Periodic Reporting for period 3 - PJ18-W2 4D Skyways (4D Skyways)
Période du rapport: 2022-01-01 au 2022-12-31
Building on the work of wave 1, the 4DSkyways (PJ18W2) project defines and validates concepts for improvements to trajectory management, and also develops and verifies the supporting system enablers.
What is the problem being addressed? The S3JU Single Programming Document 2019-2021 clearly identifies the need for industrial research addressing essential trajectory management (TM) improvements. Together with the enabled development of Trajectory Based Operations (TBO), TM improvements will increase airspace capacity, flight efficiency also tightly linked with environmental benefits in terms of emissions and noise reduction.
Why is it important for society? The 4DSkyways project can contribute to improvements to air traffic management performance; which can lead to an improved connectivity of people, goods and services; and can also lead to reduced emissions and thus climate benefits.
The overall objectives of the project are to:
- Increase airspace capacity, flight predictability and efficiency by reducing ATCO workload and separation buffers and facilitating new controller team organisations, thanks to: the improvement of the ground trajectory prediction accuracy; enhancements to the performance of the conflict detection and resolution tools, and of the conformance monitoring and discrepancy resolution tools;
- Improve traffic predictability - and as a result trajectory precision - by enhancing the air and ground trajectory alignment by automated exchange of more complex clearances, including in the vertical dimension;
- Steer and coordinate all the TM developments between all Air and Ground stakeholders by continuing the definition of the trajectory management solution;
- Improve the benefits of future TM developments by investigating new higher automation of trajectory exchanges;
- Continue the definition of the trajectory prediction common service (TPCS) that will be an alternative solution to collect and deliver trajectory information to all ground stakeholders, mitigating European ATM system fragmentation.
What is the problem being addressed? The S3JU Single Programming Document 2019-2021 clearly identifies the need for industrial research addressing essential trajectory management (TM) improvements. Together with the enabled development of Trajectory Based Operations (TBO), TM improvements will increase airspace capacity, flight efficiency also tightly linked with environmental benefits in terms of emissions and noise reduction.
Why is it important for society? The 4DSkyways project can contribute to improvements to air traffic management performance; which can lead to an improved connectivity of people, goods and services; and can also lead to reduced emissions and thus climate benefits.
The overall objectives of the project are to:
- Increase airspace capacity, flight predictability and efficiency by reducing ATCO workload and separation buffers and facilitating new controller team organisations, thanks to: the improvement of the ground trajectory prediction accuracy; enhancements to the performance of the conflict detection and resolution tools, and of the conformance monitoring and discrepancy resolution tools;
- Improve traffic predictability - and as a result trajectory precision - by enhancing the air and ground trajectory alignment by automated exchange of more complex clearances, including in the vertical dimension;
- Steer and coordinate all the TM developments between all Air and Ground stakeholders by continuing the definition of the trajectory management solution;
- Improve the benefits of future TM developments by investigating new higher automation of trajectory exchanges;
- Continue the definition of the trajectory prediction common service (TPCS) that will be an alternative solution to collect and deliver trajectory information to all ground stakeholders, mitigating European ATM system fragmentation.
Project 18 Wave 2 (4DSkyways) started on the 1st of December 2019. In line with the approved grant amendment, Solutions 57 and 88 plan to deliver and close by end 2022, whereas Solutions 53, 56 and Work Package 01 now plan to deliver and close by end June 2023.
In spite of a challenging work environment due to the COVID pandemic in the first half of 2022, the project partners still managed to make significant progress throughout the reporting including: the completion of all validation exercises; the S3JU approval of the project deliverables bulk of the availability notes; face-to-face and virtual awareness events associated to several validation exercises; the conduct of maturity gates. The main highlights are summarised below:
• Solution 53 performed 13 validation exercises including several real-time simulations. The S3JU approved all of the availability notes. Work is ramping-up on the exercise reports and the final deliverables. The mini maturity gate for the Network Manager Trajectory Prediction SESAR Solution (18.06b1) concluded that the solution had achieved TRL4 maturity.
• Solutions 56 performed 6 validation exercise including 8 real-time simulations. The S3JU has approved all 6 availability notes. Work is ramping-up on the exercise reports and the final deliverables.
• Solution 57 delivered the final data packs for the airborne automation and ground automation threads. The Solution 57 maturity gate concluded that the airborne automation had achieved a V1 maturity level, and that the ground automation thread had achieved an ongoing V1 maturity.
• Solution 88 has delivered all of its final deliverables. A conclusions and recommendations meeting concluded that the Solution had reached an ongoing TRL2 maturity level.
• Within WP01, the SJU approved an interim version of the Trajectory Management Document, and a series of workshops with the partners and checkpoints with the S3JU were convened.
• WP01 has performed project management and grant management activities, including the implementation of the grant amendment including the 6-month extension for Solutions 53, 56 and the additional reporting period in 2023.
• PCIT support has been provided in the areas of EATMA modelling and architecture, and for integrated roadmap change requests. The PCIT team led the internal maturity assessments for Solutions 53 and 56.
If we consider the overall progress of the project, then we see that the “Data pack and maturity gate” phase is about two months behind schedule, when compared to the grant amendment baseline. The delays are partly due to the impact of COVID in the first half of the year, and due to the impact of assigning some resources to SESAR proposals in the period from July to mid-October. The project has prepared a revised planning that will ensure delivery and closure of Solutions 53 and 56 before the end of June 2023.
In spite of a challenging work environment due to the COVID pandemic in the first half of 2022, the project partners still managed to make significant progress throughout the reporting including: the completion of all validation exercises; the S3JU approval of the project deliverables bulk of the availability notes; face-to-face and virtual awareness events associated to several validation exercises; the conduct of maturity gates. The main highlights are summarised below:
• Solution 53 performed 13 validation exercises including several real-time simulations. The S3JU approved all of the availability notes. Work is ramping-up on the exercise reports and the final deliverables. The mini maturity gate for the Network Manager Trajectory Prediction SESAR Solution (18.06b1) concluded that the solution had achieved TRL4 maturity.
• Solutions 56 performed 6 validation exercise including 8 real-time simulations. The S3JU has approved all 6 availability notes. Work is ramping-up on the exercise reports and the final deliverables.
• Solution 57 delivered the final data packs for the airborne automation and ground automation threads. The Solution 57 maturity gate concluded that the airborne automation had achieved a V1 maturity level, and that the ground automation thread had achieved an ongoing V1 maturity.
• Solution 88 has delivered all of its final deliverables. A conclusions and recommendations meeting concluded that the Solution had reached an ongoing TRL2 maturity level.
• Within WP01, the SJU approved an interim version of the Trajectory Management Document, and a series of workshops with the partners and checkpoints with the S3JU were convened.
• WP01 has performed project management and grant management activities, including the implementation of the grant amendment including the 6-month extension for Solutions 53, 56 and the additional reporting period in 2023.
• PCIT support has been provided in the areas of EATMA modelling and architecture, and for integrated roadmap change requests. The PCIT team led the internal maturity assessments for Solutions 53 and 56.
If we consider the overall progress of the project, then we see that the “Data pack and maturity gate” phase is about two months behind schedule, when compared to the grant amendment baseline. The delays are partly due to the impact of COVID in the first half of the year, and due to the impact of assigning some resources to SESAR proposals in the period from July to mid-October. The project has prepared a revised planning that will ensure delivery and closure of Solutions 53 and 56 before the end of June 2023.
At the end of the project, the 4DSkyways project aims to publish conclusions and recommendations on the maturity of improvements to trajectory management, including the extent to which they can deliver airspace capacity, fuel efficiency and safety benefits.
Moreover, the project aims to deliver a Trajectory Management Definition document that can act as a European framework for trajectory management developments, identifying areas for further research and facilitating discussions at ICAO level.
Moreover, the project aims to deliver a Trajectory Management Definition document that can act as a European framework for trajectory management developments, identifying areas for further research and facilitating discussions at ICAO level.