Apecoa

Pisco: Aerodrome and Approach Segregation Enters Final Phase – APECOA

Lima, October 29, 2025. — The Peruvian Air Traffic Controllers Association (APECOA) reports that the segregation of Aerodrome (TWR) and Approach (APP) units at Pisco Airport is in its final phase of implementation. The measure, promoted since January by APECOA in collaboration with the Independent Union of Air Traffic Controllers of Peru (SICAP) through a technical report and coordination meetings, aims to reduce the workload per control position, decongest the frequency and enhance operational safety.

For many years, Capitán FAP Renán Elías Olivera International Airport in Pisco has experienced recurring peaks of high demand and congestion on a single frequency, where a single controller simultaneously provides Aerodrome and Approach procedural control services. This arrangement increases cognitive workload, impairs communication clarity, and raises the risk of loss-of-separation events between aircraft, particularly during training operations and peak hours.

Earlier this year, APECOA submitted to the Peruvian Corporation of Airports and Commercial Aviation (CORPAC S.A.) — the Air Navigation Service Provider — an operational conditions analysis and recommendations aimed at mitigating the identified risks. Key proposals included: segregating aerodrome and procedural approach control positions and frequencies; reviewing and redesigning instrument approach, departure and arrival procedures to avoid conflicts with training flights in operating areas; establishing visual corridors to better organize traffic in the terminal area and reduce the risk of incidents with instrument flights; replacing the surveillance camera with a certified, reliable system that guarantees ATS surveillance integrity; and implementing a continuous improvement plan.

A simulator and in-service training program for segregated aerodrome and procedural approach control, including controller qualification, is currently underway. Initial operational deployment will commence in a daytime phase in accordance with the new procedures and the updated Memorandum of Agreement. The objective is expected to be achieved before the end of 2025 and we consider it will substantially enhance operational safety and traffic management efficiency at the international airport by reducing controller workload, improving conflict detection/resolution, clarifying communications and reducing frequency congestion, and providing consistent procedures for high-demand operations and training flights.

APECOA acknowledges and congratulates the management of CORPAC S.A. for embracing the recommendations and expediting the implementation of this key improvement for Pisco International Airport—an example of coordinated ATS professional collaboration to strengthen the country's ATM system.

"Our commitment is to Operational Safety, professional excellence and quality service for society."

APECOA Launches Initiative to Optimize Peruvian Airspace: TMAs Where None Exist, Enhancing Safety and Efficiency.

Lima, October 30, 2025. The Peruvian Air Traffic Controllers Association (APECOA) announces the initiation of a national project to organize and modernize airspace management at Peruvian airports with scheduled commercial services that currently operate without a Terminal Maneuvering Area (TMA). The objective is clear: enhanced operational safety, reduced delays and greater predictability for passengers, airlines and the ATS provider.

At several aerodromes with scheduled services, arrivals and departures coexist with local, general aviation and military/police flights in uncontrolled environments. Under such conditions, flight crews assume primary 'see-and-avoid' responsibility, which is insufficient in the presence of traffic concentrations and mixed IFR/VFR operations.

A TMA —a controlled airspace designed for the terminal environment—places the controller at the center of tactical management: sequencing, vectoring and maintaining separation in accordance with applicable minima and standardized procedures, both between aircraft and relative to terrain. For flights carrying more than 150 passengers (and, by extension, any regular operation), this reduces exposure to risk and prevents collision avoidance responsibility from resting solely with the operator or the 'see-and-avoid' paradigm.

The Terminal Maneuvering Area (TMA) is the transition zone between en-route sectors (ACC) and Control Tower (TWR) jurisdiction. It defines system efficiency by concentrating published arrivals and departures (STAR/SID) at precise altitudes and distances using PBN. How a TMA is designed and managed determines system capacity, delays and overall efficiency.

In 2024 national traffic returned to near pre-pandemic levels and 2025 is on track to exceed them, generating congestion and capacity constraints across several sectors. Therefore, implementing TMAs at strategically important uncontrolled airports will not only increase safety and improve efficiency, but will also redistribute workload between APP and ACC, increase effective sector capacity and optimize air traffic management to enable more predictable, higher-quality operations.

Expected Benefits

• Order and predictability: SID/STAR PBN, merge points and altitude/speed restrictions that stabilize flows.

• Separation provided by ATC: guidance and separation at all times using standardized procedures and phraseology.

• Capacity and load balancing: reduced en-route vectoring from ACC, APP focused on the terminal environment and less-saturated sectors.

• Efficient profiles: enabling CDO/CCO with reduced fuel burn and emissions and less time variability.

Our commitment is to contribute to safe, efficient and innovative air traffic and airspace management. The new TMAs are a concrete step to ensure each departure and arrival in Peru is conducted with greater control and predictability.

Scotland Reconfigures Air Routes to Reduce Noise and Emissions

Glasgow and Edinburgh airports have announced the largest air route reconfiguration in more than seven decades, aimed at reducing acoustic impact on residential communities, improving operational efficiency and cutting carbon emissions. The initiative, overseen by National Air Traffic Services (NATS) of the United Kingdom, introduces new air corridors over the Forth estuary to avoid densely populated areas and optimize trajectories. Estimates indicate this reconfiguration could save up to 18,000 tonnes of CO₂ per year and deliver an economic benefit estimated at £74 million over the next decade. Furthermore, the project contemplates altitudes below 7,000 feet for routes previously issued over wider areas, and close coordination between air traffic controllers, airports and local communities through interactive noise maps and public consultation processes. The approach incorporates Performance-Based Navigation (PBN) technologies and Continuous Descent Approach (CDA) procedures to minimize fuel consumption and noise. This type of optimization reflects the global trend driven by ICAO and other international bodies to modernize airspace and advance a more efficient, sustainable aviation. Lessons learned in Scotland could be applied in other regions, including Latin America, where controllers and air navigation service providers are evaluating similar routes to improve passenger experience and reduce environmental footprint.

IATA and ICAO Launch Joint Program for Sustainable Air Traffic Control Operations

The International Air Transport Association (IATA), in collaboration with ICAO, has presented the Green Skies ATM 2030 programme, aimed at reducing CO₂ emissions resulting from route inefficiencies and holding manoeuvres by 15%. The project seeks to modernize air traffic control procedures through optimized routes, Continuous Descent and Climb Operations (CDO and CCO), and the integration of sustainable aviation fuels into flight planning. Initial trials will be conducted on routes across the North Atlantic and South America, where air traffic controllers will receive specific training in environmental management and trajectory efficiency. According to Willie Walsh, Director General of IATA, "each minute of flight saved equates on average to 50 tonnes less CO₂ per year. Controllers play a key role in achieving this reduction." The programme also includes establishing an Innovation Centre in Lima, Peru, which will serve as a regional node for training in green technologies applied to air traffic control. With technical backing from Airbus, Boeing and Honeywell, the system will leverage artificial intelligence to optimize flight trajectories considering wind, turbulence and congestion. The 2030 target is for 80% of commercial flights to operate under sustainable management criteria, advancing the global net-zero emissions goal for 2050.