PJ.10 – Controller tools and team organisation for the provision of separation in air traffic management (PROSA)

Title of Proposal:

SESAR.IR-VLD.Wave1-00-2015 PJ.10 Separation Management En-Route and TMA

Grant Agreement number: 734143 (H2020-SESAR-2015-2/H2020-SESAR-2015-2)

Timeframe:

According to the SESAR2020 Multi Annual Program: 2016 – 2019

Solution:

PJ.10 – 02a – Improved performance in the provision of separation

Project description:

The work aims to improve the separation (tactical layer) in the en-route and TMA operational environments through improved ground trajectory prediction. This is achieved using existing information on lateral and vertical clearances that are known by the ground system, airborne information and data derived from meteorological services.

Objective:

This Solution aims at improving the provision of separation (tactical layer). Vertical and longitudinal separation are ensured by tactical ATC intervention; however, these instructions are limited as much as possible through the use of enhanced tools and aircraft data which allows predicting with high probability the future aircraft positions. Conformance monitoring assists the controller in maintaining situational awareness by assisting in specific routine tasks. For the detection of potential conflicts and the resolution support, both surveillance separation and wake vortex separation are considered. CD/R support will be based on improved ground trajectory prediction and potential controller actions. Further functions will be e.g. automatic conflict dilution and conformance monitoring.

Related Communication-Navigation-Surveillance (CNS) needs exist for air-ground data link for the provision of Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Contract (ADS-C) EPP service and Controlled Time of Arrival (CTA) / Controlled Time Over (CTO) exchange as well as availability of RNP/RNAV capabilities. Improved meteorological services are required for enhanced trajectory predictions and the yellow profile services for SWIM.

Initial maturity at the end of SESAR 1 is V1. V2 and V3 maturity will be reached in Wave 1. Outstanding R&D needs comprise the use of improved trajectory predictors reducing the number of nuisance alerts, in particular use of aircraft EPP data, calculation of wind data and further enhancing the accuracy of conflict detections by using the enhanced data set provided by the aircraft mode S transponders. Moreover, the use of these advanced support tools in other team organisations than the traditional one Executive – one Planner environment and the application of these tools in Free Route and Flight Centric airspace configurations needs to be investigated.

Solution:

PJ.10 – 02b – Advanced Separation Management

Project description:

This work aims to further improve the quality of services of separation management in the en-route and TMA operational environments by introducing automation mechanisms and integrating additional information (ATC intent, aircraft intent).

Objective:

This SESAR Solution aims at increasing the quality of services of separation management by introducing automation mechanisms. This will result in reduced control workload, reduced separation buffers and facilitates new controller team organisation. Vertical and longitudinal separations are ensured by interventions recommended by the automated system and to be confirmed by controllers. In exceptional cases, controller intervention is still required. Controllers are assisted in their separation tasks by technical functionalities using advanced data that increase the quality of provided services. These comprise e.g. further improved ground trajectory prediction, resolution support providing effects on flight efficiency to allow for prioritisation; nearly automatic conflict dilution applied to mixed equipped fleet as well as improved conformance monitoring that takes into account the calculated ground system trajectories.

Related CNS needs exist for air-ground data link for the provision of ADS-C EPP service and CTA/CTO exchange as well as availability of RNP/RNAV capabilities. A meteorological Nowcast for wind-based Mode S reporting and identification of “No Fly” zones is also needed.

Initial maturity at the end of SESAR1 is V0. V1 maturity will be reached in Wave 1 while V2 and V3 maturity is planned for Wave 2. Outstanding R&D needs comprise further improvements and synchronisation of the airborne and ground trajectory by integrating the ATC intent and airborne intent, consideration of ground trajectory (ATC) constraints, more automated resolution support allowing a better flight efficiency and prioritization of better-equipped aircraft. Moreover, human performance aspects and operational procedures need to be adapted to ensure resilience in a more automated environment.

Activities:

Since the end of 2016, BULATSA participates as a joint third party to ENAV S.p.a. (ANSP of Italy), with industrial partner Airbus Defence and Space, in Solutions PJ.10-02a and PJ.10-02b in Project PJ.10 under SESAR2020 Programme. The Project is funded by SESAR Joint Undertaking (SESAR JU) within the EC Research and Innovation Program, pursuant to grant agreement No. 734143.

The purpose of the project is to provide air traffic controllers (ATCOs) with more capabilities, including automated means of detecting and supporting solutions to prevent conflicts between aircraft, allowing ATCOs to concentrate on the situations where human intervention is critical.

Within the activities under Solution PJ.10-02a:

◾A prototype has been created indicating which solutions for prevention of conflicts between aircraft are safe for every given situation.

◾ In November 2017, the expert teams of BULATSA and Airbus D&S jointly conducted a validation exercise of the prototype in the specially equipped test platform „BULATSA innovation grid”, containing simulation work positions for ATCOs and pseudo-pilots. The purpose was to test the prototype and collect a set of specialized information on the maturity of the prototype and its development, according to predefined by SJU requirements and standards.

◾On 21 November 2017 BULATSA held a Visitor’s Day to present the conducted on 13-17 November 2017 validation exercise of the prototype TESLA (Tactical Encounter Solver Assistant). Representatives of Airbus, EUROCONTROL, INDRA, THALES, DFS and COOPANS took part in the event.

◾ At the World ATM Congress in Madrid in March 2018, air traffic controllers from BULATSA together with engineers from AIRBUS Aircraft and AIRBUS Defense and Space, participated in a three-day joint demonstration of the prototype developed under Solution PJ.10-02-a and the integration of 4D flight data for aircraft trajectories received from on-board computers and transmitted to ground systems through ground-air data link. The enhanced with their help 4D trajectory is used for the first time in a ground ATM application for improvement of the accuracy of tactical separation management.

◾ Preparatory validation activities within Phase V3 (pre-industrialization) are carried out, comprising a real-time simulation using the prototype developed in Solution PJ.10-2a. The exercise is planned in March 2019.

Within the activities under Solution PJ.10-02b:

◾ In 2017 were started parallel activities of the next phase of the project from Solution 10-02b, involving higher levels of automation aimed at assisting air traffic controllers in taking decisions and implementing ATC actions to prevent conflicts between aircraft and other operational risks for the safe conduct of flights.

◾ A joint validation exercise within Phase V1 (scope) under Solution 10-02b was held in November 2018 and January 2019, between representatives of BULATSA, Airbus Defense and Space and Airbus Commercial Aircraft.