BOREALIS Creation of Free Route Airspace in nine northern European countries
BOREALIS Free Route Airspace
Free Route Airspace (FRA) is a very important long-term project implementing EC vision of the Single European Sky (SES) by creating a less fragmented and more effective air traffic management in Europe. These changes are carried out by Borealis Alliance members within the Borealis FRA program – 9 North European ANSPs, including Latvijas gaisa satiksme.
The project is co-financed by the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) for Transport.
Within the 1st round (CEF 2014) on November 12, 2015 FRA was implemented in four NEFAB member-states – Estonia, Finland, Latvia and Norway. In Estonia, Latvia and Finland FRA is available starting from the FL95 (9500 feet) but in Norway from the FL135. Implementation of FRA in NEFAB states allows users to plan their routes more effectively, choosing shorter and more efficient flight paths.
To continue development of the initiative on June 23, 2016 an interface connecting Estonian, Latvian and Finland’s FRA above FL285 with the FRA of Denmark and Sweden. Within this air space users can cross the national air space boarders not minding the airways. The FRA continued to spread by joining Norway on in May of 2017, but the interfaces for connecting Great Britain, Ireland and Iceland FRAs will be implemented by the end of the 2021.
Implementation of FRA in such a wide air space will let the airlines to reduce the flight time, fuel and costs. Implementation of these ambitious plans is a step towards the Single European Sky.
Read more on Borealis Alliance WEB site: Borealis alianses mājas lapā
