The solution defines an innovative mechanism to avoid unnecessary ATC-capacity regulations by delegating ATCO tasks to adjacent sectors. It integrates several closely interlinked concepts:

• Spare capacity management across different timelines – network capacity, resilience capacity, and virtual capacity indicators – evaluated at strategic, pre-tactical, and tactical time frames to ensure capacity is available where and when it is needed.

• Delegation of aircraft clusters to adjacent sector ATCOs, considering occupancy count dynamics to optimise workload distribution.

• Extended ATC Planning (EAP) / multi-sector planner, which works in close coordination with ATCOs at the controller working position (CWP), anticipating imbalances that may arise shortly before traffic enters an ATCO’s area of responsibility (AoR).

• Network resilience tools, including downstream CAEHO at a chain level. In the event of unexpected disruptions, such as adverse weather, the CAEHO mechanism suggests downstream transfers of aircraft clusters among adjacent sectors.

The solution’s primary objectives are to monitor spatio-temporal interdependencies among sectors, predict sector imbalances, quantify available spare capacity from adjacent sectors, and avoid unnecessary ATC-capacity regulations through information exchange between local actors and the Network Manager.

The solution builds on previous research in dynamic airspace configuration and flight-centric operations, delivering a mature, operational outcome that directly supports efficient and resilient enroute airspace management.