Moscow airspace overhaul aims to cut delays and shorten routes

Russian authorities are preparing to introduce a new airspace structure in the Moscow flight information region, as well as the regions to the north of the capital. The new structure will take effect from 3 December and is intended to improve flight efficiency across the huge territory. “It was necessary to organise the flow of aircraft in a new way, more efficiently, so that the capacity increased and there was enough space for everyone,” says federal air transport regulator Rosaviatsia. Rosaviatsia says the Moscow zone’s structure was developed more than 35 years ago. The zone handles 60% of all flights in Russian airspace and covers over 100 airports and airfields. But the regulator says the airspace has an “unprecedented” number of restricted regions and prohibited areas, which “significantly reduce” the capacity available to civil aircraft. The new structure will cut the average flight time in the Moscow zone by 15%, and the sector length by 21%, claims Rosaviatsia – even with a 50% rise in flight activity. Air traffic controller workload will be halved, it adds, and arriving flights will experience a 70% reduction in delays during approach.<br/>