In the framework of SESAR, airspace users, Eurocontrol, Lufthansa Systems, Sabre and Airbus have performed extensive validations of the extended flight plan (EFPL).
The EFPL uses 21st century technology to deliver flight profiles with a much higher granularity compared to the existing ICAO format developed largely in the last century. Usage of the EFPL helps to reduce the number of flight plan rejections resulting from the very low resolution of the ICAO 2012 flight plan. Furthermore, the EFPL improves the demand and capacity calculations of the European Network Manager (NM) due to the availability of accurate trajectory data received from the airspace users. Thanks to the EFPL, ATM and flight crew can get the same profile information from the flight operations centre (FOC).
The EFPL represents an extension to the ICAO 2012 flight plan. It provides the 4D trajectory as calculated by the flight planning system to generate the operational flight plan; it also provides performance data describing the climbing and descending capabilities specific to the flight. The airspace user submits the EFPL to the NM flight plan management service. The NM responds with an accepted trajectory which takes into account some ATM procedures not published as planning constraints. The exchange takes place in the short-term planning phase through SWIM-based B2B services.
Airspace user involvement is vital to the success of SESAR! In this respect, the EFPL validation activities have benefitted from the active involvement of Austrian Airlines, Air France, British Airways, easyJet, EL AL, germanwings, HOP!, Lufthansa, Lufthansa Cargo, Lufthansa Cityline, Novair, TAP, Thomas Cook Group and Turkish Airlines.
In September 2015, flight dispatchers and NM operators participated in human-in-the-loop sessions to validate processes and human performance aspects. In January and March 2016, trials were performed in which over 10,000 EFPLs were generated and provided by the participating airspace users simultaneously with the operationally filed ICAO flight plans. These trials focussed on the impact of the EFPL on the NM flight plan acceptance rate. Data from these trials will also be used to validate the impact on ATC operations.
The initial results confirm that the EFPL has a positive impact on flight plan acceptance rates, traffic predictions, and the alignment of airspace user and ATM views of the planned trajectory. The foreseen benefits include flight efficiency and cost effectiveness for those airspace users that submit EFPLs, and capacity benefits for the airspace user community as a whole.
EFPL validation activities are being used to support ICAO standardisation, ensuring a global solution. The EFPL will evolve in the coming years to be fully compliant with the ICAO Flight and Flow Information for a Collaborative Environment (FF-ICE) provisions. A gradual deployment of the EFPL is foreseen from 2017.