Periodic Reporting for period 3 - PJ38-W3-ADSCENSIO (ADS-C ENables and Supports Improved ATM Operations)
Reporting period: 2023-01-01 to 2023-06-30
What is the problem/issue being addressed? : The proposal is part of the general principle of Trajectory Based Operations, aiming at equipping Air Traffic Control with enhanced features that allow to manage real time 4D trajectory data downlinked by the aircraft providing much larger time horizon about aircraft route intent and associated performances along it. PJ38 continues previous SESAR initiatives (PJ31 DIGITS, DIGITS-AU) and is the main contributor to prepare the industrial implementation as required by the Common Project #1.
Why is it important for society? : PJ38 ADSCENSIO contributes to cope with demand for air traffic growth and therefore airspace capacity increase. It aims as well for more optimised aircraft trajectory by allowing aircraft to fly their calculated trajectory essentially thanks to less air traffic control instruction. This can be obtained thanks to higher predictability and accuracy brought by the 4D information. As a consequence, there is a direct effect on possible gains of CO2 emissions reduction.
The overall objectives of ADSCENSIO are to demonstrate:
- the improvements that can be achieved in many common operational situations that Air Traffic Controllers have to manage, and
- the efficiency and robustness of a technological infrastructure to support the datalink communications between the aircraft and various ground consumers for trajectory related exchanges.
In details, the objectives of ADSCENSIO are:
- Continue the data collection of ADS-C reports and related data sent by airline’s aircraft equipped with the capacity to downlink flight trajectory information,
- Analyse characteristics, performance, and behaviour of ADS-C Data Contents from operational and technical perspectives,
- Perform operational evaluations to demonstrate and characterize the benefit of integrating ADS-C data in ATC systems,
- Demonstrate the feasibility of an efficient distributed ADS-C service (“ADS-C Common Service”) on the ground, and
- Demonstrate the use of SATCOM link to complement VDL2 technology to ensure Air-Ground ATN connectivity.
Why is it important for society? : PJ38 ADSCENSIO contributes to cope with demand for air traffic growth and therefore airspace capacity increase. It aims as well for more optimised aircraft trajectory by allowing aircraft to fly their calculated trajectory essentially thanks to less air traffic control instruction. This can be obtained thanks to higher predictability and accuracy brought by the 4D information. As a consequence, there is a direct effect on possible gains of CO2 emissions reduction.
The overall objectives of ADSCENSIO are to demonstrate:
- the improvements that can be achieved in many common operational situations that Air Traffic Controllers have to manage, and
- the efficiency and robustness of a technological infrastructure to support the datalink communications between the aircraft and various ground consumers for trajectory related exchanges.
In details, the objectives of ADSCENSIO are:
- Continue the data collection of ADS-C reports and related data sent by airline’s aircraft equipped with the capacity to downlink flight trajectory information,
- Analyse characteristics, performance, and behaviour of ADS-C Data Contents from operational and technical perspectives,
- Perform operational evaluations to demonstrate and characterize the benefit of integrating ADS-C data in ATC systems,
- Demonstrate the feasibility of an efficient distributed ADS-C service (“ADS-C Common Service”) on the ground, and
- Demonstrate the use of SATCOM link to complement VDL2 technology to ensure Air-Ground ATN connectivity.
Project PJ38W3 ADSCENSIO started on the 1st of November 2020 and benefited from an extension of 6 months (Until end June 2023) in 2021 in the context of the Covid crisis.
The project developed several axes:
- Data Collection: The project continuously collected ADS-C Data thanks to the hundred of in service equipped Airbus aircraft connecting the testing ATC centers. The Autologon procedure (which allows establishing ADS-C contract without flight crew actions) was deployed inducing a significant increase of the number of connected flights. At the end of the project more than 60.000 flights were gathered corresponding to ~3.400.00 ADS-C reports recorded.
- ADS-C Common Service (ACS): The ACS solution has been designed, specified, developed and prototyped in the frame of ADSCENSIO. Three prototypes were tested and used in real and simulated environment reaching 24/7 service availability. The ACS solution enables an optimisation of the use of the datalink resource to reduce the number of simultaneous ADS-C connections, communalize ground customers’ needs and to avoid same information to be downlinked several times. The requirement baseline documents “ADS-C Common Service Requirements” and “ADS-C Common Service SWIM Specification” were shared with OEP WST 12.2 in charge to consolidate and agree the standardisation of this service for future industrialisation in Europe.
- Data Analysis: The work was intended to evaluate the consistency, accuracy and predictability of ADS-C reports content. This has driven activities to employ the ADS-C EPP data within CD&R tools and Trajectory Predictors to enhance their accuracy and provide larger time horizon. The introduction of ADS Common service solution with real time testing. also permitted to analyse the performance of such a system as part of the datalink network.
- Technical evaluations: 3 technical exercises were carried out aiming at demonstrating the appropriateness of the proposed infrastructure encompassing both the ACS and the SWIM Yellow profile to convey and distribute ADS-C data to ground consumers based on VDL2 & SATCOM technologies.
- Operational evaluations: 9 operational exercises (real-time operations, shadow mode or post-flight simulations based on recorded data) conducted by eight European ANSPs, which aimed at demonstrating the added value of the use of ADS-C data with consideration of variety existing in Europe for ATM/ATC capabilities. To this end, the technical feasibility of displaying and using ADS-C/EPP data on ATCO HMIs was successfully assessed by ANSPs (type of turns, TOC, TOD, aircraft performance…).
A SESAR Solution PJ.38-01 “ADS-C Common European service” was created consisting of a common service that distributes the ADS-C/EPP data downlinked from aircraft to the relevant ground users. Solution PJ.38-01 “ADS-C common European service” achieved TRL7 thanks to the demonstration activities performed in ADSCENSIO.
The project elaborated 14 industrial and deployment recommendations along with 2 regulation and standardisation recommendations.
Air Traffic Services Baseline 2 („ATS-B2“), based on the use of ADS-C EPP data developed with the EUROCAE standards ED-228/ED229 rev.A are confirmed satisfying and valuable for the sake of CP1 mandate.
Beyond the benefits derived from the display of ADS-C information required by CP1; the processing of data content combined with the use of CPDLC B2 is to generate additional improvements and pave the way to Trajectory Based Operations.
The project developed several axes:
- Data Collection: The project continuously collected ADS-C Data thanks to the hundred of in service equipped Airbus aircraft connecting the testing ATC centers. The Autologon procedure (which allows establishing ADS-C contract without flight crew actions) was deployed inducing a significant increase of the number of connected flights. At the end of the project more than 60.000 flights were gathered corresponding to ~3.400.00 ADS-C reports recorded.
- ADS-C Common Service (ACS): The ACS solution has been designed, specified, developed and prototyped in the frame of ADSCENSIO. Three prototypes were tested and used in real and simulated environment reaching 24/7 service availability. The ACS solution enables an optimisation of the use of the datalink resource to reduce the number of simultaneous ADS-C connections, communalize ground customers’ needs and to avoid same information to be downlinked several times. The requirement baseline documents “ADS-C Common Service Requirements” and “ADS-C Common Service SWIM Specification” were shared with OEP WST 12.2 in charge to consolidate and agree the standardisation of this service for future industrialisation in Europe.
- Data Analysis: The work was intended to evaluate the consistency, accuracy and predictability of ADS-C reports content. This has driven activities to employ the ADS-C EPP data within CD&R tools and Trajectory Predictors to enhance their accuracy and provide larger time horizon. The introduction of ADS Common service solution with real time testing. also permitted to analyse the performance of such a system as part of the datalink network.
- Technical evaluations: 3 technical exercises were carried out aiming at demonstrating the appropriateness of the proposed infrastructure encompassing both the ACS and the SWIM Yellow profile to convey and distribute ADS-C data to ground consumers based on VDL2 & SATCOM technologies.
- Operational evaluations: 9 operational exercises (real-time operations, shadow mode or post-flight simulations based on recorded data) conducted by eight European ANSPs, which aimed at demonstrating the added value of the use of ADS-C data with consideration of variety existing in Europe for ATM/ATC capabilities. To this end, the technical feasibility of displaying and using ADS-C/EPP data on ATCO HMIs was successfully assessed by ANSPs (type of turns, TOC, TOD, aircraft performance…).
A SESAR Solution PJ.38-01 “ADS-C Common European service” was created consisting of a common service that distributes the ADS-C/EPP data downlinked from aircraft to the relevant ground users. Solution PJ.38-01 “ADS-C common European service” achieved TRL7 thanks to the demonstration activities performed in ADSCENSIO.
The project elaborated 14 industrial and deployment recommendations along with 2 regulation and standardisation recommendations.
Air Traffic Services Baseline 2 („ATS-B2“), based on the use of ADS-C EPP data developed with the EUROCAE standards ED-228/ED229 rev.A are confirmed satisfying and valuable for the sake of CP1 mandate.
Beyond the benefits derived from the display of ADS-C information required by CP1; the processing of data content combined with the use of CPDLC B2 is to generate additional improvements and pave the way to Trajectory Based Operations.
The project is part of the development of the Trajectory Based Operations, a cornerstone of the SESAR goal, paving the way for more predictable air traffic management. TBO is designed to enable airspace users of all categories to fly their preferred flight trajectories. It encompasses the use of ATC CPDLC clearances to match the trajectories to the performance needs of day conditions that will improve overall network efficiency in the tactical phase. This will help to reduce the impact of aviation on the environment and CO2 emissions. On the mobility side, an increased predictability should support better punctuality on arrival and by extension on departures as well, providing likely additional flight capacity to allow the transport of people and goods within Europe and Worldwide. This all put together should sustain the economic growth.