Dossiers and projects

LFN

The Low Flight Network (LFN) is a Swiss flight route network that enables rescue and emergency flights by helicopters even in bad weather. The LFN was originally set up on the initiative of Rega and the Swiss Air Force. The FOCA is working with the relevant partners to develop such a system.

Avistrat

In mid-2016, DETEC gave the FOCA the mandate to reorganise Swiss airspace and its aviation infrastructure (i.e. air navigation infrastructure and aerodromes). To this end, the FOCA set up a programme called The National Airspace and Aviation Infrastructure Strategy or AVISTRAT-CH for short.

U-space

The FOCA coordinates the provision of a digital infrastructure for the safe operation of drones in Swiss airspace. For this purpose, it designates certain areas of airspace as U-space, in which drone pilots make use of a collection of services that facilitate drone operations, ensure safe co-existence with conventional aviation and take into account wider public interests such as privacy or the environment.

Alternative aviation fuels

Alternative aviation fuels have the greatest potential to achieve net-zero by 2050, as they can already be used in existing aircraft fleets with the current airport infrastructure. In mid-September 2022, the Federal Council adopted the dispatch on the totally revised CO2 Act, due to come into effect in 2025. This imposes a blending mandate for the aviation industry for renewable biogenic and synthetic aviation fuels, as is also currently being discussed at EU level. The bill will be discussed in Parliament in 2023.

Single European Sky (SES)

The Single European Sky (SES) initiative aims to reform air traffic management in Europe in order to cope with the continued growth of air traffic and to conduct air navigation services under the safest, most cost-optimised as well as environmentally friendly conditions. Switzerland has been participating in the SES since 1 December 2006 on the basis of the air transport agreement between Switzerland and the European Union (EU).

Cybersecurity

In aviation, the topic of cyber security is nothing new. Since 2012, the first information security specifications have been in place in the National Aviation Security Programme (NASP). Wherever possible, the topic is built on existing processes, management systems, international standards and best practices from the field of aviation and information security. One challenge here is to harmonise the many existing specifications and expand them where necessary. In this way, the burden on the organisations should not be unnecessarily increased, and yet effective protection of the aviation system against cyber risks should be achieved. In order to achieve this international and national harmonisation, the FOCA is involved in various national, European and global committees.

Financing of air traffic control services at category ll airfields (implementation of Würth motion)

The Confederation currently subsidises over 80% of the cost of air traffic control services at category ll airfields. The money comes from a special aviation financing fund. The regional airfields of Bern, Lugano, Samedan, St Gallen-Altenrhein, Sion, Grenchen, La Chaux-de-Fonds and Buochs are category II airfields . In adopting the Würth motion in 2021, Parliament instructed the Federal Council to continue the aforementioned financial support for air traffic control services at these airfields on a permanent basis, thereby strengthening Switzerland's network of public airfields. The FOCA is currently drawing up the necessary amendment to the relevant legislation.