Point Merge - Merging Arrival Flows without heading instructions

The Point Merge concept has been developed within the EUROCONTROL Experimental Centre in Bretigny.

Current situation - Merging of arrival flows with open loop radar vectors:

• Efficient and flexible

But…

• Highly demanding as it imposes rapid decisions for the controller and time-critical execution by the flight crew
• Consequences
• Peaks of workload
• High frequency occupancy
• Lack of anticipation
• Difficulty to optimise vertical profiles and to contain the dispersion of trajectories

Paris CDG, 2002, source: ADP

Motivation to change the existing scenario:

• Maintain flexibility to be able to expedite or delay aircraft
• Keep aircraft on Flight Management System trajectory
• Maximise runway throughput

 Next Page