As we are all aware, the skies over Europe are becoming more and more congested leading to greater delays. This has been foreseen since the 1980s and in 1994 the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Special European Regional Air Navigation Meeting endorsed the objectives of capacity and economic benefits associated with the implementation of Reduced Vertical Separation Minima (RVSM) in the European Region.

Eurocontrol has developed a plan to reduce the height separation between flight levels (FL) 290 and 410 from 2,000 feet to 1,000 feet and it is estimated that this will increase the airspace capacity by twenty per cent.

All the States within Europe and several in the surrounding area have been working together to implement RVSM on January 24, 2002. What does this mean and how will it affect operators who normally fly at such levels?

RVSM is considered to be the most cost-effective means of increasing airspace capacity in European airspace. It will provide six more FLs between 290 and 410, better operating economies and reduced in-flight delays, environmental benefits from reduced fuel burn, operational flexibility for controllers, capacity benefits through more efficient use of airspace and vertical layering of sectors commonality of separation criteria in a continuum of airspace up to FL 410 and more scope for the use of Flight Level Allocation Systems to systematically resolve conflicts at crossing points.

In the United Kingdom the Air Navigation (No 2) Order 1995, the Rules of the Air Regulations 1996 and the Air Navigation (General) Regulations 1993 have been amended to require the carriage and operation of RVSM equipment and procedures for aircraft flying in UK designated RVSM Airspace. There will be no exemptions to operate in this airspace other than for military aircraft and those on Ministry of Defence contracts; all other operators will have to comply with the RVSM requirements.

Many new aeroplanes meet the Minimum Aircraft System Performance Specification (MASPS) for RVSM but others will need modifying by Service Bulletin or an approved data package. Most manufacturers of business aircraft have now produced the required information but there are still some older aeroplanes that are not feasible or cost-effective to modify; these aeroplanes will be denied access to RVSM Airspace.

Airframe certification is just the start, as satisfactory arrangements have to be in place for the ongoing scheduled and unscheduled maintenance to ensure the continued airworthiness of the airframe to be RVSM MASPS compliant.

Once these arrangements are in place the aeroplane has to be subjected to a monitoring programme to check the continuing compliance of aeroplanes with the height keeping performance requirements.

To gain full approval for operation in RVSM designated airspace an operator will need to show that the previous steps have been completed to the satisfaction of his Authority and that operational aspects of flight in RVSM Airspace have been addressed including the amendment of flight manuals, minimum equipment lists and operations manuals.

When all these requirements are satisfactorily completed an operational approval for RVSM operations, with notified airframes, in designated areas can be granted. These details will be recorded on the Authorities' databases and will be shared with the relevant monitoring and verification agencies.

This time next year the United Kingdom and Irish airspace between flight levels 290 and 410 could be designated as Airspace (RVSMA) on a tactical basis as it is the ambition of NATS and the Irish Aviation Authority to implement this service on April 19, 2001.

Both these organisations have had experience with the North Atlantic (NAT) RVSM Airspace since it was implemented in 1997 and consider that they will be able to operate such a service for the benefit of operators provided sufficient aircraft and operators are RVSM approved.

Many IATA companies are already approved for RVSM operations, especially those who transit the NAT Region, and they are keen to have the EUR Region RVSM Airspace operating as soon as possible. If the business aviation sector also wants to reap the benefits, and not be penalised for non-compliance, then operators will need to have their aeroplanes and operations approved by March 31, 2001 so that programme can be implemented on time.

Captain John Robinson is the Operations Consultant to the UK's GAMTA and sits on the UK RVSM Steering Group and NATS RVSM Policy Group representing business aviation interests.