eATM Portal

ATC02.8 — Ground-Based Safety Nets

This objective covers the implementation of Level 2 of the following ground-based safety nets: Area Proximity Warning (APW), Minimum Safe Altitude Warning (MSAW) and Approach Path Monitor (APM).

• Area Proximity Warning (APW) uses surveillance data and flight path prediction to warn the controller when an aircraft is, or is predicted to be, flying into a volume of notified airspace, such as controlled airspace, danger areas, prohibited areas and restricted areas. APW has been identified as an optional system requirement for the implementation of Free Route Airspace (FRA) in Regulation (EU) No 2021/116 (the CP1 Regulation).

• Minimum Safe Altitude Warning (MSAW) is intended to warn the air traffic controller (ATCO) about the increased risk of controlled flight into terrain by generating, in a timely manner, an alert of aircraft proximity to terrain or obstacles.

• An approach path monitor (APM) is intended to warn the ATCO about increased risk of controlled flight into terrain accidents by generating, in a timely manner, an alert of aircraft proximity to terrain or obstacles during final approach.

Before starting first operations, air traffic controllers must receive training, aimed at creating an appropriate level of trust in the concerned safety net. The time-criticality of alerts and the need for immediate attention or action must be well understood, but also the situations in which safety nets are less effective.

The number of nuisance and false alerts must be reduced to a minimum. Air traffic controllers should be encouraged to report unexpected and unwanted safety nets behaviour and feedback should always be provided.

NOTE FOR MILITARY AUTHORITIES: It is the responsibility of each military authority to review this Objective IN ITS ENTIRETY and address each of the SLoAs that the military authority considers RELEVANT for itself. This has to be done on top and above of the review of "MIL" SLoAs which identify actions EXCLUSIVE to military authorities.

Edition
2022
Stakeholders
Air Navigation Service Provider
Type
SESAR
Scope
ECAC+
Status
Active

Context

Related Elements

Applicability Area(s) and Timescales

Applicability Area:
All ECAC States except: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Netherlands. Plus: Israel, Morocco
Timescales From By Applicable to
Initial operational capability 01-01-2009 - Applicability Area
Full operational capability - 31-12-2021 Applicability Area

Links to SESAR Solutions

Links to PCP ATM Sub-Functionalities

References

Applicable legislation
None
Applicable ICAO Annexes and other references
None
Deployment Programme 2022
Family 3.2.1 - Initial FRA
Operating Environments
Terminal Airspace
En-Route

Expected Performance Benefits

Safety
Major safety improvement through the systematic presentation of:
- imminent and actual unauthorized penetrations into airspace volumes to controllers ahead of their occurrence, as provided by APW;
- possible infringements of minimum safe altitude to controllers ahead of their occurrence, as provided by MSAW;
- deviations from the glide path to controllers, as provided by APM.
Capacity
-
Operational efficiency
-
Cost efficiency
-
Environment
-
Security
-
  Code Title From By Related Enablers
 
ASP01 Implement the APW function
  • 01-01-2009
  • 31-12-2021
 
ASP02 Align ATCO training with the use of APW ground-based safety tools
  • 01-01-2009
  • 31-12-2021
 
ASP03 Implement the MSAW function
  • 01-01-2009
  • 31-12-2021
 
ASP04 Align ATCO training with the use of MSAW ground-based safety tools
  • 01-01-2009
  • 31-12-2021
 
ASP05 Implement the APM function
  • 01-01-2009
  • 31-12-2021
 
ASP06 Align ATCO training with the use of APM ground-based safety tools
  • 01-01-2009
  • 31-12-2021
Code Dates
 
1999 99
2000 00
2001 01
2002 02
2003 03
2004 04
2005 05
2006 06
2007 07
2008 08
2009 09
2010 10
2011 11
2012 12
2013 13
2014 14
2015 15
2016 16
2017 17
2018 18
2019 19
2020 20
2021 21
2022 22
2023 23
2024 24
2025 25
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
ATC02.8
 
20090101_20211231
ASP01
 
93%
20090101_20211231
ASP02
 
88%
20090101_20211231
ASP03
 
88%
20090101_20211231
ASP04
 
80%
20090101_20211231
ASP05
 
63%
20090101_20211231
ASP06
 
54%
20090101_20211231

Supporting Material

Title Related SLoAs

EUROCONTROL - GUID-125 - EUROCONTROL Guidance Material for Area Proximity Warning - Edition 1.0 / 05/2009

https://www.eurocontrol.int/sites/default/files/publication/files/20090519-apw-guid-v1.0.pdf

ASP01, ASP02

EUROCONTROL - GUID-160 - EUROCONTROL Guidelines for Minimum Safe Altitude Warning - Part I to III - Edition 1.0 / 01/2017

https://www.eurocontrol.int/publication/eurocontrol-guidelines-minimum-safe-altitude-warning

ASP03, ASP04

EUROCONTROL - GUID-162 - EUROCONTROL Guidelines for Approach Path Monitor - Part I to III - Edition 1.0 / 01/2017

https://www.eurocontrol.int/publication/eurocontrol-guidelines-approach-path-monitor

ASP05, ASP06

EUROCONTROL - Safety Nets - A guide for ensuring effectiveness - August 2017

https://www.eurocontrol.int/sites/default/files/publication/files/safety-nets-guide-august-2017.pdf

ASP01, ASP02, ASP03, ASP04, ASP05, ASP06

Consultation & Approval

Working Arrangement in charge
SAFETY / SPIN SG
Outline description approved in
03/2012
Latest objective review at expert level
04/2012
Commitment Decision Body
Provisional Council (PC)
Objective approved/endorsed in
07/2006
Latest change to objective approved/endorsed in
07/2012