African continent prepares for RVSM implementation

States across the African continent are preparing to reconfigure their airspace by adopting reduced vertical separation minima (RVSM) from midnight tomorrow.

The switch will halve the standard height interval between cruising altitudes from 2,000ft to 1,000ft over all states in the ICAO African and Indian Ocean region.

The International Federation of Air Line Pilots' Associations says the programme is "undoubtedly the largest" air traffic management initiative undertaken by the continent, and will "contribute to improving overall safety" in the region.

ICAO's planning and implementation group agreed the changeover date from conventional separation minima to RVSM airspace at a meeting in Rwanda last year.

RVSM applies to altitudes from flight levels 290 to 410. The change will create additional flight levels and bring the continent into line with other areas of the world - notably Europe and certain North African states - which have already introduced RVSM operations.

In June ICAO confirmed the switchover date and said that all 53 African and Indian Ocean region countries had reaffirmed commitment to RVSM by completing national safety plans.

It stated that the time around midnight on 25 September would be a suitably "quiet and stable" period during which the transition could take place.

Under the transition plan all ground stations will repeatedly warn aircraft, from 45min beforehand, of the impending change.

Non-RVSM aircraft will be excluded from altitudes between FL290 and FL410 from two hours before the midnight transition, and operations by non-RVSM aircraft above FL410 will be suspended for the four-hour period bridging midnight.

From midnight controllers will start allocating RVSM altitudes. Intervals of close monitoring will follow during which authorities will check for, and report, any possible irregularities or incidents such as height deviations wake vortex encounters.

Source: Air Transport Intelligence news

Fonte: Flight Safety Information 25/09/2008.