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.