Who is this article for?

Users managing CANSO metrics.

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OPAS includes detection algorithms to help you understand how air traffic control and airlines operate in the airspace and whether they meet CANSO (Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation) requirements for operational performance.

1. Understanding CANSO performance indicators

CANSO has key performance indicators for measuring Air Navigation Service Provider (ANSP) operational performance. These indicators increase airspace efficiency and reduce fuel burn for aircraft. OPAS already covers gate out departure efficiency and taxi-in efficiency for ground segments. The CANSO key performance indicators also apply to in-air efficiency around the airport.

2. Detecting level flight segments

Flight profiles for departures and arrivals should be a smooth descent or ascent up to cruising altitude or down to the runway. Pilots may need to level off to ensure the aircraft lands safely. OPAS can detect segments of level flight in the aircraft's flight profile. Flights that do not level off will not have a level flight segment.

To configure level flight detection parameters:

1. Go to Tools.
2. Select Options.

When you select the Use Top of Ascent/Descent option, the system analyses when the aircraft begins its climb or landing and the Max Altitude field becomes unavailable.

Selecting Ignore ascent/descent options means that for a descent, a climb during level flight is still considered level flight, and similar for climbs where descents count as level flight.

The Secondary Segment panel is for experimentation to see how the parameters would detect level flight before applying it to the primary configuration. It is not intended for long-term use and should be disabled to reduce processing time after testing is completed.

Note: Detection of level flight segments simply identifies the segments and does not create a violation or infringement as used in ANOMS.

3. Configuring holding zones

Congestion at an airport occurs when runways are unavailable to arrivals, leading to air traffic control putting them into holding zones, or 'stacks'. This burns fuel, delays arrivals and leads to unwanted air pollution. OPAS can detect flights in holding zones by using a designated gate as a 'lap counter' where an aircraft is in a holding zone after it penetrates the gate twice.

In addition to identifying and highlighting the segment (which will generally be circular or oval in shape), metrics are recorded such as the zone name, holding time in seconds and a count of holding circuits. These can be included as columns in the Operational Segments Browser or exported as data in a query, or used as criteria for queries.

To define holding zones:

1. Identify the designated zones by mapping arrivals.
2. Draw an active gate over the most logical point of the zone.
3. Go to the Input menu.
4. Select Holding Zone Manager.
5. Select the gate to be a holding zone detection gate.

The holding zone and gate will be processed going forward. To review the work, it is suggested that Gate Analysis be undertaken to historically reprocess the gate (a week is adequate). After this is completed, the holding zone data is also reprocessed using the Data Processing feature.

4. Understanding top of ascent and descent segments

OPAS detects these segments as single points. For arrivals, it is top of descent. For departures, it is top of ascent. This identifies where arrivals transcend from cruising altitude into an approach descent and where departures finish a climb and level off.

This is separate from level segments as these are occurring during ascent or descent, not at the start or end of the ascent or descent.

There can be tracks where the aircraft has begun its descent outside the depicted radar area, or where a departure continues to climb as it leaves the area. The segment is created but marked as not detected.

No configuration is required for these operational segments.