In order to meet the forecast traffic growth, and improve environmental sustainability, PJ01-W2 developed concepts, tools and procedures to increase the capacity of Terminal Manoeuvring Areas (TMAs) in a safe, cost-effective and environmentally sustainable manner. This aimed to be achieved by taking advantage of the latest technological developments from both an airborne and a ground-system perspective and through the secure sharing of data. The needs of all Airspace Users were addressed including Rotorcraft. The aim was to improve or maintain the capacity whilst exploiting the environmental benefits achieved from Continuous Climb Operations (CCO), Continuous Descent Operations (CDO) and improved arrival sequencing. A focus was to minimise delays and improve resilience and predictability for capacity-constrained very high/high -density/complexity TMAs.
Work was started to enhance arrival and departure management by the dynamic use of precision navigation routes and optimised profiles. Traffic flows were optimised by improving the integration of the management of departures with arrivals, including extended Arrival Manager (AMAN) and ground holding from in-horizon departures, and by improving the capability to balance traffic demand and available capacity across the network and airports.
The use of procedures and technologies to improve integration of rotorcraft operations within TMAs, and interoperability with General Aviation (GA), drones and Remotely-Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS), was addressed which will also provide increased resilience in poor weather. To ensure that the full benefits are achieved and that the performance improvements are realised in the context of the overall ATM network, close co-ordination took place with other projects, particularly those addressing airport management, network management, trajectory and separation management and the overall content integration within the programme.
The Key Objectives were:
- Investigation of the benefits of Arrival and Departure Management Integration for Traffic optimization within the E-TMA: To investigate the management of TMA/E-TMA traffic taking advantage of predicted demand information provided by local Arrival and Departure Management systems to identify sector/route over-demand or additional capacity and balance the sector/flow load. Upstream delay sharing and departure management processes for in-horizon departures involving A-CDM will be investigated, ATC and airborne procedures will be addressed and also situational awareness of the trajectory for aircraft flying to a constraint.
- Investigation of the management of the climb/descent phase of flight to improve the efficiency and optimization of the E-TMA: To investigate the management of the climb/descent phase of flight to optimize the efficiency of airspace, enabling the maximum use of continuous descent and continuous climb operations through advances in airspace design, development of ground tools and development of ATC and airborne procedures. Dynamic use of routes will be investigated, including use of lateral routes, use of speed and various climb/descent profiles.
- Investigation of the benefits of better integration of rotorcraft operations in the TMA: To examine methods that enable better integration of rotorcraft into the new ATM systems and interoperability with GA, drones and RPAS. Investigation of advanced procedures and technologies for rotorcraft to assist rotorcraft pilots and ATC by extending landing to degraded visual conditions, enhancing pilot and ATCO situational awareness.
The SESAR Solutions making up PJ01 were developed over the course of the project and solutions were split in order to better reflect the work.
Datapacks were delivered for PJ.01-W2-08A1/08A2 PJ.01-W2-08B1/08B2/08B4/08B6 and PJ.01-W2-06.
