Capacity crunch
“But most of all, bring all the parties together in a dedicated forum where challenges, ideas and solutions can be freely discussed. All in all, it was a very interesting experience!”
The security situation added to the capacity crunch. Pre-Games traffic was high, but this was far from the only consideration. Some 4,000 additional private flights used Le Bourget airport, situated close to downtown Paris. Moreover, for the Opening Ceremony, there were about 200 flights carrying Heads of State and various other dignitaries.
Information on these flights was hard to come by until close to the date and all aircraft had to be parked and know that they could take-off as requested. To accommodate any timetable alterations, DSNA set up a tactical room with Aeroports de Paris and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to share information quickly.
The Olympics and Paralympics also include a host of broadcasting requests, handled by Olympic Broadcasting Services. Drones and helicopters take to the air for almost every event for filming and judging purposes. Ensuring these flights don’t interfere with approaches or take-offs was a complex challenge that had to be worked through on a case-by-case basis. Overall, DSNA and its partners handled about 10,000 broadcasting accreditations.
Again, emergencies had to be taken into account – such as a police helicopter or medical helicopter needing clearance. And there were numerous last-minute changes too as event timings or weather changed. The Opening Ceremony, for example, took place in a heavy downpour.
“We didn’t only have to worry about Paris,” says Berolatti. “Marseille had sailing events, which were dependent on aerial coverage. Lille had the handball and basketball but is a small airport with limited capacity. And we even managed Tahiti airspace, which hosted the surfing.”
Every possible aspect of operations was inputted into a master plan so that all stakeholders had access to the proposed strategy. This was consulted and updated as necessary every day. Beneath that, however, there was a robust tactical process to deal with the unexpected.
“It was a very intense period, but the level of preparation was excellent,” Berolatti concludes. “Everything worked and worked well. But for any major event, I would suggest that an ANSP must start preparations early. There is a lot of work and two years was barely enough time. It is also important to stay focused and engaged throughout the event. Everything can change with hardly any notice.”
Ensuring security
Sub-groups focused on particular areas. The biggest challenge for such a high-profile event was security. This was especially true of the Opening Ceremony, which took place along the iconic River Seine rather than at a stadium.
To ensure complete security, the military advised a 150km radius no-fly zone for six hours. This allowed them time to intercept any rogue flights if necessary. For DSNA, though, this meant an intense collaborative effort with airlines and neighbouring ANSPs to adjust schedules or divert en-route flights. EUROCONTROL Network Manager was also heavily involved in this process.
Berolatti says the closure of such a large, important airspace was perhaps the biggest task DSNA faced, but it was also the biggest success and demonstrated what could be achieved with the correct planning.
“We generated fewer delays than usual,” he says. “It did take 20 per cent more air traffic controllers (ATCOs) – for us and our neighbours – and so, unfortunately, it isn’t sustainable longer term, but I am proud of the work we did and the result.”
All possibilities were considered while airspace was closed. Any emergency, for example, would have been handled through a hot line to the military.
French ANSP, DSNA started preparing for such large-scale activity two years in advance of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Speaking to Angy Odysseos on the CANSO podcast, Pierre Berolatti, Deputy Chief of Operations at DSNA, said the first step was getting feedback from other ANSPs that have handled the Olympics previously. NATS, for example, was able to provide some key insights from the London 2012 Games.
The French Civil Aviation Authority then created a working group involving all stakeholders – ANSP, airlines, airports, regulatory authorities and the military – to begin preparatory work.
Managing airspace during a global event is not easy for an air navigation service provider (ANSP). There is not only a massive increase in air traffic but also a heavy influx of VIP and general aviation flights – not to mention drones and helicopters taking to the skies for filming or judging purposes.
“But most of all, bring all the parties together in a dedicated forum where challenges, ideas and solutions can be freely discussed. All in all, it was a very interesting experience!”
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The security situation added to the capacity crunch. Pre-Games traffic was high, but this was far from the only consideration. Some 4,000 additional private flights used Le Bourget airport, situated close to downtown Paris. Moreover, for the Opening Ceremony, there were about 200 flights carrying Heads of State and various other dignitaries.
Information on these flights was hard to come by until close to the date and all aircraft had to be parked and know that they could take-off as requested. To accommodate any timetable alterations, DSNA set up a tactical room with Aeroports de Paris and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to share information quickly.
The Olympics and Paralympics also include a host of broadcasting requests, handled by Olympic Broadcasting Services. Drones and helicopters take to the air for almost every event for filming and judging purposes. Ensuring these flights don’t interfere with approaches or take-offs was a complex challenge that had to be worked through on a case-by-case basis. Overall, DSNA and its partners handled about 10,000 broadcasting accreditations.
Again, emergencies had to be taken into account – such as a police helicopter or medical helicopter needing clearance. And there were numerous last-minute changes too as event timings or weather changed. The Opening Ceremony, for example, took place in a heavy downpour.
“We didn’t only have to worry about Paris,” says Berolatti. “Marseille had sailing events, which were dependent on aerial coverage. Lille had the handball and basketball but is a small airport with limited capacity. And we even managed Tahiti airspace, which hosted the surfing.”
Every possible aspect of operations was inputted into a master plan so that all stakeholders had access to the proposed strategy. This was consulted and updated as necessary every day. Beneath that, however, there was a robust tactical process to deal with the unexpected.
“It was a very intense period, but the level of preparation was excellent,” Berolatti concludes. “Everything worked and worked well. But for any major event, I would suggest that an ANSP must start preparations early. There is a lot of work and two years was barely enough time. It is also important to stay focused and engaged throughout the event. Everything can change with hardly any notice.”
Sub-groups focused on particular areas. The biggest challenge for such a high-profile event was security. This was especially true of the Opening Ceremony, which took place along the iconic River Seine rather than at a stadium.
To ensure complete security, the military advised a 150km radius no-fly zone for six hours. This allowed them time to intercept any rogue flights if necessary. For DSNA, though, this meant an intense collaborative effort with airlines and neighbouring ANSPs to adjust schedules or divert en-route flights. EUROCONTROL Network Manager was also heavily involved in this process.
Berolatti says the closure of such a large, important airspace was perhaps the biggest task DSNA faced, but it was also the biggest success and demonstrated what could be achieved with the correct planning.
“We generated fewer delays than usual,” he says. “It did take 20 per cent more air traffic controllers (ATCOs) – for us and our neighbours – and so, unfortunately, it isn’t sustainable longer term, but I am proud of the work we did and the result.”
All possibilities were considered while airspace was closed. Any emergency, for example, would have been handled through a hot line to the military.
Capacity crunch
Ensuring security
French ANSP, DSNA started preparing for such large-scale activity two years in advance of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Speaking to Angy Odysseos on the CANSO podcast, Pierre Berolatti, Deputy Chief of Operations at DSNA, said the first step was getting feedback from other ANSPs that have handled the Olympics previously. NATS, for example, was able to provide some key insights from the London 2012 Games.
The French Civil Aviation Authority then created a working group involving all stakeholders – ANSP, airlines, airports, regulatory authorities and the military – to begin preparatory work.
Managing airspace during a global event is not easy for an air navigation service provider (ANSP). There is not only a massive increase in air traffic but also a heavy influx of VIP and general aviation flights – not to mention drones and helicopters taking to the skies for filming or judging purposes.