Air traffic management sustainability initiatives
Learn about the sustainability initiatives implemented in air traffic management.
Increasing efficiency and reducing fuel burn
Air traffic management (ATM) initiatives benefit the environment, airlines and passengers. When operations are efficient and flight routes are optimised:
passengers get to their destinations more quickly
aircraft reduce fuel burn and emissions
airlines reap fuel savings
Across many flights, these benefits can add up significantly.
To capture these benefits, CAAS has undertaken several initiatives to improve ATM operations. CAAS is also working with local and international stakeholders to develop and trial these solutions, including:
airlines
air navigation service providers (ANSPs)
the International Centre for Aviation Innovation
local research institutes
Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs)
Advanced demand and capacity balancing
CAAS is expanding air traffic management solutions with industry partners to better balance air traffic demand and capacity. One such solution is Long Range Air Traffic Flow Management, which improves the coordination of long-haul flights arriving at Changi Airport.
CAAS is also working with the National Environment Agency and regional partners to strengthen integration between meteorology and air traffic management. This improves the reliability, timeliness and accuracy of weather forecast information for air traffic controllers.
Convective weather impact forecast prototype
Tropical convective weather can be difficult to forecast accurately, particularly in terms of frequency, severity and location. This can erode air traffic management (ATM) efficiency, leading to:
unplanned delays
greater operational complexity
higher costs
To address this, CAAS has developed convective weather impact forecast prototypes that improve the accuracy and reliability of weather forecasts. These prototypes:
show how weather may affect airspace and aerodrome operations
support real-time decision-making
optimise flight efficiency
Performance-based Navigation (PBN) enhancement
CAAS has collaborated with ANSPs in the region to implement Direct Routing Operations, which:
enables more direct flight trajectories
improves flight efficiency
reduces fuel burn
Over the longer term, CAAS plans to introduce Free Route Airspace to further:
optimise airspace capacity
allow greater trajectory flexibility
CAAS is also developing smart tools to facilitate continuous climb and descent operations around Changi Airport. These tools will help optimise flight profiles and reduce fuel burn.
Continuous Descent Operations (CDO) tool
To support air traffic controllers in carrying out CDO, CAAS is developing solutions that highlight CDO opportunities by:
identifying suitable aircraft
providing the optimal top of descent
Free Route Operations (FRTO)
Traditionally, aircraft navigate along a fixed network of routes, much like highways in the sky.
FRTO offers a different approach by allowing aircraft to fly more direct trajectories instead of remaining on predefined routes, reducing:
fuel burn
flight time
distance travelled
CAAS is collaborating with air navigation service providers in the region to implement Direct Routing Operations on a wider scale. In FY24/25, about 51,000 flights filed for direct routings. Together, these flights saved about 176,000 nautical miles, equivalent to about 5.96ktCO2 and 1.88kt of fuel.
Gate-to-gate trajectory optimisation
CAAS is collaborating with regional ANSPs to advance Trajectory-Based Operations (TBO). This trajectory-centric approach:
strengthens coordination among ANSPs
ensures that each flight is strategically planned and optimised from departure to arrival
CAAS is also implementing a decision support tool to optimise departure intervals between aircraft to:
enhance runway efficiency
reduce delays and fuel burn
Asia-Pacific TBO Pathfinder initiative
CAAS made strong progress in advancing TBO through the Asia-Pacific TBO Pathfinder initiative. More regional ANSPs joined the initiative, and a common TBO roadmap was established to guide future implementation.
To advance TBO, CAAS and regional ANSPs conducted the first lab demonstration of Flight and Flow Information for a Collaborative Environment (FF-ICE).
The demonstration showcased how early flight planning information can be shared using modern information-sharing standards to support more coordinated and efficient flight planning across the region.
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Sustainability Office
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