From the CFMU to the Network Manager

The CFMU's heritage

EUROCONTROL Network Operations stem from the Central Flow Management Unit (CFMU)
, which was created in 1995 as a response to the chronic delays plaguing Europea
n air traffic throughout the eighties.
Based on ICAO's concept of centrally coordinated Air Traffic Flow Management (AT
FM), and with the support of the ECAC Member States, the CFMU succeeded in conta
ining the delay crisis at the time. As a result, strong operational collaboratio
n processes were put in place between all aviation actors - especially ANSPs and
airlines - to manage traffic and delays in partnership.
This organisation is unique in the world in that it centralises flight planning
and airspace data and manages air traffic flows across 42 countries; 40 EUROCONT
ROL Member States and 2 cooperating States (Morocco and Estonia).
Traditional ATFM methods have evolved considerably and now optimise capacity col
lectively: the ATFM concept became ATFCM (Air Traffic Flow and Capacity Manageme
nt) in the early 2000s and culminated in the network management concept in 2010.
Flight planning and airspace activities have grown into the dynamic management
of both airspace and flight demand throughout the network; several other pan Eur
opean services have also been added to these core activities.
Our mission
The Network Manager Operations Centre has two operations centres at Haren, Bruss
els and Brtigny-sur-Orge near Paris. Our mission is to deliver core operational s
ervices across several domains:
Flow and Capacity Management
ATM Access Gateway/Flight Planning Operations
Information Management Domain:
Crisis and Contingency Management
Post-operations analysis and reporting.
These services are delivered in accordance with the European Single Sky concept
as laid down in the SES Regulations on ATM Network Functions, Performance Scheme
, and the ATFM Implementing Rule.
This mission calls for cooperation and efficient processes for Collaborative Dec
ision Making (CDM) with all EUROPEAN operational stakeholders (Airlines, ANSP, A
irports and Military authorities).

Sharing a common view of the airspace situation is of paramount importance to al
l actors involved in flow management. The mission of the Network Manager Operati
ons Centre includes the management of a central database of airspace data. In ad
dition a central service for the aggregation and dissemination of aeronautical (
AIS) data is provided by the EAD (European AIS database).