Hungary has become the 20th country to join Eurocontrol”s Central Flow Management Unit (CFMU). HungaroControl will provide real-time flight information, including radar data, which will be fed into the Enhanced Tactical Flow Management System (ETFMS) to update flight data. Eurocontrol will then have access to real-time flight positions and reliable predictions of future flight paths. The Central Flow Management can then predict unforeseen changes (such as bad weather conditions, runway closures and airspace closures), more accurately.
”Improved understanding of the situation of flights across Europe allows Eurocontrol to make better use of available capacity and to ensure a smoother flow of traffic delivery,” said CFMU director Jacques Dopagne. ”This has been shown to contribute directly to delay reduction and consequently to have a concrete benefit for airlines and passengers.”
At present 87% of flights in the CFMU system are updated via radar data, and the company is working with the air navigation service providers in all 37 member states to expand the system throughout.