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| The vDFL concept allows for a more flexible and dynamic distribution of traffic between upper and lower sectors with a view to increasing efficiency. Photo: Eurocontrol |
[Avionics Today 12-19-2014] Following the successful implementation, in December 2013, of a Variable Division Flight Level (vDFL) in the eastern part of the airspace managed by the Maastricht Upper Area Control Centre (MUAC), Eurocontrol has deployed the concept further to the western part of the airspace. The new area of deployment covers Dutch and Northwest German airspace.
The vDFL concept allows for a more flexible and dynamic distribution of traffic between upper and lower sectors (from 24,500 feet to unlimited height) with a view to increasing efficiency. vDFL is the first step towards the introduction of the dynamic sectorization concept for Single European Sky ATM Research (SESAR).
The continued development of this philosophy will see an expansion of the concept to the densest and most complex areas of the MUAC airspace — above Belgium and Luxembourg — increasing Air Traffic Management (ATM) performance still further. The advanced Air Traffic Control (ATC) system in place at MUAC is capable of supporting this instant restructuring of sectors across multiple division flight levels. Due to the dynamic frequency management infrastructure, level bands of sectors and airspace blocks can be changed instantly within the system.