on airline operation

A number of significant weather days including Thunderstorms London Airspace handles 6,000 flights per day.

3.5% extra flights, peaking at 4.5% increase versus last year

26 July busiest day with a 59% increase in general aviation and business aviation flights versus last year

9,708 total GA/BA slot bookings

11 infringements of NATS Controlled Airspace

Three security launches (2 x Typhoon & 1 helicopter) with minimal impact on airline operation

A number of significant weather days including Thunderstorms

Service

In one of the most challenging periods ever for UK air traffic,

NATS generated just 0.1% of total European delay attributable to ATC,

despite handling nearly 25% of Europe’s traffic

Safety

No risk bearing losses of separation attributed to the Olympics.

No systems issues.

Just 11 infringements of NATS controlled airspace by GA aircraft.

Communications

Website had 126,308 visits by 82,411 unique visitors

Olympics airspace guide distributed to 60,000 flying schools, aerodromes and events

Reached over 8 Million people

“What I experienced was one of the most professionally run ATM

facilities I’ve had the pleasure to visit”

Roberto Gonzalez, Senior FAA representative, London office

“We have received glowing positive feedback from numerous sources

regarding the work of the team and the outstanding support that they

received from NATS”

Assistant Chief of the Air Staff,

Royal Air Force

Summary Fours years in the planning, NATS is very proud it could play it’s part in the success of London 2012, providing a safe and efficient operation despite the huge challenges faced when delivering a project of this size and importance.

NATS is the UK based global provider of air traffic services and solutions.

NATS can be found

in Exhibition Hall 9,

Stand 890.

Questions?