The purpose of the Main Air Traffic Management Centre is to ensure airspace planning and coordination, authorisation/notification-based airspace utilisation procedures, air traffic flow and airspace management for the provision of air traffic services. It also monitors the functioning of the Joint Air Traffic Management System operational units and compliance with the Federal Airspace Utilisation rules of the Russian Federation:

• within the Russian Federation airspace;
• in areas outside the Russian Federation where the responsibility for air traffic management is assumed by the Russian Federation.

In accordance with the aviation law of the Russian Federation, the objectives of the Main ATM Centre are as follows:

• strategic, pre-tactical and tactical airspace utilisation planning and coordination;
• assessment of the balance between forecast air traffic demand and the declared capacity of ATS units, development and implementation of measures to prevent capacity overload;
• issuance of airspace clearances;
• development, imposition and lifting of airspace reservations and temporary restrictions;
• establishment of temporary danger areas;
• approval of local airspace restrictions;
• provisions for airspace utilisation by VIP flights;
• development of proposals regarding airspace structure and management for ATS and ATFM purposes;
• notification of the Main Search and Rescue Coordination Centre of aircraft in distress;
• collection and processing of information on international flights and flights operated by foreign aircraft in the Russian Federation airspace or to aerodromes not available for international flights with the view of preparing draft authorisations of the Federal Air Transport Agency (Rosaviatsia) for such flights; communication of such authorisations to airspace users and operational units of the Joint ATM System;
• interaction with operational centres and services of federal executive authorities regarding airspace utilisation and in case of air transport emergencies;
• interaction with foreign ATS units, including but not limited to the provision of information on airspace prohibitions and restrictions, operations of Russian entities in the high seas airspace that might compromise the safety of international air navigation, as well as coordination of start and end times of such activities with relevant stakeholders;
• control of ATFM units of the Joint ATM System and coordination of their activities;
• monitoring of compliance with the Federal Airspace Utilisation Rules in the Russian Federation airspace and interaction with air defence units;
• monitoring of compliance with the Russian Federation regulations on ATS messages;
• decision-making on the discontinuation of the Russian Federation airspace utilisation by an intruder aircraft operating an international flight;
• collection, analysis, and consolidation of information on emergencies, aviation occurrences, acts of unlawful interference, airspace utilisation procedure violations, and other incidents that could affect air transport operations, as well as provision of information to structural units and subordinate entities of the Federal Air Transport Agency;
• submittal of requests to aeronautical information units to issue notifications containing information on the state of air navigation facilities, airspace structure elements, and other aeronautical information whose timely communication is of significant importance to staff involved in air traffic operations.

The successful performance of the Main ATM Centre is dependent on close cooperation with the Federal Air Transport Agency of the Russian Ministry of Transport, operational units of the Joint Air Traffic Management System of the Russian Federation, airspace users as well as ATS/ATFM units of adjacent states.

Personnel, equipment, and procedure development are the key areas of focus of the Main ATM Centre.

In order to promote personnel training, the Main ATM Centre is actively cooperating with the Institute of Air Navigation to enhance training programmes. As for technical equipment, there are plans to further improve the airspace planning automation system, taking into account its interoperability with ATC and meteorological support automation systems. Much attention is paid to the introduction of automated interaction with operational control centres of a number of major Russian airlines.

Airspace planning procedures are continuously improved to enable better performance with the use of new equipment. Further enhancement of airspace planning procedures is intended to involve modern technologies that will allow the Main ATM Centre to fulfil its objectives to a consistently high standard.

Main ATM Centre Structure

Responsibilities:

• drafting a list of scheduled flights of Russian and foreign airlines in the airspace of the Russian Federation;
• development, imposition, and lifting of airspace reservations and temporary restrictions, establishment of temporary dangerous areas, and approval of local airspace restrictions;
• coordination with competent foreign ATS units on the activities of Russian entities that might compromise the safety of aircraft over the high seas where the responsibility for ATS is assumed by a foreign state;
• monitoring of volcanic activity and the spread of volcanic ash in the Russian airspace, followed by the issuance of relevant NOTAMs.

Pre-tactical Airspace Management division

Responsibilities:

• participation in the processing and issuance of clearances and drafting a list of non-scheduled (charter) flights, additional scheduled international flights, and ad-hoc amendments to scheduled flights for Russian airspace users in order to support the functions of the Federal Air Transport Agency;
• participation in the processing and issuance of clearances and drafting a list of foreign state aviation flights (through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs) and ad-hoc experimental aviation flights (through the Ministry of Industry and Trade);
• coordination with airlines on planning flights with special aircraft operating conditions;
• operational cooperation with air operators regarding scheduled and non-scheduled flights, changes to clearances and emergency situations related to flights in the Russian Federation airspace;
• verification of documents for aircraft of Russian and foreign airlines planning to operate non-scheduled flights in the Russian Federation airspace;

Central Flight Control Service

Duty shift responsibilities:

• collection and processing of information contained in flight plans and related messages, its verification for compliance with the established airspace structure and formalisation rules;
• ensuring authorisation/notification-based airspace utilisation procedures;
• monitoring compliance with the Federal Airspace Utilisation Rules within the airspace of the Russian Federation and areas where the responsibility for air traffic management is assumed by the Russian Federation;
• control of flights carrying Russian and foreign top government officials within the area of responsibility of Russian ATS units.

ATM Organisational and Methodological Support Group responsibilities:

• methodological, regulatory, and technical support of the Main ATM centre activities;
• analysis of the implementation of activities prescribed by the Russian aviation law by the Joint Air Traffic Management System operational units;
• interaction with airspace users and their representatives regarding airspace planning and utilisation;
• provision of access to and management of the Internet/Telephone Flight Plan Filing System.

Air Traffic Flow Management division

Responsibilities:

• calculation of air traffic flows at strategic, pre-tactical and tactical flight planning phases and their assessment against the declared capacity of ATS units;
• forecast of the expected traffic demand and capacity balance for the forthcoming navigation season;
• development, coordination, and application of ATFM measures;
• monitoring of ATS unit capacity and development of proposals for its enhancement.

VIP Flight Coordination Group

Responsibilities:

• strategic, pre-tactical and tactical planning and coordination of VIP flights.

Operational Coordination Group

Responsibilities:

• collection and processing of information on emergencies and failures, threats and acts of unlawful interference, and other occurrences that could affect air transport operations;
• operational communication of orders, instructions and warning signals received to the Head of the Federal Air Transport Agency;
• notification of the Federal Air Transport Agency senior management, heads of subordinate organisations, and civil aviation entities as appropriate.