Results of Air Traffic Services Provided during 2018 FIFA World Cup

On 16 July, a new record was set by air traffic controllers of State ATM Corporation Moscow ATC Centre branch at Moscow (Vnukovo) airport: 62 movements per hour, including 39 departures and 23 arrivals, were operated between 12:00 and 13:00 Moscow time. Two runways were used simultaneously. Heading 58 was used for take-off operations and heading 13 for landing. It is worth mentioning that the record was set amid thunder conditions and the necessity to handle VIP flights. A lot of guests and participants of the World Cup, numerous fans and tourists were leaving Moscow during the night of 15 – 16 July, while traffic intensity remained at about 50 movements per hour throughout the day. Productive interaction with Vnukovo airport services has allowed us to achieve unprecedented performance results.

Now is the time to make detailed conclusions on air traffic services provided in Russia during the 2018 FIFA World Cup. State ATM Corporation, led by the Russian Ministry of Transport and the Federal Air Transport Agency, has completed significant work; air traffic controllers, engineers and other employees of the national ANSP were exposed to tremendous pressure. The following branches of the Corporation were involved in providing air traffic services during the World Cup:

- Moscow ATC Centre - Sheremetyevo, Vnukovo, Domodedovo airports (Moscow), Strigino airport (Nizhny Novgorod);

- North-West Air Navigation –Saint Petersburg airport (Pulkovo), Kaliningrad airport (Khrabrovo);

- South Air Navigation – Rostov-on-Don airport (Platov), Sochi airport;

- Ural Air Navigation – Yekaterinburg airport (Koltsovo);

- Central Volga Air Navigation – Samara airport (Kurumoch), Saransk airport;

- Tatarstan Air Navigation – Kazan airport.

The maximum daily/hourly* numbers of movements at airports in the World Cup host cities were as follows:

Vnukovo - 882/62;

Domodedovo - 793/47;

Sheremetyevo – 1,106/64;

Strigino - 123/12;

Pulkovo - 788/51;

Khrabrovo - 175/14;

Sochi - 347/25;

Gumrak - 84/8;

Platov - 212/16;

Saransk - 103/8;

Kurumoch - 183/21;

Kazan - 249/20;

Koltsovo - 234/17.

*the official daily calculation was based on local time rather than UTC, as it was done in some airports.

Number of flight plans handled:

Moscow zonal centre:

Vnukovo – 30,274 (1 June – 15 July 2018);

Domodedovo – 33,537 (1 June – 15 July 2018);

Sheremetyevo - 47,419 (1 June – 15 July 2018);

Strigino – 2,232 (1 June – 7 July 2018).

Saint Petersburg zonal centre:

Pulkovo – 24,833 (1 June – 14 July 2018);

Khrabrovo – 2,375 (1 – 29 June 2018).

Rostov-on-Don zonal centre:

Sochi – 7,206 (1 June – 8 July 2018);

Gumrak – 1,199 (1 – 29 June 2018);

Platov – 3,505 (1 June – 3 July 2018).

Samara zonal centre:

Saransk - 535 (1 – 29 June 2018);

Kurumoch - 4,074 (1 June – 8 July 2018);

Kazan – 4,782 (1 June – 7 July 2018).

Yekaterinburg zonal centre:

Koltsovo – 4,733 (1 – 28 June 2018).

Between 12 June and 16 July 2018, 1,181 flights with Russian and foreign top-ranking government officials on board were handled.

37 flights by unmanned aircraft, 76 helicopter flights for aerial photography purposes and 163 balloon launches were handled in prohibited areas of Russian cities hosting the World Cup.

Coordination between zonal centres of the Joint ATM system and regional inter-agency command units was organized for airspace usage authorisation:

• requests processed: 11,646;

• clearances issued: 9,417;

• flights operated: 6,169.

The following actions were implemented by State ATM Corporation as part of preparations for providing air traffic services during the 2018 FIFA World Cup:

• New Rostov-on-Don airport (Platov) was equipped with CNS, air traffic planning and control automation facilities;

• Saransk and Kaliningrad airports were equipped with radio navigation and landing aids;

• CNS and automation facilities, as well as second runways were implemented at Samara, Yekaterinburg and Nizhny Novgorod airports;

• State ATM Corporation Aerocontrol branch completed flight inspections of CNS and automation facilities at aerodromes involved in the air transport support of the 2018 FIFA World Cup;

• Working groups and ad-hoc task forces were created at State ATM Corporation and its branches to implement the actions related to the World Cup;

• Aerodrome and sector capacity was coordinated with the steering committee to provide for the activities related to the World Cup;

• New flight and approach procedures were developed for Yekaterinburg (Koltsovo), Kaliningrad (Khrabrovo), Saransk, Samara (Kurumoch), Nizhny Novgorod (Strigino) aerodromes after their reconstruction, as well as the newly constructed aerodrome in Rostov-on-Don (Platov);

• Interface routes for the newly constructed Rostov-on-Don (Platov) aerodrome were implemented;

• the en-route ATS network was adjusted for Nizhny Novgorod (Strigino) and Saransk airports;

• theoretical and simulator training was provided to ATS personnel to prepare them for operating newly installed automated ATC systems and new flight procedures at Yekaterinburg (Koltsovo), Kaliningrad (Khrabrovo), Saransk, Samara (Kurumoch), and Nizhny Novgorod (Strigino) aerodromes;

• simulator training provided to ATS personnel involved exercises developed to allow them to work in high traffic density conditions and to be able to handle emergency situations;

• at State ATM Corporation branches, training was provided to CNS personnel and new facilities implementation status was reviewed;

•procedures for alternate aerodromes, tables showing available parking stands for alternate aerodromes and “Procedures for ATCO staff in case of emergency situations” were developed.

State ATM Corporation expresses its gratitude to the leadership and members of regional inter-agency command units, airports of host cities, and airlines that provided transportation services during the 2018 FIFA World Cup.