ABOUT US

The nine Functional Airspace Blocks, namely BALTIC FAB, BLUE MED FAB, DANUBE FAB, DK-SW FAB, FAB CE, FABEC, NEFAB, SW FAB and UK-IRELAND FAB, acknowledge the potential benefits of InterFAB coordination, to

• Optimise the interfaces between FABs within the Single European Sky (SES),
• enhance their aggregated performance in support of the Single European Sky and the European aviation, and
• allow FABs to actively shape their role in the SES framework.

To this end they have agreed to participate and contribute to the InterFAB coordination.

A coordination group of 9 Points of Contact of the FABs has originally been set up as platform to manage the InterFAB coordination and the exchange information.

Over time, the InterFAB Coordination meetings among the FABs’ Points of Contact have spawned 3 additional workstreams dedicated to specific areas:

• Operations,
• Communication,
• Performance.

Purpose of InterFAB coordination

The purpose of InterFAB coordination is to provide for a structure to facilitate coordination and cooperation between the FABs, in order to contribute to a reduced fragmentation of the European airspace and support the optimisation of the European ATM Network (EATMN) and provide a working structure for coordination and cooperation on activities amongst them.

Through the InterFAB Cooperation, FABs can communicate commonly rather than as separate FABs and strengthen their position vis à vis decision making bodies. Moreover, FABs can deliver a real added value when coordinated and synchronised implementation activities need to be delivered.

The rationale behind the InterFAB initiative is primarily to allow FABs to actively shape their role in establishing and continuously improving the Single European Sky.

Areas for coordination

• Performance / results that FABs have achieved (inventory, questionnaire)
• Essential coordination issues between FABs
• Airspace optimisation, including cross-border issues or free route airspace
• SES developments regarding FABs
• Performance (targets, plans and cooperation with the Commission)
• Interesting practices regarding FAB governance and institutional issues
• SESAR deployment (e.g. joint activities common procurement of systems)
• Ad-hoc topics such as EU-pilot
• Civil/military co-operation
• Meetings and discussions with the European Commission.