Page 59 - World Airnews Magazine November 2020

NEWS DIGITAL

HISTORIC AIRSPACE AGREEMENT

The International Air Transport Association has welcomed the
recent overflight agreement between the Kingdom of Jordan and
State of Israel that allows for flights to cross over both countries’
airspace.
The agreement paves the way for commercial airlines to be able
to fly through the Israel-Jordan corridor—which will shorten flight
times, reducing fuel burn and CO2 emissions.
Airlines have historically flown around Israel when flying east
/ west operating over Middle East airspace. The direct routing
through Jordanian and Israeli airspace will on average cut 106 km road for one year.
eastbound and 118 km westbound on flights operating from the “The connecting of the airspace between Jordan and Israel is
Gulf States and Asia to destinations in Europe and North America. welcome news for travelers, the environment and the aviation in-
Based on the number of eligible departure airports, this will dustry, during these very difficult times. The direct routing will cut
result in a saving of 155 days of flying time per year and an annual return journey times for passengers by about 20 mins and reduce
reduction in CO2 emissions of approximately 87,000 tonnes. This is CO2 emissions. Airlines will also save on fuel costs which will help
the equivalent to nearly 19,000 passenger vehicles being taken off as they struggle to survive the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic,”
the road for one year. said Muhammad Al Bakri, IATA’s Regional Vice President for Africa
Furthermore, should the number of eligible departure airports and the Middle East.
be increased, and traffic reach pre-COVID-19 levels the result The operational elements of the new agreement are being led by
will be a saving of 403 days of flying time per year and an annual the Civil Aviation Authorities of both Jordan and Israel, supported
reduction in CO2 emissions of approximately 202,000 tonnes. This by Eurocontrol, the European air traffic management agency, and
is the equivalent to taking nearly 44,000 passenger vehicles off the IATA. Q

IATA
AIRCRAFT METEOROLOGICAL

REPORTING

data providers have tried to offset this number of humidity and turbulence
loss, but there has been a measurable measurements being made.
The International Air Transport negative impact on the accuracy of This information is provided to
Association and World Meteorological weather forecasts as a result of AMDAR meteorological agencies and comput-
Organisation have signed an agreement data reductions,” said Professor Taalas. erized weather prediction systems.
to increase and improve the automated “Safety is aviation’s highest priority These in turn support the generation of
reporting of meteorological data by and ensuring airlines and other safety forecast and weather service products
commercial aircraft. stakeholders have access to the most for aviation.
The new initiative, called the WMO and comprehensive and reliable weather The AMDAR system has made a
IATA Collaborative AMDAR Programme forecast data is vital to achieving this,” positive contribution and improvement
(WICAP), aims to expand the existing said Alexandre de Juniac, IATA director to weather forecasts. These are vital to
WMO Aircraft Meteorological Data Relay general and CEO. airline and aviation efficiency and safety
(AMDAR) system to ensure coverage over “It is important that in rebuilding and in an era when the industry is striving to
data-sparse areas. It is expected to bring re-establishing their operations, airlines make flying more sustainable and limit its
many additional and new partner airlines are able to take advantage of all available contribution to climate change.
into the programme, which is already cost and operational efficiencies. One Under the new collaboration, the
supported by approximately 40 airlines such efficiency can be derived from WMO community will take on the
covers several thousand passenger and the enhanced use of better-quality role of establishing a regionally based
cargo aircraft. weather forecasts and other meteoro- operational framework for reception
“One of the many unfortunate aspects logical information that results from the and processing of the data. IATA will
of the COVID-19 crisis has been the improved availability of AMDAR data,” be responsible for promoting airline
severe loss - of up to 90% - of aircraft-de- said De Juniac. participation in the programme and
rived meteorological data as a result of The AMDAR observing system produces help coordinate technical solutions for
the steep decline in airline operations over 800 000 high-quality observations data relay, while protecting the airlines’
and passenger flights since March 2020,” per day of air temperature and wind ownership of the data.
said WMO secretary-general Professor speed and direction, together with IATA is the trade association for the
Petteri Taalas. the required positional and temporal world’s airlines, representing some 290
“Meteorological services and other information, and with an increasing airlines or 82% of total air traffic. Q

World Airnews | November Extra 2020
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