The implementation of Azerbaijan’s National Airspace Strategy (NAS) is projected to be completed by the end of 2026, Farhan Guliyev, Director of Azeraeronavigation (AZANS) Air Traffic Control Department of CJSC Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL), said in an article published on the official website of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), Report informs.
“In the face of increased air traffic and forecasts of significantly more to come over the next decades, Azeraeronavigation Air Traffic Department (AZANS) of CJSC Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) turned to IATA Consulting to help them develop and implement a National Airspace Strategy,” the article said.
The project was aimed at delivering a seamless, safe traveler experience across controlled airspace, strengthening competitiveness as an aviation and logistics hub in favor of Azerbaijan’s economy; aligning operations with International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) environmental objectives and contributing to greater sustainability.
“Azerbaijan is strategically located at the crossroads of Europe and Asia. By the beginning of 2023, we had seen a clear shift in regional traffic flows. Our airspace had become a critical transit corridor between continents, and forecasted increases in passenger demand, of 80% over the next twenty years, made it even clearer that our air navigation system needed to be able to handle this rapid and sustained growth safely, efficiently, and sustainably.
Additionally, our country had already begun to modernize its aviation ecosystem, starting construction of Lachin International Airport in 2021, and of the cargo-focused Alat International Airport in 2023 – key components of our national ambition to become a leading regional aviation hub. This goal demanded a comprehensive, forward-looking roadmap, that included these two major projects and took into account global best practices. The projects themselves, of course, required an integrated strategic framework that would ensure airspace design was optimized, infrastructure investment was aligned, and that our operational performance would be enhanced.
We therefore took the decision to develop and implement a National Airspace Strategy (NAS). Its objectives would be to ensure traveler safety across our controlled airspace; strengthen our country’s competitiveness as an aviation and logistics hub; and align with ICAO and EUROCONTROL standards and objectives, particularly regarding sustainability.
We had previously collaborated with IATA Consulting, in 2020-2021, to enhance our Safety Management System (SMS). The project was very successful, significantly strengthening our safety oversight and organizational safety culture, and we had noted the professionalism of IATA’s consultants. Their deep understanding of international standards, and their hands-on experience with states and ANSPs worldwide, as well as IATA Consulting’s proven global expertise in airspace modernization and strategic planning, gave us confidence that the NAS would not only meet international and European requirements, but also reflect Azerbaijan’s unique regional context and ambitions,” reads the article.
“We officially announced the program in February 2023 and, in line with ICAO and EUROCONTROL methodologies, the first phase was to fully assess our current airspace structure, air traffic flows, capacity constraints, and technology infrastructure. This phase also included benchmarking against leading ANSPs and regional peers to identify opportunities for optimization, and it lasted until the end of the third quarter of 2023. IATA Consulting worked hand in hand with our teams at AZANS, providing us with a comprehensive, end-to-end methodology that combined technical precision, operational know-how, and international best practices into a solution fully tailored to Azerbaijan’s unique strategic context,” Guliyev wrote in the article.
“During the second phase, up to mid-2024, the NAS framework was developed to meet our three main objectives. Its action plan aimed to improve flight efficiency, and reduce delays and route complexity for travelers. To foster economic development for our country, the plan aimed to increase route capacity, support the expansion of air cargo, and attract more international carriers. To ensure sustainability, it aimed to optimize route structures, reduce fuel burn and CO2 emissions, and introduce performance-based navigation and digital air traffic management technologies,” he added.
“We officially announced the program in February 2023 and, in line with ICAO and EUROCONTROL methodologies, the first phase was to fully assess our current airspace structure, air traffic flows, capacity constraints, and technology infrastructure. This phase also included benchmarking against leading ANSPs and regional peers to identify opportunities for optimization, and it lasted until the end of the third quarter of 2023. IATA Consulting worked hand in hand with our teams at AZANS, providing us with a comprehensive, end-to-end methodology that combined technical precision, operational know-how, and international best practices into a solution fully tailored to Azerbaijan’s unique strategic context.
During the second phase, up to mid-2024, the NAS framework was developed to meet our three main objectives. Its action plan aimed to improve flight efficiency, and reduce delays and route complexity for travelers. To foster economic development for our country, the plan aimed to increase route capacity, support the expansion of air cargo, and attract more international carriers. To ensure sustainability, it aimed to optimize route structures, reduce fuel burn and CO2 emissions, and introduce performance-based navigation and digital air traffic management technologies,” the article reads.
“We’re very proud of the work we’ve carried out so far, and consider this strategic collaboration with IATA Consulting to be a resounding success. We would strongly recommend them as a partner for any state or ANSP seeking to build a modern, resilient, and sustainable airspace system, and we would certainly work with them again. The NAS positions Azerbaijan and AZANS as a regional leader in innovation and sustainability, and we will continue our implementation over the next few years to fully deploy advanced ATM digitalization and environmental optimization tools, and to integrate with unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and future air mobility corridors,” Guliyev concluded.
