The number of overloads reported so far in 2002 is 76 to the end of November, compared with 54 in 1999, 46 in 2000 and 37 in 2001. Of the 76, investigations have been completed on 56 and the majority (51) have been found to be associated with varying degrees of over delivery of traffic by the Central Flow Management Unit in Brussels against target sector flow rates. One has been found to be a safety significant event associated with the reporting of an Airprox incident. This latter incident is therefore the subject of an investigation by the UK Airprox Board.
The majority of these overload reports have been filed at Swanwick, indicating that there is a link between the opening of Swanwick and the increase in the number of overloads reported. Controllers are actively encouraged to file incident reports and some increase in reporting was expected while staff at Swanwick fully familiarised themselves with the new systems. The NATS Board is undertaking a review of the position on overload reports at Swanwick and the Board's Safety Review Committee will be visiting Swanwick for this purpose next month.