Project FF-ICE: A Step Towards Digital Future of Flight Planning
Project „FF-ICE Implementation into FDPS systems of ANS CR“ was implemented during the period 2024-2026 and represents one of the key steps in the modernization of air traffic management in the Czech Republic.
The main objective of the project was to implement the FF‑ICE (Flight and Flow Information for a Collaborative Environment) concept into flight data processing systems (FDPS). The project thus prepared our systems for the transition from the traditional flight plans to a fully digital flight plan - eFPL , while also ensuring both technical and procedural readiness for further steps in the digitalization of European ATM.
The implementation of FF-ICE is based on European Union legislative requirements, specifically Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No. 2021/116 – Common Project 1 (CP1). This regulation supports the implementation of the European ATM Master Plan and establishes a new set of mandatory ATM functionalities for the modernization of European airspace. Among other things, it requires air navigation service providers to deploy modern digital services that support safe, seamless and capacity-efficient operations.
FF‑ICE represents a new approach to handling the flight information. Its core principle is a single digital, shared, and continuously updated source of flight data, accessible to all relevant stakeholders – airlines, air navigation service providers, airports, and the network manager. Flight information is progressively refined from the planning phase through to the execution of the flight.
Unlike the traditional flight plan (FPL), which is a static document with a limited set of data, the digital flight plan (eFPL) will enable dynamic data updates, automatic sharing of changes, and significantly improved operational predictability. This will reduce the need for manual interventions, minimize the risk of errors, and support smoother traffic management.
The main operational benefits of project FF-ICE include higher data quality and consistency, improved collaboration within the European ATM network, enhanced safety, and overall readiness for future stages of digitalization and automation of air traffic management.
ANS CR is currently among a small number of air navigation service providers actively using this concept in operations. The specification, testing, and implementation of entirely new concepts is a complex and demanding process. In the area of FF-ICE deployment, we are among the pioneers, together with colleagues from Romania.
This project was co-financed by the European Union and coordinated by SESAR Deployment Manager.
