An air traffic control (ATC) system is comprised of human controllers using computers and radar systems to direct aircraft from one destination to another. The system involves three major components: airport towers, terminal radar approach control (TRACON) facilities, and en-route centers. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has the legal responsibility over air traffic control in the United States. Other nations have similar agencies chartered by the central government. They all interface through the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to ensure that aircraft can travel from one nation to another without equipment incompatibilities. The ICAO also provides rules and procedures to air traffic controllers for aircraft operations outside of the United States (Convention on international civil aviation, 1944).
Many in-flight and aviation procedures are the same throughout the world and Europe (Convention on international civil aviation, 1944). However, France has different rules and procedures regarding military aircraft operations. Due to limited amounts of airspace and high traffic volume, procedures and flight operations concerning military aircraft have some limitations and restrictions.
On average, there are thirty complaints filed each year by French ATC on DoD aircraft (personal communication, October 2020). The most common discrepancies by DoD aircrews are filing an incorrect flight plan, not maintaining the correct formation size, and failure to coordinate an abnormal flight. The research will depict why France and the United States are allies, the strategic location and airspace of France, and why failure to follow host nation regulations can lead to mission delays and a deteriorating foreign relationship. The US DoD needs to develop a more reliable relationship with the French aviation community in order to facilitate a cooperative air defense system.
Source Finding Analysis
The research presented was gathered using databases such as EBSCOhost and ProQuest, which provided peer reviewed articles from credible authors. YouTube was used as a platform to watch a speech from the President of France, Emmanuel Macron as he addressed the United States Congress and emphasized the importance of the relationship between the two countries. Aviation regulations, letters of agreements and treaties are used to provide the reader with facts concerning ATC and the needed requirements for the flight crew and air traffic controllers.
The e-mail database for the DoD French ATC and Airspace Liaison was used to gain insight and data on the problems occurring within French airspace. The information gathered presents what type of incidents most often occur, why they occur and how often. The research combined with the information located in the e-mail database are used to describe the most common problems and discrepancies committed by DoD aircrews.
Appropriateness of Sources
The sources used during the research were chosen to provide background information and support to a bigger picture. The research will suggest that ensuing problems can and will occur outside of the aviation realm and community if the violations continue by DoD aircrews. The regulations are from government entities assigned to provide safety guidance to aircraft and air traffic control. To ensure that information used was not classified or confidential, the source and information was verified using internet searches for newspaper articles.
Themes
Research for this project began centering around the aviation complaints received by the DoD French ATC and Airspace liaison. The continued disregard for host nation regulations not only creates friction within the ATC realm, but also causes delays to military operations and can damper military relations (personal communications). The focus then shifted slightly to, why and how the United States and France started being allies and why they continue to work together.
Brief History
The United States and France have been allies since before America gained its freedom from Great Britain. Their shared ideologies and beliefs in freedom and equality is the reason the United States and France have remained allies fighting side by side for over 100 years (Macron, 2018). The world has changed significantly since their friendship began, and so has the way wars are fought and won.
The United States and France have both been victims of serious terrorist attacks, the two societies have stood up to advance human rights for all. To combat terrorism and keep our homelands safe, our militaries forward deploy and fight battles away from home (Burgess, 2019). Over the last few years, the United States and France along with other NATO nations have focused their efforts fighting terrorism in Africa along with other regions of the world.
In order to combat new threats and challenges the United States and France must work side by side and with international partners, to face inequalities created by globalization (Macron, 2018). The United States military presence has grown over the last 13 years with the establishment of a dedicated, regional combatant command (Africa Command or AFRICOM) in 2007 (Moore & Walker, 2016). It is apparent with the establishment of AFRICOM that the United States has concentrated on fighting the war on terrorism in Africa.
US and French New Roles
The USA and France military forces have taken on large roles in Africa to prevent violent extremist organizations from expanding their areas of operations and attacking vulnerable areas (Burgess, 2019). Since 2013, French military forces have taken a direct approach participating in several campaigns and training military units in multiple countries throughout Africa including Mali, Libya and Chad (Burgess, 2019). In an effort to provide stability throughout the region, the United States has established twenty-nine military bases in Africa in addition to the military bases located throughout Europe (globalsecurity.org).
European airspace is some of the most congested airspace in the world, with over 40 countries and 10 million flights each year (eurocontrol.int). Utilizing and transiting European airspace is vital to supporting the missions in Africa and the Middle East. Due to the congestion, complexity and multitude of countries in Europe, to standardize and separate military operations from civil aviation, OAT (Operational Air Traffic) was created (European Union Aviation Safety Agency). Because of the strategic location of France, their airspace is transited by many US and other foreign military en-route to deployments in an effort to provide support to Africa and other regions.
ATC Discrepancies
The DoD French ATC and Airspace Liaison reports an average of thirty ATC complaints annually, most of them are avoidable (personal communication, January 2021). To reduce the amount of complaints received, before flying through France flight crews should review the differences in rules and regulations governing flight operations. The French airspace is smaller and more congested compared to the United States. This restricts aircrews and flights to how they have to operate and file their flight plans (AP2).
French airspace is heavily congested and divided amongst multiple control agencies to alleviate complexity. Therefore, when an aircraft is operating and flying under an OAT (Operational Air Traffic) flight plan, the flight is under the control of French military air traffic controllers. The normal civil traffic is controlled by civilian air traffic controllers and operates on GAT (General Air Traffic) flight plans (DIRCAM). US DoD aircraft can operate under OAT or GAT conditions, depending on the type of mission. The French air traffic system does not communicate between civil and military controllers. Because the systems do not talk to each other, it is important for aircraft on an OAT flight plan to insert the address for the military facilities to receive the information (DIRCAM).
When OAT is inserted into the route portion of the flight plan, it causes the system to stop processing the route, due to military zones and routes that may be forbidden to civil traffic. It is a common occurrence for aircrews to input OAT before a fix on their route that has errors during the submission process (AP2). This does not fix the flight plan; this only tricks the IFPS (Initial Flight Planning System) into approving the flight plan. This causes both the civilian and military controllers not to have flight plan information on the aircraft. This leads to an increased workload for the controllers and can lead to flights being refused entry into the country (AP2).
Civilian air traffic controllers in France are not trained and are not qualified to control military maneuvers and abnormal operations (personal communication, August 2019). Maneuvers such as flight split-ups and join-ups shall not be requested by pilots, except for emergencies (DIRCAM). When military maneuvers are needed during the flight through France, aircraft must file an OAT flight plan in order to conduct the requested maneuvers. When flight crews misfile flight plans and attempt military maneuvers and abnormal operations with civilian controllers under GAT, they can overload the controllers, and add to the complexity of ATC and create an unsafe environment.
Military formations in the United States routinely fly in non-standard formations, this is the second most common discrepancy. Standard formation is when each element of the flight is within 0.5 nautical miles from the flight leader and less than 300 feet vertically (DIRCAM). Air traffic controllers are required by regulation to control formation flights as a single aircraft, and separation requirements differ depending if the aircraft are in standard or non-standard formation. Because of the airspace configuration and congestion, all formation flights in France are required to fly in a standard formation through French airspace, however an altitude block of two-thousand feet can be approved with prior coordination if the flight occurs over international waters (DIRCAM).
Non-standard formations can occur both vertically or horizontally, if the aircraft in a formation are flying in a block altitude or at a single altitude in-trail. Due to congestion of airspace, French regulations mandate that only the lead aircraft turn on their transponder. Each additional element must keep their transponders on stand-by mode, to reduce clutter on the radar screens (DIRCAM). The radar equipment used by the French ACCs (Air Control Centers) does not allow controllers to recognize when a formation flight is not operating in a standard formation (personal communications).
Stress levels in controllers are magnified when aircraft perform unexpected maneuvers, or show up in the controllers airspace without prior notification. High levels of stress lead to loss of situational awareness and have a great impact on flight safety (Corrandini & Cacciari, 2002). Aircraft mishaps and hazards to flight safety can be traced back to violating procedure and manuals. Factors associated with inadequacy of procedures and manuals, failure to comply or impossibility of compliance with them influence flight safety in air traffic control (Sikirda, Shmelova & Tkachenko, 2018).
Curiosity
As an air traffic control liaison in France, studying the rules and regulations concerning ATC throughout France and the European region, reinforces the need for strict adherence to the rules because of the complexity to airspace and operations. With over 10 million flights conducted annually, controllers in the region are tasked with a heavy workload. When avoidable discrepancies continue to occur by DoD flight crews, the chances for an unsafe incident to occur increase.
Examples of ATC complaints
In February 2019 an incident involving a formation of one tanker and six fighters climbed to an altitude block without ATC approval and prior coordination. The flight plan was filed incorrectly and there was not a flight plan in the IFPS. Because the aircraft flight plan information never made it to the air traffic controllers, the formation was instructed to turn to avoid entering French airspace and were not allowed entry (personal communication).
In August 2019 there was an incident involving a larger sized formation. The formation consisted of one tanker and seven fighter aircraft. The formation had eight miles of separation between the lead and tail aircraft. The maximum amount of spacing is 0.5 miles, and because the trail aircraft are not depicted on the radar display, the air traffic controllers were not aware of the aircraft in trail and could have caused a mid-air collision (personal communication).
Discussion
On average, there are thirty complaints received each year, from French ATC on DoD aircraft (personal communication, October 2020). The most common discrepancies by DoD aircrews are filing incorrect flight plans, not maintaining the correct formation size, and failure to coordinate an abnormal flight. There is little evidence to contradict the research that was conducted. Examining the relationship between the United States DoD flying units and the French ATC community and the role of the DoD ATC Liaison in France. The DoD ATC Liaison reports that a majority of the US military missions take place over the Mediterranean Sea. During the research associated with this topic, it was found that flight crews and pilots often use the excuse that the missions are operating over international waters and in international airspace, as their reason for not following appropriate procedures (personal communication, February 2021). While this is true, the missions still take place within controlled airspace with Marseille ACC (Air Control Center) (EUROCONTROL). When operating in controlled airspace, aircraft must follow instructions from ATC (EUROCONTROL and FAA.gov). After a thorough examination of material, there was no other counter argument against the ATC complaints committed by the flight crews.
Agreement Among Researchers
Researchers agree that ATC is a stressful career field that requires quick thinking and problem solving abilities. In order to reduce the amount of stress in ATC, abnormal flights and operations need to be coordinated ahead of time, and procedures need to be established (Corradini & Cacciari, 2002, p 3). Stress levels in controllers are magnified when aircraft perform unexpected maneuvers, or show up in airspace without prior notification. High levels of stress can lead to a loss of situational awareness and have a great impact on flight safety (Corrandini & Cacciari, 2002). Aircraft mishaps and hazards to flight safety can be traced back to violating procedures and manuals. Factors associated with inadequacy of procedures and manuals, failure to comply or impossibility of compliance with them influence flight safety in air traffic control (Sikirda, Shmelova & Tkachenko, 2018).
Researchers Opinion
Having analyzed the literature and primary sources the researcher believes that the DoD needs to develop a more reliable relationship with the aviation community in order to facilitate a cooperative air defense system. It is easy to agree, after focusing outside of ATC and analyzing the bigger picture. The researcher was able to realize the importance of the relationship and history between the United States and French military forces, not only in the past but also with their current missions and future endeavors. To combat terrorism and keep our homelands safe, our militaries forward deploy and fight battles away from home (Burgess, 2019). Over the last few years, the United States and France along with other NATO nations have focused their efforts fighting terrorism in Africa along with other regions of the world.
Key Theories
When flight crews continue to disregard flight planning and aviation procedures and policies, delays or cancellation of missions can occur. If flight crews misfile an OAT or GAT flight plan, they will be refused entry into French airspace. The aircraft will be forced to hold outside of French airspace until flight crews are able to file a valid flight plan in the IFPS (Initial Flight Planning System), or the aircraft will re-route their mission to avoid overflying France (personal communication, January 2021).
Many of the military overflights through French airspace are directly involved with missions supporting operations in Africa. Anywhere from aircraft carrying passengers and cargo to support aircraft and tanker aircraft. When delays occur because procedures and regulations are not being met, this is not only a waste of money and resources but can also delay assistance to military troops on the ground in the AOR (Area of Responsibility) or a unit in need.
The civilian air traffic controllers in France differ from the controllers in the United States, because French civil controllers are not allowed to control military or abnormal flight functions (DIRCAM). The congestion and complexity within the French airspace requires strict adherence to the rules in order to maintain flight safety. In an effort to relieve additional responsibilities from the civil controllers, French military controllers control all military flights conducting abnormal or military maneuvers (DIRCAM).
Support
Aviation and ATC procedures and regulations were studied to support the stance that the US DoD needs to develop a more reliable relationship with the French aviation community in order to facilitate a cooperative air defense system. To answer why the rules and procedures are different in France, the airspace maps were used to better understand the complexity of the airspace. The reader should consider how complex and difficult it is for air traffic controllers to maintain a safe environment, when pilots do not follow rules and regulations. Rules and procedures are established to enhance and maintain flight safety.
Challenging the Thesis
In an effort to support the thesis statement, research was chosen to provide background information not only about air traffic control but also about the bigger picture. To understand the bigger picture, a speech from President Emmanuel Macron addressing congress was used to demonstrate the relationship between the United States and France. The importance of the two countries working together to prevent future terrorist attacks was highlighted President Macron.
Conclusion
The US DoD needs to develop a more reliable relationship with the French aviation community in order to facilitate a cooperative air defense system. Maintaining and enhancing flight safety is a team effort. Human and pilot error are likely to occur when coordinating missions, flying and controlling aircraft. When the same discrepancies and pilot error are avoidable but continue to occur because of a lack of knowledge is inexcusable and can lead to delays in missions, cancelled missions or a damaged relationship with host nation.
Analyzing Thesis
After conducting research and analyzing the thesis statement, the US DoD needs to develop a more reliable relationship with the French aviation community in order to facilitate a cooperative air defense system. The researcher’s viewpoint has remained steady and has not changed. The complaints received on DoD aircraft not only concern flight safety, but they have a strategic impact as to mission readiness and a damaging effect on a relationship with host nation controllers. The French air traffic controllers understand that mistakes happen; the problem is the same mistakes continue to occur year after year without resolve, despite the great efforts made by the DoD ATC and Airspace Liaison in France.
Real-World Implications and Fix-Actions
Due to constant disregard of rules and procedures there has already been restrictions issued to aircraft and flight crews that affect their missions. For example in October 2020, French ATC restricted the formation size for refueling missions to no larger than four fighters and one tanker aircraft transitioning through France, because there continued to be a problem with larger formations maintaining standard formation. The restriction remained for two-months and caused strategic and logistic ramifications. Missions had to be re-worked and additional tanker support had to be acquired by the mission coordinators (personal communication).
The mission coordinators and their leadership in the chain of command insisted that they had no idea why France would limit their formation size from six fighters down to four fighters with one tanker. The DoD ATC and Airspace Liaison forwarded them an incident report from the last 18-months highlighting almost forty complaints that concerned the refueling missions through French airspace. The old complaint notification procedures for the ATC liaison was to notify the POC (Point of Contact) for the mission, and the mission coordinators. Whether or not the complaint is forwarded up the flight crews chain of command is unknown. The new procedures for notifying flight crews of ATC complaints, is to notify the POC along with the Air Attaché at the US Embassy. The Air Attaché is a Colonel in the United States Air Force, and they are in-charge of all DoD air operations in France. The Air Attaché, will then notify the flight crews chain of command about the infraction that was received (personal communication, October 2020).
The DoD ATC and Airspace Liaison team make annual site-visits to each of the five French ACC’s (Air Control Centers) to discuss any problems or concerns among the controllers. After the Covid-19 travel restrictions, the liaison team is requesting to visit the five ACC’s with a representative from one of the flying organizations, and visit all DoD flight planning squadrons in Europe, to brief flying procedures and common discrepancies in an effort to enhance flight safety. The goal of the DoD ATC and Airspace Liaison is to increase the awareness among the flying community of the different procedures when flying through France, and to enhance flight safety and reduce the ATC complaints received.
Key words
Abnormal flights. Abnormal flights are defined as any mission or procedure that requires additional coordination and is not part of a normal traffic workload. Examples of abnormal flights are refueling missions, para-drop operations, flight split-ups and flight join-ups and aircraft carrying hazardous cargo and materials.
Block altitude. A block altitude is more than one altitude that is assigned to an aircraft or a formation.
Department of Defense (DoD). Department of Defense provides the military forces needed to deter war and ensure the security of the United States. All the branches of the military are part of the DoD, and is headed by the Secretary of Defense.
Flight split-up/join-up. A flight split-up is a maneuver executed by controllers on formation flights of two or more aircraft. The controller will separate the aircraft into separate flights. A flight join-up is the opposite.
Formation flight. A formation flight is comprised of more than one aircraft, but operates the as a single aircraft. Separation between aircraft in the flight shall be the responsibility of the flight leader and the pilots of the other aircraft.
In-trail. In-trail is a term used to describe a type of non-standard formation. When wingmen are in-trail, the aircraft are staggered in a line behind the flight lead.
Stress. Stress is a word used to describe human reactions to emotionally, cognitively and physically challenging experiences.
References
Burgess, S. (2019), Military intervention in Africa: French and US approaches compared. Retrieved January 16, 2021.
Convention on international civil aviation (1944). Retrieved 13 January 2021, from https://www.wipo.int/edocs/lexdocs/treaties/en/icao-ca/trt_icao_ca_001en.pdf
Corrandini, P., & Cacciari, C. (2002). The effect of workload and workshift on air traffic control: A taxonomy of communicative problems. Cognition, Technology & Work, 4(4) 229-239. Retrieved January 10, 2021, from https://digitallibrary.theiet.org/content/conferences/10.1049/cp_20010447
DIRCAM (2020, December 2020). Retrieved January 10, 2021, from https://www.dircam.dsae.defense.gouv.fr/en/documentation-2/miam
EUROCONTROL (2020), Retrieved January 22, 2021, from https://www.eurocontrol.int/function/airspace-utilisation
European Union Aviation Safety Agency (2020), Standardized European rules of the air.
FAA (2021). Retrieved February 5, 2021, from https://www.faa.gov
Globalsecurity.org, American military bases in Africa. Retrieved January 17, 2021, from https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/facility/africom.htm
Landsbergis, P, Labor Studies Journal vol. 11 issue 2 p. 117-134 , Is air traffic control a stressful occupation?
Macron, E. (2018). Vital speeches of the day, 84(6), 132-136. Retrieved January 13, 2021, from https://www.elysee.fr/emmanuel-macron/2018/04/25/speech-by-the-president-of-the-republic-emmanuel-macron-at-the-congress-of-the-united-states-of-america.en
Moore, A., Walker, J. (2016), Geopolitics vol. 21, NO. 3, p. 686-716, Tracing the US military’s presence in Africa. Retrieved January 15, 2021 from http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14650045.2016.1160060
Sebastiani M, Di Flumeri G, Aricò P, Sciaraffa N, Babiloni F, Borghini G. Neurophysiological Vigilance Characterisation and Assessment: Laboratory and Realistic Validations Involving Professional Air Traffic Controllers. Brain Sciences. 2020; 10(1):48.
Shorrock, S. T. (2006). International Journal of Aviation Psychology, 20(4), 309-324. Mental imagery in air traffic control Retrieved January 12, 2021 from https://doi.org/10.1207/ijap.2006.16.issue-2
Sikirda, Y., Shmelova, T., Tkachenko, D. (2018), Proceedings of the National Aviation University, 26-34. Multiplicative evaluation of influence of the organizational risk factors on flight safety in air traffic control
Annotated Bibliography
Burgess, S. (2019), Military intervention in Africa: French and US approaches compared.
This article details the approaches taken by both the US and French military in their operations in Africa. The article depicts the counter terrorism efforts put forth by both militaries, and stresses the importance in their presence in Africa.
Corrandini, P., & Cacciari, C. (2002). The effect of workload and workshift on air traffic control.
This article depicts the effects of workload management on flight safety. The author details the added pressure and stress that is placed on air traffic controllers during complex traffic scenarios.
DIRCAM.
This regulation governs OAT operations in French airspace. The regulation is specific to France, and details the requirements for both aviation flight crews and air traffic controllers. The regulation is in English and in French.
EUROCONTROL
The EUROCONTROL organization brings all European countries together on the same flight planning system. EUROCONTROL also provides rules and regulations on the flight planning process and procedures through Europe.
FAA
The FAA organization is responsible for overseeing the safety of aviation in the United States. The FAA provides rules and regulations for aircrew and air traffic controllers to establish safe procedures.
Macron, E. (2018). Vital speeches of the day.
In his speech to the United States Congress French President Emanuel Macron presents the long and rich history of France and the United States. President Macron stressed the importance of both countries along with other NATO countries in combatting and fighting terrorism before attacks can occur on our home soil.
Personal communications.
All the information used from the personal communications, was gathered from the French ATC Liaison and the email org box of the French ATC Liaison Office.
Sikirda, Y., Shmelova, T., Tkachenko, D. (2018), Proceedings of the National Aviation University, 26-34. Multiplicative evaluation of influence of the organizational risk factors on flight safety in air traffic control.
The authors describe the influence of procedures and how they impact the stress levels in air traffic controllers. The authors also describe how management, following procedures and regulations impact flight safety.
