Dynamic DCB: Bridging the gap

Othmar Schnabel, Project Manager at DFS for project 7.6.5, explains how the Dynamic DCB project – including the STAM exercise for Release 1 - is bridging the gap between Air Traffic Flow and Capacity Management Systems (ATFCM) and air traffic control.

Dynamic DCB is a process that takes place on the day of operation and aims to maintain the balance between demand and capacity during the course of daily traffic operations. SESAR Project 7.6.5 (Dynamic DCB) aims to design and validate a feasible and seamless dynamic DCB process managed at network level and fully integrated with airports, en-route and airspace users’ planning and execution processes.

In step 1, the plan is to further develop short-term Air Traffic Flow and Capacity Management (ATFCM) measures, the socalled STAM.

STAM – building on ANSP achievements

Today, the crude application of ground regulations limits the traffic entering a sector through the systematic allocation of departure slots to all concerned flights, regardless of how they contribute to the expected overload. This process, although still useful in cases of major imbalance, is no longer acceptable when demand does not significantly exceed available capacity.

STAM (Short Term ATFCM Measures) consist in smoothing the sector workload by reducing traffic peaks using short-term measures such as small ground delay, flight level capping or small re-routings applied to a limited number of flights making the traffic less complex for ATC.

STAM builds on the achievements of ANSPs to improve the efficiency of the local flow management process and promotes them through:

The definition of a unified process in accordance with the ATFM implementing rules, reconciling ATFCM planning activities with tactical ATFCM interventions up to the ATC working horizon;

The definition of clear procedures based on this process, to ensure Collaborative Decision-Making (CDM) involving all partners, enabled by transparent information sharing throughout the network.