Air Navigation Services and Airspace

Traficom issues certificates for air navigation service providers and other individual licenses related to air navigation service provision. Traficom is also in charge of the structuring of the Finnish airspace and takes care of the approvals and permissions related to airspace, such as establishing temporary restricted areas and permissions for flying in a prohibited area.

As a National Supervisory Authority (NSA), Traficom conducts audits to organizations providing air navigation services (ANS). These audits are conducted before issuing a certificate to ANS organization, and to monitor compliance continuously. Traficom also carries out inspections related to management of changes, requests for safety clarifications and takes part in the safety forums of ANS providers.

Traficom deals with

• Approvals of the implementation of air navigation service systems and equipment
• Approvals of the implementation of air traffic service procedures
• Approvals of the training organizations of air navigation services.

The use of airspace and related decision-making are part of a state’s national sovereignty. High Level Airspace Policy Body (HLB), set up by the Finnish government, is responsible for the airspace management policy in Finland.

In accordance with a framework agreement signed by the Ministry of Transport and Communications and the Ministry of Defence on 10 December 2010, Traficom and the Finnish Military Aviation Authority shall agree in more detail on the implementation of flexible use of airspace principles in an Airspace Management Operations Manual (ASM Operations Manual).

The practices described in the ASM Operations Manual aim to ensure safe, efficient and flexible use of airspace. It also guarantees the transparency of the operations by reconciling the needs of different airspace users.

In the field of air navigation services, the main international task for Traficom is to participate in rulemaking and implementation of the EU Single European Sky. It comprises of extensive legislation that covers, inter alia, air navigation services provision, airspace usage and management of air navigation system. One notable project is the obligation of EU member states to create so-called functional airspace blocks that would expand the collaboration of air navigation and airspace management over national borders.

Traficom is cooperating with European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and Eurocontrol. In addition, Traficom is in close collaboration with European and Nordic aviation authorities.

The following Air Navigation Service providers hold a certificate issued by the competent authority:

• Fintraffic Air Navigation Services Ltd.
• City of Mikkeli
• Seinäjoki Airport Ltd.
• Finnish Meteorological Institute
• AII Corporation Ltd/AII Airspace Design

The following Air Traffic Service training organisations hold a certificate issued by the competent authority:

• Fintraffic Air Navigation Services Ltd.
• City of Mikkeli
• Seinäjoki Airport Ltd.
• Lektor Consulting Resources Finland

Finnish Transport and Communications Agency Traficom, acting as the National Supervisory Authority in Finland, has published the draft performance plan for air navigation services for the Reference Period 2025-2029 (RP4).

Finnish Transport and Communications Agency Traficom, acting as the National Supervisory Authority in Finland, has published the Final Performance Plan for air navigation services for the Reference Period 2020-2024 (RP3).