Eurocontrol, the European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation, has implemented the Reduced Vertical Separation Minimum (RVSM) programme, which will increase capacity in the airspace of 41 states by providing six additional flight levels between 29,000 feet and 41,000 feet inclusive, bringing the total to 13. By reducing the number of aircraft forced to share a given flight level, this change will increase safety and will reduce delays and fuel consumption while boosting capacity, according to Eurocontrol.

The average yearly cost benefits for aircraft operators have been estimated by an independent consultant firm at around 3.9 billion Euros, mostly from delay reduction and fuel savings. The capacity of Europe’s upper airspace will rise by up to 20 per cent.

John Sultana, Eurocontrol’s RVSM programme manager, highlighted that RVSM had been launched on budget and on schedule: “All necessary air traffic control procedures were ready on time. The height-keeping accuracy of over 10,000 aircraft has been checked, and every aircraft using RVSM standards has been certified. The controllers of 41 countries have been trained and are on schedule for implementation. Moreover, the pilots and flight planners of 2,300 operators have been trained and prepared.”