20. Combining technologies for air traffic management

Abstract: AFAS, launched in April 2000, investigated the cost-benefit relationship of combined innovative technologies, the regulatory, safety and service standards required for their safe and successful operation on a day-to-day basis, and the engineering and operational issues that these standards will need to address. To ensure the widespread acceptance of its findings, the AFAS project based its investigation on the use of existing international interoperability standards.

The project's methodology included:
- define and propose an achievable ATM operational scenario for the core European airspace, that will yield a potential benefit in terms of capacity and safety increase,
- define, develop, integrate and verify this avionics package supporting ATM functionality,
- demonstrate the viability of concepts based on real-life 2005 scenarios.

The project's methodology involved:
- Digital exchange of information between pilots and controllers AND between systems create the foundation towards: an interoperable ATM network, seamless operations, Collaborative decision making operations,
- Define a concept in way that current Flight Management System (FMS) and Aircraft trajectory are one of the key elements,
- Use and capitalize as much as possible on existing architecture, system, wiring, data.

The project's key results were:
- AFAS successfully accomplished its tasks: the aeroplane can be built and operated in quantity, in a reasonable time-scale;
- AFAS also scoped the ANSP tasks – these will determine the benefits and justify the investments;
- AFAS revealed the lack of preparation of the ATM operational concept, and FDPS connectivities;
- Safety: Maintain the level of safety, Reduce the number of accidents/incidents per movement;
- Capacity: Make better use of existing maximum airport capacity, Increase en-route capacity;
- Efficiency: Increase punctuality, Better predictability.

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