Prospects of Air Traffic Management in South Eastern Europe

In the forthcoming period the European air traffic management will handle double flight operations than today – from 1.7 to 2.1 higher traffic level in 2025 than in 2005 [1]. The problem of the European airspace fragmentation should be solved by the comprehensive dynamic harmonization programs, which can contribute to effective increase of airspace capacity and increase of air transport efficiency. The main objective of the development strategy refers to the implementation of reformation processes of the European air traffic management system through functional ATM1 regionalization. Encouraged by the Single European Sky project, and through airspace de-fragmentation, numerous projects have been initiated by Eurocontrol in cooperation with the European Commission. One of them is establishing of the Functional Airspace Block in South Eastern Europe. The implementation of regulatory, institutional and legal framework of the Single European Sky FAB2 would ensure the expansion of the European air traffic market to South Eastern Europe, counting over 500 million potential users [2]. Croatia and all the other countries in the region have to adopt the provisions of ECAA3 Agreement and EU air transport acquis in their national legislation. This paper specifies the main determinants of the strategic development as well as the key factors which influence the European air traffic dynamics. The paper elaborates the indicators and significant elements of the required ATM reforms in South Eastern Europe on the samples of six ANSPs according to ECAA Agreement and EU acquis. KEYWORDS: Single European Sky, European Common Aviation Area, Air Traffic Management, South Eastern Europe, Functional Airspace Bloc