Airspace Closure Research Articles

Uncontrolled reentries of space objects and aviation safety

There is a growing risk to aircraft in flight from collisions with debris produced by the breakup of uncontrolled rocket bodies and satellites during atmospheric reentry. On one hand, the aviation industry has grown to almost 39 million flights per year, with a 63 % increase between 2004 and 2019. On the other hand, the number of successful rocket launches more than doubled between 2015 and 2023, from 87 to 212, respectively. During those 212 launches in 2023, 128 rocket bodies were abandoned in orbit, left to reenter uncontrollably. Such uncontrolled space object reentries are hard to predict, making mitigation measures difficult. In November 2022, a reentering Long March 5B rocket caused the closure of airspace over Europe, delaying 645 flights and having a plausible economic impact of millions of Euros. There are international and domestic laws that might enable the recovery of economic losses resulting from uncontrolled reentries, but such losses should not be allowed to occur in the first place. Instead of leaving the location of a reentry to chance, controlled reentries can be achieved with existing technologies and mission designs, directing reentries away from areas of high aircraft traffic. Moving to a controlled reentry regime would create a cost to space operators – but that cost is currently being externalized to the aviation industry. Multilateral solutions to create a controlled reentry regime should be pursued, as recommended in the 2023 Montreal Recommendations on Aviation Safety and Uncontrolled Space Object Reentries, before there is a tragedy caused by an aircraft collision with debris from a rocket body or satellite.

Legal bases of the information policy regarding the protection of the rights of air passengers

The article is devoted to the justification of the need to unify the national legislation of Ukraine with the acts of the European Union in the field of human rights, in particular, the rights of air passengers. The article summarizes the analysis of the effectiveness of existing legal acts and mechanisms aimed at ensuring a high level of protection of the rights and safety of air passengers in specific situations. It is claimed that Ukraine undertakes to bring national legislation in the field of air passenger rights protection into full compliance with EU acts, despite the biggest challenge on the way to building democracy in Ukraine - the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation and the closure of Ukrainian airspace for today. The development of legal mechanisms to protect the rights of air passengers is determined not only by the desire to ensure their safety during travel, but also contributes to the development of the aviation industry in general. The need to pay attention to the protection of the rights of air passengers in the process of implementation of EU acts is emphasized, since human rights standards require proper study and implementation for the effective use of common air space, restoration of air navigation infrastructure. The main attention is focused on the peculiarities of the harmonization of national and European standards, which requires significant efforts and a large number of measures on the part of the state, in particular, the proper implementation of EU acts regarding the rights of air passengers and the protection of consumer rights. Next steps regarding further obligations of Ukraine were also analyzed. Increasing attention to the protection of the rights of air passengers is of practical importance for increasing the effectiveness of cooperation between Ukraine and the EU in the field of human rights and creating a modern legal framework for aviation regulations regarding the rights of air passengers in the country. Tasks that need to be completed for the successful integration of Ukraine into the common aviation space of the EU are highlighted. The experience of law enforcement for the protection of the rights of EU air passengers will contribute to the restoration of our state’s capabilities for the safety of civil aviation flights. Conducting research in this direction is a relevant and necessary scientific search.

ATM strategies for, and impacts of, space launches

There is a rapid growth of national space launch ambitions and capabilities, e.g. delivering satellites into low-earth and sun-synchronous orbits. With vertical and horizontal delivery methods, and numerous locations under consideration in several continents, the industry has faced early challenges, such as failed launches and licencing timescales. This paper explores the increasing intersection between aviation and air traffic management (ATM) with higher airspace operations (HAOs). It introduces the background and principles of space launches, before addressing the particular impacts on aviation and ATM. The strategic challenges of planning launch windows to align both with orbiting asset congestion and ATM demands, plus promulgating such information to airspace users, is discussed. In the tactical phase, the consequences of impacts on airspace users (such as the re-routing of flights) and on air navigation service providers (such as the demands of coordinating airspace closures in the context of considerable re-entry/splashdown uncertainty) are discussed. A key contribution we make in this paper is the first aircraft-specific, fuel and operating cost analysis of HAO impacts, and the first such European cost assessment, with basic impact geometries. We also propose improved aircraft-specific impact models, which include passenger-centric costs.

Assessing the Risk of Uncontrolled Space Debris Re-entry: A Case for Airspace Management and Flight Safety

We explore the risks associated with uncontrolled space debris re-entry and the implications for airspace management and flight safety. With the increasing number of satellites and other objects being launched into space the potential for uncontrolled re-entry events poses a unique challenge for airspace management and public safety. While there have been no recorded instances of aircraft damage or human injury due to re-entering space debris, the increasing frequency of such events necessitates a comprehensive understanding of the associated risks and appropriate mitigation strategies. We briefly examine the current methods for tracking and predicting space debris re-entry, concentrating on the decision-making process for airspace closures, and the risk assessment for ground airborne safety. Our analysis aims to contribute to the ongoing dialogue on space debris management and to inform future policy and operational decisions in the context of civil aviation and public safety.

Airspace closures following the war of aggression in Ukraine: The impact on Europe-Asia airfares

The Russian war of aggression in Ukraine and subsequent sanctions imposed by Western countries has resulted in the withdrawal of overflight rights over Russian territory for most Western airlines. On Europe-Asia routes, this causes substantial detours for European airlines and, in turn, increases travel times and operational costs. This paper investigates the impact of the Russian and Ukrainian airspace closures on airfares between Western Europe and Asia. To identify a causal impact, fares on affected routes from Northern Europe are compared with fares on similar unaffected routes from Southern Europe using a difference-in-differences approach. The results show that the airspace closures increase fares for Europe-Asia flights from European airports above the 50th degree of latitude. On average, the fare effect for these flights is USD 43. Furthermore, the findings indicate that, in general, for each additional minute of flight time due to the airspace closures, fares increase by USD 1.56.

Политика против декарбонизации

This study describes the methodology and results of calculating the increase in global greenhouse gas emissions caused by disruptions in international logistics due to geopolitical restrictions introduced by Western countries against Russia since 2022. The Western sanctions policy regarding, first of all, trade in Russian hydrocarbons has caused the breakdown of trade routes, which until recently could be characterized as “conditionally optimal.” That is, hydrocarbon supplies were carried out along the shortest routes, which ensured minimal fuel combustion during transportation and minimal greenhouse gas emissions, respectively. Now, a forced reorientation has led to an increase in commodity transport work, which requires more fuel combustion and, accordingly, provides an increase in emissions. Closed airspace also has an additional negative effect on rising emissions, as most flights from Europe to Asia and back from 2022 will overfly Russia, which on average adds an extra 2 hours to the flight, requires more fuel to be burned, and therefore leads to increase in greenhouse gas emissions. And considering that flights have only just begun to recover after the 2020 crisis, the impact of the closure of airspace over Russia on greenhouse gas emissions will only grow in the future. The study’s calculations show that reorienting trade in oil and natural gas and extending air routes alone would increase emissions by 261–290 Million t of CO2 eq. This is comparable to the UK’s annual emissions. If we take into account all the distortions in global trade, emissions growth could be even 40–60% higher. Thus, it can be argued that existing trade restrictions brought a significant negative impact on the implementation of global low-carbon development agenda.

Consequences for the aviation market in Russia's aggression against Ukraine

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has led to the closure of airspace in the conflict area. This has resulted in the closure of some routes and also cut off Russia's national carrier. European Union sanctions also affect the supply of aircraft parts. The aviation industry has faced two years of significant challenges due to the Covid 19 pandemic and now the armed conflict. The purpose of this article is to examine how the civil aviation sector is doing in the war crisis. The research method used in this study focused on a conceptual and comparative approach. The results of the research analysis mapped the current effects of the war on the international aviation sector, such as the change in passenger traffic, cargo traffic, jet fuel prices and airfares, which directly affects the development of the global economy. According to the forecast of IATA - the International Air Transport Association - the current conflict will not allow aviation to quickly return to the state of 2019.

МАРКЕТИНГОВА ДІЯЛЬНІСТЬ НІШОВИХ ТУРОПЕРАТОРІВ В УМОВАХ КРИЗОВОГО СТАНУ ТУРИСТИЧНОГО РИНКУ

The war in Ukraine, the closure of airspace and drastic changes in demand affected the marketing, advertising, eventing and logistics of tour operators. In this regard, the segment of bus tours, which allow tour operators to avoid logistical problems, is actively developing. Entry into the niche of bus tours by new competitors presupposes the active use of marketing tools by all market participants. Marketing in the segment of bus tours is changing radically under the influence of the recent pandemic and quarantine restrictions, the war in Ukraine, the economic crisis, the active implementation of information technologies and digitalization, the emergence of new generations of consumers, environmental activities and other factors. Theoretical aspects of bus tourism marketing are developed and practices of using marketing tools by tourist operators of the bus tour segment in the crisis state of the domestic tourist market are generalized in this article. The essence, goals and objectives of marketing activity in the field of organized bus tourism are considered. The concept, specifics and types of bus tourism are described. It is proposed to understand bus tours as trips of organized groups of tourists on their own or rented buses of tourist operators along a certain route and a formed excursion program. Factors affecting the development of bus tourism and tourist demand for bus tours are noted. The marketing practice of domestic tourist operators in the «bus tours» segment is summarized and it is concluded that they understand the threats and modern challenges, therefore they actively use marketing tools to successfully compete and maintain their market share. The considered practices of marketing activity form cases for players of the tourism market to adapt their offer to modern realities related to the crisis state of the domestic tourism market caused by the war, a decrease in demand, population migration, the change of generations of consumers and demonstrate experience in using new communication channels, tools of sustainable tourism, etc.

Развитие транспортного комплекса Российской Федерации под давлением санкций 2022 года

Purpose: To analyze the development of the transport complex of the Russian Federation under the pressure of sanctions in 2022 from unfriendly countries in many aspects of our life. Previously, we have already considered the impact of the US and Western European sanctions on the development of the transport complex of the Russian Federation [1]. Now we can draw some conclusions about the development of the situation and consider the following questions: what ways have been found to overcome a difficult situation; how has the economy of the transport industry changed in 2022 and the beginning of 2023; what prospects lie ahead of the industry in the future? Methods: Comparison of the characteristics of the state and development of various main types of transport industry in 2022 with the indicators of the previous period of 2020-2021. Results: It is shown that since the end of February 2022, after the start of the special military operation, the Russian Federation has been under strong pressure in the form of a number of sanctions, mainly from the United States and Western Europe. The sanctions have greatly affected the Russian transport complex: a shortage of spare parts for cars, the inability to import by rail and the closure of airspace. Currently , new details are emerging almost every day related to the introduction of additional sanctions, their consequences, as well as facts confirming the increasing resilience of the Russian transport industry to these sanctions. Practical significance: The necessity of further analysis of the facts confirming the stability of the Russian transport industry in the face of new challenges and global pressure on the Russian economy of unfrie ndly Western countries and the United States is shown.

ЛОГІСТИЧНА ДІЯЛЬНІСТЬ ПІДПРИЄМСТВ В УМОВАХ НЕВИЗНАЧЕНОСТІ: ОСОБЛИВОСТІ, ПРОБЛЕМИ, НАПРЯМКИ ВДОСКОНАЛЕННЯ

The article determines that logistics activities affect the level of competitiveness, performance and functioning of enterprises and are of great importance. Accordingly, an important role is played by optimization and improvement of logistics activities of enterprises under martial law as a prerequisite for the resumption of their work. The existing approaches of scholars to the interpretation of the concept of "logistics activity" are analyzed and its role in the work of enterprises is determined. An analysis of cargo turnover by type of transport in Ukraine for 2016–2022 is carried out. The peculiarities of the work of Silpo-FOOD LLC are investigated and the impact of martial law on the results of their activities is analyzed. The state of the logistics activities of Silpo-FOOD LLC is characterized, the efficiency of logistics costs in 2019–2021 is analyzed, in particular, their dynamics and structure are studied. A correlation and regression analysis was carried out and it was determined that it is advisable for the enterprise to reduce depreciation costs and increase logistics costs, since these variables have the greatest impact on sales revenue. The factors influencing the logistics activities of an enterprise in today's conditions are allocated, namely: the state of transport networks; lack of electricity; ban on air transportation and closure of airspace; ban on sea travel; environmental factor; economic globalization; technological innovations; lack of financial support; staff turnover. Based on the results of the study, the problems and directions for improving the logistics activities of Silpo-FOOD LLC were identified. Among the directions of improvement of logistics activities are: introduction of modern logistics management systems; introduction of information and communication technologies, software; optimization of the use of warehouses and storage facilities; improvement of the goods delivery system; training and advanced training of personnel in logistics; purchase of generators; use of innovative technologies; cooperation with international partners; attraction of investments.

The role of Austrian Airlines within the Lufthansa Group

Austrian Airlines is a relatively small but important part of the Lufthansa Group, and is to some extent overshadowed by its much larger German owner, together with its higher profile Swiss International Airlines compatriot and neighbour. Even so, Austrian is not as small as the group's other network carrier member Brussels Airlines. The group's low-cost point-to-point carrier Eurowings is not closely considered in this paper as the primary focus here is on a network carrier analysis, with Austrian positioned as the main case study subject. In this regard, Austrian delivers a hub-and-spoke network out of Vienna International Airport (VIE) which both compliments and strengthens the overall group's scale, scope and density. Austrian contributes a substantial boost to the Lufthansa Group in Central and Eastern Europe, though this has been reduced as a result of the ongoing war in Ukraine, including Russian air space closure. Austrian's future prospects are closely aligned with events in Ukraine, with an end to the war likely to see the airline well positioned to resume services quite quickly to Ukraine, Belarus and Russia. The study here finds that Austrian Airlines clearly maintains a symbiotic relationship with its parent company, rather than a dependency on the wider group for its survival, though it would likely be a smaller airline if it was not part of the Lufthansa Group. They compliment each other.

ANALYSIS OF CHANGES IN THE WORLD ECONOMY CAUSED BY THE RUSSIAN-UKRAINIAN WAR

The Russian invasion of Ukraine caused a number of negative consequences for both Ukraine and the world economy in general. Among them is a significant humanitarian catastrophe, the growth of emigration, the impoverishment of the population, as well as the growth of the global food crisis. The purpose of the article is to analyze the impact of the Russian-Ukrainian war on the world economy and outline the changes that occurred as a result of armed aggression in the system of international economic relations. To achieve the goal, the authors conducted a thorough analysis of current scientific publications and statistical data on the forecast of the level of inflation due to the Russian-Ukrainian war in 2022 and 2023 by global regions; the arrival of world food from Ukraine and Russia in the pre-war period; compared food price indices for 2020-2022. It was determined that global food prices had risen even before the full-scale invasion of Ukraine due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on supply chains, but Russian aggression caused prices to rise to their highest levels in recent years. Although the value aspect is stabilizing, there is a threat of an intensification of the crisis due to the effect of sanctions against Russia, further destruction of infrastructure in Ukraine, relatively lower capacity of the grain corridor, uncertainty of Ukrainian farmers regarding further activities and lands unsuitable for growing crops due to the Russian invasion. The countries most dependent on wheat imports from Ukraine were identified, including African countries, Moldova, Pakistan, Israel, and others. In addition to the direct impact on agricultural production and exports, the war affects the trade in fertilizers and minerals (oil, gas). In addition, there is a need to build new logistics chains due to the closure of airspace and blocking of ports. The next negative trend in the world economy, caused by the Russian-Ukrainian war - fluctuations in energy prices is one of the key factors of changes in the world economy, in particular due to the fact that the export of energy goods makes up a much larger share of world trade than food. Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the subsequent international response in the form of sanctions have caused another negative shock and disruption to the global economy, with immediate consequences for foreign direct investment (FDI) and other capital flows. The trends in the field of world tourism, which suffered significant losses due to the pandemic in 2020, as well as after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia on February 24, 2022, are studied.

The Ukrainian Conflict: Impact on the Aviation Finance and Leasing Industry

The conflict between Russia and Ukraine has resulted in additional burdens on the aviation industry, compounding the impact of the COVID pandemic. Airline manufacturers and operators are suffering extra costs due to the steep rise in commodities prices, especially those linked to energy costs, and the decline in the supply of crucial manufacturing materials like titanium, as a result of supply chain issues and sanctions. The sanctions, led by the United States and the European Union, impacted Russia multilaterally. They included prohibiting the transfer of maintenance materials and technologies; forbidding aircraft leases to Russian operators; airspace closure; and suspension of airworthiness certificates. Russia responded to the sanctions by suspending bilateral agreements and unilaterally re-registering leased aircraft in Russia. Russia’s responses have impeded aircraft lessors seeking to repossess their assets and forced an inevitable write-down of asset values, leading lessors and financiers to file insurance claims. This has dampened the global aviation finance and ABS markets.

«Сlosed sky» shock: trends and forecasts

The article deals with situations related to the closure of airspace and a significant decrease in the number of air traffic, which we have observed twice in recent history. For the first time in 2020, due to the spread of the new COVID-19 coronavirus infection, there was a powerful wave of closure of air traffic between the countries. For the second time, in 2022, there was a similar closure of airspace, but for other reasons of a station nature that arose due to the introduction of a number of sanctions and restrictive measures (a ban on landing, taking off and flying over the territory) from the European states. The article analyzes the emerging trends from the perspective of the industry as a whole and airlines in particular, evaluates the dynamics of air transportation over the period under study, analyzes the work of airlines (a parallel is drawn between a sharp decrease in the number of flights and a significant change in the operational performance of airlines associated with a significant.

THE GLOBAL IMPACT OF RUSSIAN AEROSPACE CLOSURE

The war between Russia and Ukraine has a long tail and has spawned sanctions between countries. Aggressive Russia has taken the decision to close their airspace for many countries which became a policy that brought the world back to the similar conditions that happen in the cold war era. This article is written to answer the question, what is the impact of the closure of Russian airspace on the airline industry and the world economy? With using realism and structural functionalist approach this research shows that Russia's actions are taken to as a way deter other countries which support Ukraine. Thus, it is a clear indication that the existing international institutions along with their international law are indeed failed in dealing with the tendency of states (Russia) to act aggressively and halt their misconduct on their international interactions.

Space data integration

The FAA is building a Space Data Integrator (SDI) capability to automate the manual processes currently in use to ensure the safety of aircraft in the National Airspace System (NAS) during commercial launch and reentry operations. This capability will use available vehicle state and mission status data, supplied by vehicle operators, to monitor launch and reentry vehicles as they transition through and above the NAS. Using the SDI, the FAA will increase its situational awareness during these operations, creating a common operating picture from space and air traffic data for identifying and responding to catastrophic launch and reentry failures that create debris that falls down through the airspace. The SDI will quickly and accurately generate and distribute information describing the affected airspace, known as Aircraft Hazard Areas, to decision makers, who will ensure that preemptive airspace closures remain sufficient, or enact additional airspace closures. This paper describes the FAA's current approach and capabilities and demonstrates the operational benefits that SDI will provide.

Modern challenges of air transport»: safety, regulations, operations and infrastructure

Openness to the negative consequences of global, regional and national financial crises, the tragic events associated with the activities of terrorist organizations and, first of all, the global COVID 19 pandemic lead to the fact that the issues of efficiency and economic feasibility are among the priorities in solving the challenge of maintaining an appropriate safety level. In fact, the philosophy of aviation safety is changing from an understanding of its purely technical and technological component and extends to determining the severity of risks to property, life and health of people, the environment, financial security, and legal liability of enterprises have shocked aviation transport. At the same time, harmonization, integrity and operational interchangeability of the industry's integrated security system are achieved; the worldwide exchange of safety-related information; global systemic hazards are identified and eliminated at an early stage. The effective management of aviation safety requires a systematic approach to the development of policies, procedures and recommended practices. Safety management integrates different types of aviation activities into a single whole. The main challenges of Ukrainian air transport in the context of the globalization of the air transportation market are the annexation of Crimea, the armed conflict in the east of Ukraine, the tragedy of the Boeing-777 of Malaysian Airlines, the closure of airspace over the vast territory of Ukraine, the refusal to fly over the Russian Federation, the tragedy of the Boeing-737 of International Airlines Ukraine” in Iran and, to a greater extent, the COVID-19 pandemic. These challenges are reflected in almost all macro, meso and microeconomic indicators of the activity and infrastructure of air transport. However, air transport is not only an open system, but also an adaptive system. Modern challenges of its activities indicate the need to develop strategic scenarios and develop a mechanism for institutional support for further sustainable development, taking into account the dynamic external environment, constant changes in the structure and intensity of threats and uncertainties.

The General Court’s Decisions on State Aid Law in Times of COVID-19 Pandemic

The unprecedented crisis caused by the pandemic of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) not only shattered the economics of the aviation industry, it also put to test long established legal rules, while Governments were desperately adopting emergency measures. Facing a very severe situation, caused by airspace closures and restrictions imposed to travellers, several European airlines received governmental support, while others did not. This led to criticisms from airlines, most notably from the low-cost carrier Ryanair, which transposed into legal actions undertaken in front of the General Court of the European Union. At the heart of this legal battle lay the rules governing State Aid, as the European Commission was criticized for not assessing thoroughly enough the measures that were notified by the Member States. The judgments of the General Court revealed that, irrespective of the exceptional situation faced in Europe, the correct application of EU Law must prevail, which includes the judicial review of acts adopted by the European institutions. As two decisions of the Commission authorizing measures of governmental support were annulled, some lessons can be learnt for the future. State Aid, Justification, Duty to state reasons, Proportionality, Non-discrimination, Fair competition, Temporary Framework

The End of Closed Airspace in the Middle East: A Final Move on the Regional Chess Board?

Closure of airspace has become a new topic on the aviation agenda of the twenty-first century. States adopted this measure to begin with on 11 September 2002. The US closed its airspace for about five days after the occurrence of this tragedy in New York for all air traffic. European States did the same after the eruption of the Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajökull in 2010. Pakistan shut its airspace in February 2019 after India carried out an air strike against a presumably terrorist training camp in Pakistani territory. While the above measures could be labelled as ‘incidental’ in terms of time period, the closures of airspace implemented in the second half of the second decade of this century are more ‘systematic’. They last longer and have a deeper background. Reference is made to the closure of airspace in the Middle East, and in practically all States following the outbreak of the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. This brief paper will focus on the closure of airspace in the Middle East, which came to an end in January 2020, and pay attention to the regulatory proceedings surrounding it. These can only be understood against the wider political, historical and perhaps also religious background. Those factors contribute to the fragility of the legal arrangements underpinning the diplomatic deal. closure of airspace, sovereignty and territorial jurisdiction, non-discrimination, air traffic services, compensation of damages

Sharing airspace: Simulation of commercial space horizontal launch impacts on airlines and finding solutions

Commercial space transportation is becoming more affordable and accessible. Consequently, we expect to see significant expansion of commercial space launch activities in the coming decade. As space vehicles travel through airspace during the launch and re-entry stages, they potentially disrupt the regular operations of traditional users. This paper estimates the potential economic and operational impacts of commercial space horizontal launch activities on airlines under various launch scenarios using predictive fast-time simulation modeling, focusing on Cecil Air and Space Port in Jacksonville (Florida) and the rules governing the national airspace system (NAS) in the United States. Our results indicate that the existing 4-hour airspace closure rule impacts a significant number of flights, resulting in flight time delays, additional flight distance and fuel burn, as well as other direct operating costs. Safely reducing the duration of airspace closures could serve as a simple solution to mitigate the impacts on airlines and other traditional NAS users. More importantly, treating our studied launch vehicle as an aircraft and opening its departure/arrival corridor to air traffic during a horizontal launch and return would potentially reduce the impacts on airlines significantly, depending on the location of the spaceport, planned flight paths and the trajectory of the launch.