The preliminary results of a joint Canadian-Russian feasibility study into the use of the new transpolar routes has identified potential traffic of up to 5,000 flights a year between North America and Asia. Their future depends, however, on funds to modernise Russia's air traffic management (ATM) system being secured.
NavCanada and the Federal Aviation Authority of Russia are due to present their findings in Moscow by late March. Initial forecasts suggest that airline demand to use the four polar routes will exceed the 64 flights a week capacity limit the Russian authorities say the current ATM structure can handle.
NavCanada and Russia are undertaking the study in parallel with an International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO)-led effort to open routes Polar-1,-2,-3 and -4 to scheduled traffic from July at the end of the current demonstration phase. Moscow has not budgeted any funds to support the polar routes before 2006 and until then claims it cannot accommodate more than two flights an hour, 8h a day, four days a week (Flight International, 15-21 February).
The cost of upgrading Russia's ATM coverage of Siberia and the Polar region has been estimated at between $13 million and $50 million depending on the package of improvements.
Source: Flight International
