3Di 2nd year of performance
On 1st January 2012, we began an entirely new way of measuring the environmental performance of UK airspace using the ‘3D inefficiency score’ (3Di) method, a pioneering development by NATS in consultation with airline customers and our regulator. This was another world first.
There is no equivalent measurement for ATM environmental performance anywhere in the world.
3Di compares the actual trajectory that aircraft fly (from real radar data) with an optimal or airline preferred flight trajectory that minimises fuel burn and CO2 emissions. Or put another way, it measures how close to the ‘perfect flight’ NATS delivers its operations. The 3Di score applies to the airborne portion of all flights whilst they are within UK airspace.
3Di also forms the cornerstone of our regulatory financial incentivisation scheme. The CAA has set ‘par’ or average performance scores for 2012, 2013 and 2014 based on analysing our historic performance. According to the CAA, achieving the 3Di target will generate 600,000 tonnes of CO2 savings compared to historic levels by the end of 2014, worth over £120 million to airlines in fuel savings.
NATS financially benefits too from exceeding the CAA target, but can also be penalised for failing to deliver the expected efficiency gains; we’re the only air traffic service provider in the world to be incentivised in this way.
Our Second Year Performance
Data for 2012 showed that during the first year in operation a 3Di score of 23.9 was achieved against a target of 24, as based on the scale set by the CAA. This represents an improvement of 0.3 compared with a score of 24.2 in January 2012. During 2013, the second year of operation of the 3Di metric, NATS again delivered more than the CAA’s 3Di target with a score of 23.7 points, a 0.5 point improvement against historical levels.
For 2014, the CAA has further tightened the 3Di target for NATS; we now have to drive the 3Di score down to 23 to hit our target. Early indications of our performance for 2014 are promising, with the year to March showing further improvement to 23.6 points.
The Feedback Loop
By making this comparison between actual and optimum trajectories, we are able to establish a clear indication of the environmental efficiency of the service NATS provides. 3Di performance is computed and fed back to our Air Traffic Control Centres to highlight potential areas for improvement in our operations. This feedback loop clearly shows the extent to which new procedures our controllers are following make a real difference to our environmental performance.
3Di Industry Awards
The application of NATS’ collective technical knowledge to develop this innovative metric has been recognised by leading industry awards, including:
- Sustainable Products and Services 2014 Business in the Community ‘Big Tick’ Award
- Jane’s ATC 2012 Environment Award
- Transport Times 2012 Award for Contribution to Sustainable Transportation
- The Operational Research Society’s President’s Medal 2011 for the best practical application of operational research in industry.
