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AO-0326 — Optimisation of Separation Minima on Approach and Departure thanks to European Wake Turbulence Categorisation (RECAT EU)

Optimisation of the ICAO wake turbulence separation classes by the specification of six wake turbulence categories and of associated static longitudinal wake turbulence separation minima on arrivals and departures, applicable in all operating conditions. The RECAT-EU scheme splits ICAO HEAVY and MEDIUM categories into 'Upper' ('Larger') and 'Lower' ('Smaller'). This split has been based on aircraft type characteristics. This allows reduction of separation minima for some frequent aircraft pairs, enabling runway throughput increase compared to ICAO scheme, whilst maintaining acceptable levels of safety.

Rationale
The demand is high for airport capacity and efficiency at some European airports, and in particular for increased runway throughput.
Today's ICAO separations are based on certificated Maximum Take Off Mass (MTOM) and it includes three categories (i.e. HEAVY, MEDIUM or LIGHT) allocating all aircraft into one of them. Because the separations are defined based on the worst case in each category, this leads to over separation in many instances. This means that each category may cover a wide range of different sized aircraft, what leads to over-conservative separations in many cases, and so a loss of runway throughput.
Forecast V3 end date
31-12-2013
Benefits start date (IOC)
01-12-2015
Full benefits date (FOC)
01-12-2019
Current Maturity Level
V5
Solution Data Quality Index
-
Current Maturity Phase
R&D Finalised
Scope
-
Release
-
PCP Status
-

Context

Enablers

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AO-0326
 
AERODROME-ATC-78
IOC - FOC
APP ATC 160
IOC - FOC
REG-0520

Dependent OI Steps: No associated data

SESAR Solutions: No associated data

PCP Elements: No associated data

Implementation Objectives: No associated data