Periodic Reporting for period 1 - PJ33-W3 FALCO (Flexible ATCO Endorsement and LDACS Complement)
Periodo di rendicontazione: 2021-01-01 al 2021-12-31
The SESAR industrial research project “Flexible ATCO Endorsement and LDACS Complements” (PJ.33-W3-FALCO) is investigating two solutions increasing the efficiency of air traffic management. One solution is investigating a more flexible deployment of air traffic controllers to be more flexible cost-efficient and responsive to changing traffic demand and conditions. The second solution will investigate the use of LDACS, “L-Band Digital Aeronautical Communication System”, a technology offering spectrum-efficient data link connectivity, and digital voice communications between air and ground.
The first solution will deploy air traffic controllers more flexibly to specific portions of en-route airspace, sectors and working positions, when and where needed, explicitly excluding approach control. For this purpose, the partners develop tools and procedures tailored to reduce the need for local knowledge of air traffic controllers on a sector. This means that air traffic controllers could potentially cover larger portions of airspace or provide service in neighbouring air traffic control sectors in case of outages. In doing so, air traffic control service provision will become more resilient and responsive to unexpected events, changes in traffic demand or staff shortages.
The second solution will improve the efficiency of communication between controllers and pilots by the introduction of LDACS digital voice. In this project, the technical requirements for a broad introduction of the LDACS digital voice capability will be investigated. LDACS, which offers a viable and more spectrum-efficient alternative to existing analog radio communications, will be tested with flight trials under real-world conditions. By improving connectivity between air and ground, LDACS is considered as a key enabler for the introduction of new air traffic concepts such as dynamic airspace configurations, flight-centric air traffic control, and virtual centers - all critical solutions for creating scalable and sustainable air traffic management.
The first solution will deploy air traffic controllers more flexibly to specific portions of en-route airspace, sectors and working positions, when and where needed, explicitly excluding approach control. For this purpose, the partners develop tools and procedures tailored to reduce the need for local knowledge of air traffic controllers on a sector. This means that air traffic controllers could potentially cover larger portions of airspace or provide service in neighbouring air traffic control sectors in case of outages. In doing so, air traffic control service provision will become more resilient and responsive to unexpected events, changes in traffic demand or staff shortages.
The second solution will improve the efficiency of communication between controllers and pilots by the introduction of LDACS digital voice. In this project, the technical requirements for a broad introduction of the LDACS digital voice capability will be investigated. LDACS, which offers a viable and more spectrum-efficient alternative to existing analog radio communications, will be tested with flight trials under real-world conditions. By improving connectivity between air and ground, LDACS is considered as a key enabler for the introduction of new air traffic concepts such as dynamic airspace configurations, flight-centric air traffic control, and virtual centers - all critical solutions for creating scalable and sustainable air traffic management.
The flexibilization of ATCO deployment allows to cover a larger geographical area with the same number of air traffic controllers (ATCO), while retaining, at least, the current level of safety and flight efficiency. Resulting in a reduction of personnel costs and an increase in ATC cost efficiency, offered flexible rostering process should be based on deployment of appropriate technical and non-technical means, supporting ATCO’s operational work.
The concept to achive these goals is based on the idea of introducing technical, and procedural enablers compensating the loss of local knowledge an ATCO experiences when reducing the local training, as well as to reduce the local knowledge needed by the ATCO in general to a minimum extent. In further steps, detailed technical requirements related to system capabilities and performance, as well as non-technical requirements, covering the ATCO training and currency scheme, were prepared and analyzed.
To limit the differences in operations across different sectors, and standardize operational procedures, new strategic and tactical procedural enablers were successfully investigated. Independently, innovative technical means, providing specific support to an ATCO were designed and are constantly being further developed. Validation activities will be conducted as a set of human-in-the-loop simulations in spring and summer 2022 and are currently prepared by the responsible project partners.
The last stage of the evolution of this concept, enabling fully generic controller validations, will completely remove any geographical reference of a unit endorsement. To make it possible, further scientific activities, including investigation of new strategies, and requirements have been started and are currently being performed.
The LDACS digital voice solution encompasses conducting flight tests and investigating the requirements for LDACS to be able to introduce digital voice capability. The goal is to replace analog voice communications with digital voice communications. Future terrestrial air-ground data links will improve connectivity between air and ground, which is essential to support future operational concepts.
For the flight trials, the project made significant progress with the preparation of the flight trials and the Technical Validation Plan (TVALP) for this Validation Exercise was drafted, too. Furthermore, the validation infrastructure for the flight testing was specified and progress was made with the development of the LDACS radios. The certification activitiesfor the flight trials have been started.
With reference to the introduction of digital voice into LDACS, progress was made with the definition of the proposed operational requirements and the potential use cases were identified. The existing LDACS architecture was analyzed and then the changes required to support digital voice communications were proposed. Special attention was paid to the introduction of the digital voice function into the LDACS ICAO standardization and to the preparation of the business case activities (starting from LDACS Datalink).
The concept to achive these goals is based on the idea of introducing technical, and procedural enablers compensating the loss of local knowledge an ATCO experiences when reducing the local training, as well as to reduce the local knowledge needed by the ATCO in general to a minimum extent. In further steps, detailed technical requirements related to system capabilities and performance, as well as non-technical requirements, covering the ATCO training and currency scheme, were prepared and analyzed.
To limit the differences in operations across different sectors, and standardize operational procedures, new strategic and tactical procedural enablers were successfully investigated. Independently, innovative technical means, providing specific support to an ATCO were designed and are constantly being further developed. Validation activities will be conducted as a set of human-in-the-loop simulations in spring and summer 2022 and are currently prepared by the responsible project partners.
The last stage of the evolution of this concept, enabling fully generic controller validations, will completely remove any geographical reference of a unit endorsement. To make it possible, further scientific activities, including investigation of new strategies, and requirements have been started and are currently being performed.
The LDACS digital voice solution encompasses conducting flight tests and investigating the requirements for LDACS to be able to introduce digital voice capability. The goal is to replace analog voice communications with digital voice communications. Future terrestrial air-ground data links will improve connectivity between air and ground, which is essential to support future operational concepts.
For the flight trials, the project made significant progress with the preparation of the flight trials and the Technical Validation Plan (TVALP) for this Validation Exercise was drafted, too. Furthermore, the validation infrastructure for the flight testing was specified and progress was made with the development of the LDACS radios. The certification activitiesfor the flight trials have been started.
With reference to the introduction of digital voice into LDACS, progress was made with the definition of the proposed operational requirements and the potential use cases were identified. The existing LDACS architecture was analyzed and then the changes required to support digital voice communications were proposed. Special attention was paid to the introduction of the digital voice function into the LDACS ICAO standardization and to the preparation of the business case activities (starting from LDACS Datalink).
Making the endorsement practices more flexible will lead to an increased ATC cost efficiency, as well as an increased ATCO productivity, as a larger geographical area and more flights can be safely and efficiently handled with the same ATCO staff. In addition, especially in case of ATCO personnel shortages, this solution will enable the deployment of ATCOs from other sectors to provide a reduced service or, with appropriate assistance system support, a service level close to full capacity. On the final stage of evolution of this concept, any reference to a geographical area will be removed completely, leading to generic controller validations. A roadmap will be developed in this solution, describing how in detail this final stage can be achieved by further escalating the previous concept.
The outcomes of this solution will further be one of the required enablers of the virtual centre concept as well as the flight-centric ATC concept; and the developed improvements will also be transferrable to aerodrome control, which will be especially relevant for the multiple remote tower concept.
Aviation will require secure exchanges of data and voice messages for managing the air-traffic flow safely through the airspace all over the world. LDACS is a scalable datalink technology which allows a step-by-step deployment alongside systems already in the field with very low risk. LDACS can initially be fielded to complement existing infrastructure and eventually to replace legacy VHF datalinks.
In addition to the communications capability, LDACS also offers a navigation capability. This results in LDACS providing an A-PNT (Alternative Position, Navigation and Timing) capability to supplement the existing on-board GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) without demanding additional bandwidth.
LDACS is highly spectrum-efficient because it was designed to be placed within those parts of the L-band where no other service could be allocated until now.
For voice and data communications, sufficient data throughput capability is needed to support the cybersecurity functions while not degrading performance. From the very beginning of the development process cyber-security for LDACS has been addressed by design.
The outcomes of this solution will further be one of the required enablers of the virtual centre concept as well as the flight-centric ATC concept; and the developed improvements will also be transferrable to aerodrome control, which will be especially relevant for the multiple remote tower concept.
Aviation will require secure exchanges of data and voice messages for managing the air-traffic flow safely through the airspace all over the world. LDACS is a scalable datalink technology which allows a step-by-step deployment alongside systems already in the field with very low risk. LDACS can initially be fielded to complement existing infrastructure and eventually to replace legacy VHF datalinks.
In addition to the communications capability, LDACS also offers a navigation capability. This results in LDACS providing an A-PNT (Alternative Position, Navigation and Timing) capability to supplement the existing on-board GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) without demanding additional bandwidth.
LDACS is highly spectrum-efficient because it was designed to be placed within those parts of the L-band where no other service could be allocated until now.
For voice and data communications, sufficient data throughput capability is needed to support the cybersecurity functions while not degrading performance. From the very beginning of the development process cyber-security for LDACS has been addressed by design.