International Civil Aviation Organization
European and North Atlantic Office
Flexible Use of Airspace – Demystified
“Setting the Mood”
Chisinau, 4 to 6 August 2009
LTC Martin Radusch
German Air Force
(Address high ranking attendees), honoured Delegates from States and
Organisations, colleagues and friends,
My presentation is not a display of our national policy. It reflects my own personal
thoughts and ideas. However, they do generally coincide with our national position.
I am also not presenting any official ICAO views. I am giving this presentation on
an ICAO template in order to reflect the origin and nature of this workshop.
Today it is my intention to place Flexible Use of Airspace in the overall context of
civil/military cooperation in aviation matters.
I also invite you to share your thoughts with me at any time during this workshop
and I am looking forward to many inspiring conversations.
FUA - Demystified
ICAO
EUR/NAT Office
Lieutenant Colonel Martin Radusch
Commander Airfield Services, Recce Wing 51
born March 4th 1962 in Gelsenkirchen, Germany
History
Professional Development
Mysteries
07/81 – 09/81
10/81 – 05/82
05/82 – 09/84
09/84 – 09/85
09/85 – 05/86
06/86 – 02/87
03/87 – 04/91
05/91 – 03/96
04/96 – 09/00
10/00 – 12/04
Significance
Challenges
Making It
Work
02/05 – Present
Basic Military Training
Administrative Training and NCO School
Administrative NCO NATO Headquarters Europe, Mons, Belgium
Air Force Officers Academy, Fürstenfeldbruck, Germany
Training at Military ATS Academy, Kaufbeuren, Germany
On the Job Training Aerodrome and Approach Control Service, Tactical Fighter
Wing 35, Sobernheim, Germany
Aerodrome and Approach Controller, Tactical Fighter Wing 35, Sobernheim,
Germany
Approach Controller and Assistant to Branch Chief Air Traffic Services, NATO
Airborne Early Warning Component, Geilenkirchen, Germany
Senior Air Traffic Control Officer, Fighter Wing 72, Hopsten, Germany
Deputy Director of Air Navigation Services, Federal Ministry of Transport,
Building and Housing, Bonn, Germany
Commander Airfield Services, Recce Wing 51, Schleswig, Germany including a
deployment as Deputy Commander of the Air Wing in Mazar e Sharif,
Afghanistan from July to November 2007
Advanced Training:
Defence Staff College, Staff Officers Training, 08/96 – 12/96
Defence Staff College, Operational Planning and Civil/Military Co-operation, 03/99-05/99
Air Force Officers Academy, Command Level Training, 01/05 – 02/05
NATO School Oberammergau, European Security Co-operation, 02/07
Defence Staff College, Staff Work in International Organizations, 09/08
Language Proficiencies:
Federal Linguistic Institute, "English Negotiation", 10/00
Highest obtainable language profile for Non-Native-Speakers in English, 06/08
Basic working knowledge of the French language (EU-Level A 2.4)
Chairmanships:
Air Proximity Evaluation Group Germany, 10/00 – 12/04
SLOT Performance Monitoring Committee Frankfurt Airport, 05/01 – 12/04
Technical Commissions supporting bilateral State Treaties with France, Switzerland and the
Netherlands, 05/02 – 12/04
SLOT Co-ordination Committee Frankfurt Airport, 06/03 – 12/04
EUROCONTROL Safety Regulation Commission, 06/03 – 05/05
German Military ATM development Working Committee, 01/06 – 04/07
Bi-Lateral State Treaties
Airport Coordination
Frankfurt
Aviation Group of the
EU-Council
Member and Chairman of
EUROCONTROL SRC
National Representative
to EANPG
Alternate Head of
Delegation 11th ANC
Safety Regulation
Rapporteur 11th ANC for
EUROCONTROL
Please be assured that I will not torment you with every single step of my almost 30
years in the military service.
But what I do want to extract from this CV are my close links with civil aviation
shown on the right side of the slide, which I believe to be the main reason for my
invitation as a speaker to this workshop.
Alas, when it comes to civil/military issues, ICAO particularly has kept a low
profile for a rather long period of time...
FUA - Demystified
ICAO
EUR/NAT Office
2003
Recommendation: „States shall seek closer
Coordination with Military Authorities“
History
2005
Mysteries
Significance
47th Meeting of ICAO EANPG
EUROCONTROL „Military Airspace Requirements“
endorsed for entire EUR Region
2007
36th ICAO General Assembly
Assembly Resolution: „Coordination of Civil and
Military Air Traffic“
Challenges
Making It
Work
11th ICAO Air Navigation Conference
2008
50th Meeting of ICAO EANPG
Vision of „Single Civil Military Sky“
Task Force „FUA over High Seas“ established
...until 6 years ago, at the 11th Air Navigation Conference, which I would call the
first Milestone Event in this instance, a surprising change became apparent. For the
first time in a global ICAO conference, the subject of civil-military coordination
was expressed in such a direct manner.
Over the subsequent years the trend towards incorporating military issues in official
ICAO business manifested itself, leading to one of the „Challenges for the next 50
years“ during the 50th Meeting of the EANPG in December 2008:
The Vision of a „Single Civil Military Sky“.
Honoured Delegates, it is my sincere belief that at this moment in time we are at
crossroads,when it comes to ICAOs involvement in military matters;
ICAO has picked up a momentum that I urge you to take advantage of. To combine
efforts and use synergetic effects, this is the time to rely on the knowledge of your
own aviation experts and those working in ICAO offices around the globe, in order
to sustain this movement for the benefit of the overall aviation system.
This may also be the right time to send a signal to ICAO from the Contracting
States, expressing your welcome of and your support for this new civil/military
approach undertaken by ICAO.
FUA - Demystified
ICAO
EUR/NAT Office
Council of EU Transport Ministers, June 1999
History
Mysteries
Significance
Challenges
Making It
Work
Moldova FUA Workshop, August 2009
FUA Can be Prescribed?
„FUA Demystified“ – The title of this workshop indicates that the subject still
contains some mysteries that wait to be solved.
I have selected a few of the most popular mysteries – or misconceptions – about
FUA, and tried to find a way to „demystify“ them in the sense of finding a way
forward.
You can quite frequently hear the statement that all we need is stronger and more
binding regulations, setting the requirement for FUA as an overall standard.
But I believe that the reality of the past decade proves to us, that such an approach
would be likely to fail.
FUA is already embedded in Annex 11, we have the requirement in the Single
European Sky legislation but yet
In the years that have passed since the EU Ministers of Transport have agreed that
solutions have to be found and this workshop almost 10 years later, despite good
efforts made in individual States, a consolidated effort is still lacking.
FUA - Demystified
ICAO
EUR/NAT Office
History
Mysteries
Despite years of efforts, we are still in need to
speed up progress
Regulation alone is not sufficient to fill
„Flexible Use of Airspace“ with life
Significance
Challenges
Making It
Work
FUA Can Only be Lived From Within!
I am not saying that there has been no progress but I think we have underestimated
the rigidity of the system. Over the past years we have been moving in the right
direction but at a rather slow pace – too slow to keep up with current developments
in the aviation sector – and I believe too slow because we were, at least in parts,
relying too much on regulation.
What in my opinion is still needed to supplement the regulatory Top-DownApproach is a Bottom-Up-Approach, considering the cultural context, bringing
regulation and individual culture together. Learning from the different perceptions
of the people that fill the rules with life from within – in other words you.
FUA - Demystified
ICAO
EUR/NAT Office
History
Mysteries
Significance
Challenges
FUA
Making It
Work
FUA Alone Can Solve Our Problems?
Let me continue with another common misconception. Flexible Use of Airspace is
often seen as a solitary and universal problem solver in civil/military relations
within the aviation community.
In reality, FUA alone is a fairly lonely piece of the puzzle, seen against the
background of the aviation world...
FUA - Demystified
ICAO
EUR/NAT Office
History
People
Mysteries
Equipment
(SESAR,
NextGen ATM)
(Organisation,
Regulation)
Significance
Challenges
Procedures
(FUA)
Making It
Work
FUA Needs Company!
...particularly, when it is regarded as a strictly procedural tool. FUA only forms a
working unit, when combined with the other two essential elements to complete any
system, „Equipment“ and „People“.
What I do want to clarify though is, that we do not have to wait for new generations
of technology. By using what we already have, everybody can start FUA now!
And again it is the people who complete the circle, who link the elements to form a
functioning system, who provide the company necessary to create a platform for
civil/military cooperation.
A platform that nevertheless requires a certain degree of common ground to
function....
FUA - Demystified
ICAO
EUR/NAT Office
History
Mysteries
Significance
Civilian
Civilian
Aviation
Aviation
Military
Military
Aviation
Aviation
Challenges
Making It
Work
Civil/Military Aviation – Two Worlds Apart?
...which can be a challenge to find, when you see the aviation world split into two
elements – a civil and a military element.
From analysing the needs of these two stakeholders it is just a short step to the
conclusion......
FUA - Demystified
ICAO
EUR/NAT Office
National Interests
History
Military
Requirements
Civil
Requirements
Mysteries
Common
Aviation
Significance
Requirements
Challenges
Making It
Work
Civil/Military Aviation – One Community!
....that both share a fairly large common ground of requirements. A functioning
aviation system forms the core requirement of both stakeholders.
A functioning aviation system lies also within the center of our national interests,
which, in case of deviating civil or military requirements have to find a balanced
approach between the two, unless a working compromise can be found. And this
„finding a working compromise“ is the key element to any multilateral working
arrangement in aviation, be it airport coordination or civil/military cooperation.
Finding the difference in requirements mainly at the fringes, we might as well say
that we are on a good way to form one Aviation Community.
Example: Even under adverse conditions and in an operational environment the
civil/military co-sharing of the International Afghan Airport Mazar e Sharif works
to suit the needs for both stakeholders. Even when during the Hadj thousands of
pilgrims need to be flown to and back from the holy sites of Islam.
With all the talk about mysteries, I have not yet mentioned why we should make all
the effort towards Flexible Use of Airspace, particularly since I just told you that
FUA as a procedure alone does not really serve our needs.
My answer is: FUA is a good start! - Flexible Use of Airspace can be established
initially, without requiring additional resources and, and that to me is the most
important aspect: FUA is an excellent facilitator to commence and assure a
civil/military dialogue as the beginning of a deeper cooperation process.
FUA - Demystified
ICAO
EUR/NAT Office
History
Direct Impact on ICAO Strategic Objectives
- Effficiency
- Continuity
- Environmental Protection
Mysteries
Indirect Impact on ICAO Strategic Objectives
Significance
- Safety
- Security
Challenges
Making It
Work
Unmanned Aircraft Systems
- Project of Enormous Dimensions
•
•
Current Focus Mainly Military Driven
Vast Impact on All Airspace Users
This process will be beneficial to five of the six ICAO Strategic Objectives with
direct impact on:
Efficiency and Continuity – essential factors for the aviation industry, particularly
in light of the global economic crisis.
Environmental Protection – a factor that gained additional weight with the decisions
made to counter global warming at the Kyoto follow up summit.
To illustrate the significance: DEU State A/C subject emmission trade
As far as the indirect impact is concerned: an airspace that is inefficiently managed
due to lack of civil/military cooperation is an airspace that bears the inherent risk of
being run above its capacity limits – when that happens, we do have an impact on
Safety.
For the factor of Security: well established civil/military cooperation contributes to
a better Air Picture, not only improving awareness but also helping to avoid false
alerts, unnecessary interceptions and, worst of all, a possible false identification as a
renegade aircraft – with all possible consequences.
The Last Subject is entirely different in nature; introducing Unmanned Aircraft
Systems into our airspaces. A Project of bigger dimensions than anything that has
happened in aviation since Charles Lindbergh and yet a project, that to this date still
remains mainly driven by military stakeholders. The outcome will be a radical
change of our entire aviation world, so just for this reason alone every aviation
stakeholder should actively pursue a well-established civil/military coordination
process.
FUA - Demystified
ICAO
EUR/NAT Office
History
Having the People, to Commence,
Mysteries
Significance
Maintain and Progress the Task
of Civil – Military Co-operation!
Challenges
Making It
Work
For this civil/military cooperation process I see only one challenge:
Having the people, however, is not limited to numbers alone. It also means that we
need the people who can get the job done; put into aviation terms – not only getting
the plane off the ground but also keeping it in the air and here lies the true
challenge.
FUA - Demystified
ICAO
EUR/NAT Office
History
EANPG 50
People
„Single Civil
Mysteries
Military Sky“
Equipment
Significance
Procedures
Challenges
Mindset
Making It
Work
In meeting this challenge, I would like to introduce a fourth element: „Mindset“ –
You may also call it „Attitude“, an element closing the loop to the beginning of my
presentation, placing the people again at the center of our attention.
Mindset both at operational and policymaking level:
– the will to make a positive contribution and to make this process work
- the will to make the continuous effort to keep the process of civil/military
cooperation running
- the will and ability to „think outside the box“ when it is required and,
- although realizing that for good reasons some military operations as such cannot
be forced into a scheme of international standards, the will to strive for compliance
whereever this is possible.
With that in Mind, we might indeed be able to turn that vision for the next 50 years,
a „Single Civil Military Sky“ into a Mid- if not a Short-Term Goal.
(Last words without slide - A word of warning and a word of advice)
(Warning) Differences, however small, leave potential for conflict – conflict, that
will have to be addressed to be solved.
Not addressing these conflicts but rather ignoring them may lead to a serious
disruption of the civil/military dialogue.
(Advice) (If you consider FUA to be important, you need to act now)