— Purpose

The purpose of this Aeronautical Information Circular (AIC) is to provide notification to Aircraft Operators (AOs) and background information concerning the planned expansion of SEEN FRA area.

 — Introduction

The expanded SEEN FRA concept builds on the existing night FRA implementation in the airspaces of București CTA, Budapest CTA and Sofia CTA and will represent a further step in optimizing flight operations in a large volume of airspace expanding towards Bratislava CTA and will provide operational, environmental and cost benefits.

In the expanded SEEN FRA area, AOs will continue to be able to flight plan user preferred trajectories and thereby will obtain benefits from planning and execution of flights. The expanded SEEN FRA area will also increase the compatibility between the flight plan and the trajectory flown, hence increasing the predictability for a given flight.

 — Lateral limits

The application of expanded SEEN FRA Cross-border Concept will encompass the horizontal boundaries of Bratislava CTA, București CTA, Budapest CTA and Sofia CTA in their full extent as published in ENR 2.1, in relevant State AIP.

a.  — Vertical limits

The vertical limits of expanded SEEN FRA area will be as follows:

1. Bratislava CTA: FL245 - FL660;
2. București CTA: FL105 - FL660;
3. Budapest CTA: 9500 FT - FL660;
4. Sofia CTA: FL175 - FL660.

 — Applicability Period

The SEEN FRA applicability is planned during the time period 2300-0500 (2200 - 0400) UTC.

 — Navigation Performance

There will be no change in required navigation performance. The existing ATS route network in București FIR and Sofia FIR will be retained. The existing “Direct” (DCT) allowed options within Bratislava FIR during the SEEN FRA applicability period will be suspended.

 — Eligible Flights

All overflying, arriving, departing aircraft that plan at least a portion of their route within the limits of SEEN FRA (time, lateral and vertical) will be eligible for SEEN FRA operation.

 — Flight Planning Procedures

Segments between SEEN FRA Horizontal Entry, SEEN FRA Intermediate and SEEN FRA Horizontal Exit points shall be indicated by DCT in ITEM 15: Route of the flight plan in accordance with ICAO Doc 4444. Example: [Entry Point] DCT [Intermediate point] DCT [Intermediate point] DCT [Exit Point]. There will be no limitations on the DCT segments length.

A SEEN FRA Intermediate point could be an en-route radio navigation aid or defined 5LNC as published as (I) in relevant columns of ENR 4.1 / ENR 4.4 respectively in each State AIP.

In order to minimize the impact on the ATM systems, as a minimum, the route portion in ITEM 15 of FPL through SEEN FRA area shall contain at least one FRA significant point in each FIR.

 — Implementation

Implementation is planned for 6th of December 2018.

 — Further Information

Further information regarding SEEN FRA will be available from relevant ANSPs in Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia. AIP changes will be published according to AIRAC schedule.

Figure 1.  — Contact Details

For further information concerning this AIC and the SEEN FRA you may contact: Jozsef Bakos

Figure 1.  SEEN FRA AREA

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