AVISTRAT-CH: Redesigning Swiss airspace

Overview

Switzerland’s airspace has become very complex. Airspace violations and unauthorised approaches by aircraft are on the increase. There are also new things to deal with, such as drones.
The FOCA's response to this is AVISTRAT-CH, a programme which covers both airspace and infrastructure on the ground.
The aim: to provide a safe, efficient and environmentally sustainable system that meets future usage requirements.
The strategy: to create a flexible airspace and an optimised Swiss airport system through coordinated activities in 25 areas of action.
Implementation: in stages. Two sub-projects are currently under way to set the foundations on which further activities are to be based. The Air Force, air management, aerodromes and the aviation industry are involved.

Why does Switzerland need AVISTRAT?

Switzerland's airspace and aviation infrastructure (air traffic management infrastructure and aerodromes) is a system that has grown over decades and has been repeatedly and incrementally modified throughout that period. Flying in this fragmented airspace has become increasingly complicated and challenging. New demands on airspace have emerged recently, such as drone operation.

The increasing number of airspace violations, some of which have also affected scheduled and charter flights, indicates that the existing system no longer meets current requirements. Action needs to be taken. The Swiss Transportation Safety Investigation Board (STSB) has also made various recommendations to this effect.

The mandate

In mid-2016, DETEC instructed the Federal Office of Civil Aviation (FOCA) to optimise the organisation of Swiss airspace, taking into account the impact of aviation infrastructure. To this end, the FOCA set up a programme called the Airspace and Aviation Infrastructure Strategy of Switzerland, or AVISTRAT-CH for short. AVISTRAT-CH aims to reduce the risks associated with using Swiss airspace and to ensure that this limited resource is deployed efficiently, with as much regard for the environment as possible.

The AVISTRAT vision

To provide a safe, efficient and environmentally sustainable system that meets future usage requirements.

The strategy

In a series of coordinated activities in 25 areas of action, to establish an optimised, coordinated Swiss aerodrome system in Switzerland and create an airspace which meets the needs of all users.

Implementation

A number of activities are already taking place in the 25 areas of action outside the AVISTRAT-CH programme; the results of these will also feed into achieving the AVISTRAT-CH objectives.

Two sub-projects have been launched specifically for AVISTRAT-CH, relating to the two strategic priorities mentioned in the strategy report. These address the coordinated development and use of the aerodrome system and airspace access using equipment. The aim of these sub-projects is to establish the necessary foundations for directional decision-making by 2025. The lead responsibility for the Swiss aerodrome system lies with the infrastructure operators, with the FOCA providing support. The FOCA is responsible for optimising Swiss airspace.

Sub-project: Coordinated development and use of the aerodrome system

The Swiss Aerodromes Association (SAA) is currently analysing the development trends of the more than 50 Swiss regional aerodromes. The first results are expected by the end of 2024.

Indicative roadmap:

2023	FOCA launches activities, SAA sets procedure	SAA
2024	Inventory of aerodrome infrastructure drawn up and airports surveyed	SAA
2024	Results consolidated, current-state analysis finalised and conclusions drawn (phase 1)	SAA
2025	Requirements and procedure for creating bottom-up overall planning concept for aerodromes defined (phase 2)	SAA
2025	Stakeholder dialogue concluded; aerodrome operators decide on overall planning concept (in consultation with the FOCA)	SAA
2026 ff	Overall planning concept and multi-year realisation phase established and approved (phase 3). Changes to some parts of the Sectoral Plan for Aviation Infrastructure and to aviation legislation may be necessary.	Aero-dromes, FOCA

Moving forward, the aim is for the Swiss aerodrome system to be able to integrate new types of air traffic and allow competence clusters at aerodromes, to increase safety thanks to a more coordinated and comprehensive system, and to make the aviation system more economically, socially and ecologically sustainable in general. In addition, the issue of the displacement of general and business aviation from the international airports will be addressed.

Sub-project: Access to airspace using equipment

A FOCA working group is currently examining which services can be used in future to optimise the use of airspace and by means of which technologies. Initial results are expected by the end of 2024.

Indicative roadmap:

2023	Working group set up to assess future user needs and analyse technical options for new airspace use	FOCA
2024	Survey of future needs conducted, required services and possible technical solutions for implementation identified	FOCA
2025	Stakeholder dialogue concluded; economic impact assessment conducted; FOCA makes directional decision	FOCA
2026	Minimum equipment requirements for aircraft defined; principles for use of new airspace and any necessary ground infrastructure drawn up; funding aspects and relevant stakeholder groups involved in each case	FOCA
2027	Implementation decision by FOCA (DETEC)	FOCA
2027 ff	Relevant legislation amended; long-term implementation together with stakeholders, in particular Skyguide	FOCA

The optimised airspace is intended to create needs-based airspaces that can be adapted quickly and flexibly, enable increased capacity and more efficient flight routes, improve safety through technical visibility and simpler airspace structures, and allow the easy integration of new types of traffic. There is a particular focus on ensuring air traffic safety in the vicinity of the international airports of Basel, Geneva and Zurich.

Stakeholder involvement

In some cases it is necessary and desirable to involve aviation stakeholders when establishing the principles of the AVISTRAT-CH programme. As soon as the bases for discussion are established, the usual processes are launched and stakeholders and interest groups consulted.

Development of the Programme

Completion of implementation planning phase and initiation of implementation phase (AVISTRAT-CH) (PDF, 785 kB, 23.10.2023)

Airspace and Aviation Infrastructure Strategy of Switzerland (AVISTRAT-CH) (PDF, 1 MB, 24.05.2022)

avistrat_flyer.pdf (PDF, 4 MB, 29.01.2020)

The following five draft strategies are presented with the kind permission of the authors as additional information. They are explicitly not part of the official AVISTRAT-CH strategy and served merely as a basis for strategy development.

AVISTRAT-CH - Strategieentwurf ARCS ACR (PDF, 4 MB, 03.05.2022)

AVISTRAT-CH - Strategieentwurf Oliver Wyman (PDF, 5 MB, 03.05.2022)

AVISTRAT-CH - Strategieentwurf Expertengruppe (PDF, 6 MB, 03.05.2022)

AVISTRAT-CH - Strategieentwurf NLR (PDF, 2 MB, 03.05.2022)

AVISTRAT-CH - Strategieentwurf Skyguide (PDF, 3 MB, 03.05.2022)