VLD1 Wave 2 Demonstration Of Runway Enhanced Approaches Made with Satellite Navigation

Project Information

VLD1-W2 DREAMS

Grant agreement ID: 874469

DOI

10.3030/874469

Project closed

EC signature date 30 October 2020

Start date 1 October 2020

End date 31 December 2022

Funded under

• SOCIETAL CHALLENGES - Smart, Green And Integrated Transport

Total cost

€ 7 316 847,68

EU contribution

€ 4 481 277,62

Coordinated by

INDRA SISTEMAS SA
Spain

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - VLD1-W2 DREAMS (VLD1 Wave 2 Demonstration Of Runway Enhanced Approaches Made with Satellite Navigation)

Reporting period: 2022-01-01 to 2022-12-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

The VLD1-W2-DREAMS project researched in the reduction of noise impact around the airports using GBAS/SBAS precision approaches.

Now that the COVID-19 pandemic is over air traffic numbers have recovered to levels close to 2019 levels, so traffic growth is again an important challenge in the aviation industry. With the forecasted annual growth demand of traffic passenger, ATM infrastructure and operation will need to adapt to accommodate this demand and, in particular, the increase in runway capacity in a sustainable way taking into account consideration to citizens’ concerns when living in airport vicinity.

The impact of the following GBAS/SBAS precision approaches was assessed using live trials in Frankfurt, Rome-Ciampino and Twente airports:
• Increased Second Glide Slope (ISGS) is an approach procedure consisting in approaching and landing on a steeper glide slope than the common worldwide 3° and limited to 4.49°.
• Second Runway Aiming Point (SRAP) is an approach procedure, consisting in approaching and landing on a published second runway threshold and aiming points located further on a runway.
• Increased Glide Slope to Second Runway Aiming Point (IGS-to-SRAP) operation is considered as a variant type of SRAP operation, combining an increased glideslope into the second runway aiming point.

Approaching with a higher glideslope and/or at a higher altitude than the usual one allows reducing the noise footprint in final approach towards the airport area.

In addition to precision approaches mentioned above, a theoretical research was carried out on the Adaptive Increased Glide Slope (A-IGS) precision approach. This procedure introduces a significant change compared to ISGS operation as the final glide slope value is replaced by an optimized value calculated by the aircraft.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

• Demonstration Plan deliverable was produced.
• Project communication and dissemination channels were launched and information about the project was periodically published. Several dissemination events were organized as well.
• Four demonstration exercises were conducted:
• EXE-001 SRAP and IGS-to-SRAP at Twente airport (EHTW)
• EXE-002 ISGS at Frankfurt airport (EDDF)
• EXE-003 ISGS at Roma Ciampino airport (LIRA)
• EXE-004 ISGS at Twente airport (EHTW)
• Demonstration Report deliverable was produced:
• Main conclusions of ISGS approach are:
• Noise: clear noise benefits were observed:
• For the 3.9° approach path : up to 4dBA on the first part of the final approach (depending on the moment where the landing configuration is extended) and 1 dBA when the aircraft is stabilized in the approach configuration
• For the 4.4° approach path : up to 4dBA on the first part of the final approach and 3dBA when the aircraft is stabilized in the approach configuration
• Human Performance and Safety
• No degradation of human performance and safety level was observed
• ISGS approaches with a second active PAPI (on the opposite side of the existing PAPI) were acceptable and could be flown without any difficulty in VMC/daylight conditions
• Cockpit Assistance:
• Energy Management and Flare Assistant very useful but need to continue the development
• Main conclusions of SRAP and IGS-to-SRAP approaches are:
• Noise: clear noise benefits were observed
• Human Performance and Safety:
• No degradation of human performance and safety level was observed
• (IGS-to-)SRAP runway markings and PAPI are sufficiently distinguishable from existing markings and PAPI, and do not negatively impact approaches to the conventional runway. The steeper the IGS-to-SRAP approach, the better the runways can be distinguished.
• Cockpit Assistance:
• For large aircraft may require careful energy management
• Additional annexes were produced:
• Development of algorithms to calculate energy-optimal approaches. Generation of speed envelopes for energy-optimal approaches using increased glideslope angles for various aircraft types.
• Energy Management and Flare Assistant prototypes in ISGS approaches.
• FS Fast-Time Simulation ILS CAT II vs. GBAS CAT II
• A-IGS report was produced.

• A project results dissemination event was organized.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

Main project expectation was to disseminate the benefits of ISGS, SRAP and IGS-to-SRAP precision approaches mainly focused in the reduce of noise impact around the airports, this was achieved by the project. More details about the results are described in the previous section.

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