Periodic Reporting for period 2 - CREATE (INNOVATIVE OPERATIONS AND CLIMATE AND WEATHER MODELS TO IMPROVE ATM RESILIENCE AND REDUCE IMPACTS)
Période du rapport: 2021-06-01 au 2022-11-30
CREATE (innovative operations and Climate and weatheR modEls to improve ATm resiliencE and reduce impacts) aimed to study and implement innovative procedures in the field of air traffic management to reduce the impact on the climate and the environment, while making it more resilient to weather phenomena. New methodologies in regards of the definition of the concept of operations (CONOPS) and use-cases have been developed for both en-route and TMA airspaces.
Overall CREATE objectives include:
1. development of new tools and methodologies for studying the impact of aviation on the environment both on the short- and long-term scales, and the vulnerability of the ATM system, in order to propose ATM operational changes able to reduce such impact and vulnerability
2. development of new meteorological tools and methodologies, integrating their use in the ATM system
3. Validations of proposed ATM operational changes to reduce ATM environmental impact and improve ATM resilience with respect to weather.
The ATM system was looked at from the perspective of 1) en-route operations with a focus on minimum environmental and climate impact, and 2) TMA operations which include approach/departure operations near airports with a focus on resilience to weather conditions and local air quality. New methodologies in regards of the definition of the concept of operations (CONOPS) and use-cases, which provide the baseline for the ATM trajectory/procedures optimisation framework, were developed for these two airspaces.
For the above mentioned objectives, the CREATE project proposed three solutions:
• CREATE-SOL-1: Multi-scale multi-pollutant air quality system software
• CREATE-SOL-2: Multi-aircraft environmentally-scored weather-resilient optimized 4D-trajectories in the flight execution phase
• CREATE-SOL-3: CO2 and non-CO2 balanced Environmental Scores Module
The first solution enabled the evaluation of the impact that the air traffic regulation policy options can have on the environment and climate. For demonstration purposes, this approach was carried out through a modelling software system to support the aviation community in estimating the extent of the environmental impacts that current and future air traffic movements might have. The second solution aimed to address both terminal area and en-route operations and was conceived as an air traffic control (ATC) decision support tool (DST) – in line with the SESAR extended ATC planning (EAP) and integrated network for (extended) ATC planning (INAP) concepts – to support the update and revision process of the reference business trajectory (RBT) in highly disrupted scenarios due to weather hazards or climate-sensitive zones.The third solution specifically addressed the CO2 and non-CO2 effects during the en-route flight phase, to evaluate the “greenness” of aircraft trajectories related to flight and ATC sector environmental performance, which is useful in performance dashboards for airlines and ATC service providers. An Environmental Scoring Module (ESM) was developed, assigning scores to each candidate trajectory (CT). ESM considered non-CO2, NOx, H2O and contrail formation.
Overall CREATE objectives include:
1. development of new tools and methodologies for studying the impact of aviation on the environment both on the short- and long-term scales, and the vulnerability of the ATM system, in order to propose ATM operational changes able to reduce such impact and vulnerability
2. development of new meteorological tools and methodologies, integrating their use in the ATM system
3. Validations of proposed ATM operational changes to reduce ATM environmental impact and improve ATM resilience with respect to weather.
The ATM system was looked at from the perspective of 1) en-route operations with a focus on minimum environmental and climate impact, and 2) TMA operations which include approach/departure operations near airports with a focus on resilience to weather conditions and local air quality. New methodologies in regards of the definition of the concept of operations (CONOPS) and use-cases, which provide the baseline for the ATM trajectory/procedures optimisation framework, were developed for these two airspaces.
For the above mentioned objectives, the CREATE project proposed three solutions:
• CREATE-SOL-1: Multi-scale multi-pollutant air quality system software
• CREATE-SOL-2: Multi-aircraft environmentally-scored weather-resilient optimized 4D-trajectories in the flight execution phase
• CREATE-SOL-3: CO2 and non-CO2 balanced Environmental Scores Module
The first solution enabled the evaluation of the impact that the air traffic regulation policy options can have on the environment and climate. For demonstration purposes, this approach was carried out through a modelling software system to support the aviation community in estimating the extent of the environmental impacts that current and future air traffic movements might have. The second solution aimed to address both terminal area and en-route operations and was conceived as an air traffic control (ATC) decision support tool (DST) – in line with the SESAR extended ATC planning (EAP) and integrated network for (extended) ATC planning (INAP) concepts – to support the update and revision process of the reference business trajectory (RBT) in highly disrupted scenarios due to weather hazards or climate-sensitive zones.The third solution specifically addressed the CO2 and non-CO2 effects during the en-route flight phase, to evaluate the “greenness” of aircraft trajectories related to flight and ATC sector environmental performance, which is useful in performance dashboards for airlines and ATC service providers. An Environmental Scoring Module (ESM) was developed, assigning scores to each candidate trajectory (CT). ESM considered non-CO2, NOx, H2O and contrail formation.
An advanced system for studying the impact of air quality at different spatial and temporal scales has been designed. This system has been used to estimate the effects of aviation on climate, and the impact on air quality at regional and local scale, with the quantification of emission intensities and areas of impact for airports of different size and traffic. This system has been further evolved to study the impact on the microscale, taking into account the detailed effects of dispersion processes, line by line, from each aircraft along a specified trajectory.
Weather ensemble forecasting models, allowing high resolutions and short-range forecasts, have been set up. These tools have been designed to provide weather data for trajectory re-planning at tactical level, taking into account also the impact on the environment (emission of air pollutants) and climate (emission of GHGs and radiative effects).
A trajectory optimization framework has been developed. The framework contains elements addressed at multiple airspace users, which aim to tactically avoid severe weather areas and climate sensitive areas based on advanced numerical weather prediction models, by proposing optimized candidate trajectories. The framework contains a demand-capacity balancing elements as well addressed at the ATC/Network operator, aiming at selecting a global optimum from the candidate trajectories.
Several use-cases have been considered to demonstrate the effectiveness of the CONOPS. The CONOPS will be applied to two use-cases, en-route and TMA, to assess the effectiveness of “multi-aircraft environmentally-scored weather-resilient optimized 4D trajectories”. The framework is set-up to avoid thunderstorm areas (to mitigate weather-induced ATM delays, thus increasing weather-resilience) and contrail forming regions (to mitigate the aviation-induced climate impact).
Weather ensemble forecasting models, allowing high resolutions and short-range forecasts, have been set up. These tools have been designed to provide weather data for trajectory re-planning at tactical level, taking into account also the impact on the environment (emission of air pollutants) and climate (emission of GHGs and radiative effects).
A trajectory optimization framework has been developed. The framework contains elements addressed at multiple airspace users, which aim to tactically avoid severe weather areas and climate sensitive areas based on advanced numerical weather prediction models, by proposing optimized candidate trajectories. The framework contains a demand-capacity balancing elements as well addressed at the ATC/Network operator, aiming at selecting a global optimum from the candidate trajectories.
Several use-cases have been considered to demonstrate the effectiveness of the CONOPS. The CONOPS will be applied to two use-cases, en-route and TMA, to assess the effectiveness of “multi-aircraft environmentally-scored weather-resilient optimized 4D trajectories”. The framework is set-up to avoid thunderstorm areas (to mitigate weather-induced ATM delays, thus increasing weather-resilience) and contrail forming regions (to mitigate the aviation-induced climate impact).
Among the objectives pursued by the EU are preserving, protecting and improving the quality of the environment; protect human health; use natural resources prudently and rationally; promote international measures to address regional or global environmental problems, in particular the fight against climate change.
The European Union adopted several measures to prevent the fragmentation of European airspace in order to enhance the flow of air traffic and control of airspace usage, thereby reducing emissions. The expected effects of the SESAR financed proposals is to improve ATM efficiency and reduce aviation emissions.
Furthermore, air travel is one of the stickiest problems for climate change campaigners and policy makers alike, and CREATE project is specifically aimed at supporting quantifiable and acceptable solutions to be promoted by such stakeholders.
In particular, the CREATE project will show how environmental impacts of ATM operations can be reduced during different flights phases, in particular in TMA & en-route operations.
The results coming from CREA TE project will contribute to define recommendations and new climate/environmental assessment methodology to be taken into account in the future ATM R&D project in order to try to reverse as much as possible the today growing trend of aviation emissions and impact on climate. CREATE will share its aims and expected results with key industrial stakeholders to allow them to implement strategies to reduce aviation impact on climate change. A particular attention will be given to citizens and NGOs, with the special aim to make them aware about the project opportunities. A workshop with relevant industrial stakeholders, policy makers, NGOs such asUnion Européenne Contre les Nuisances Aériennes (UECNA) will be organized to share among all representatives grouped by CREATE the project scientific results and the improvements in climate-friendly flight operations.
CREATE project gives certain and measurable responses to both call and SESAR programme needs.
The European Union adopted several measures to prevent the fragmentation of European airspace in order to enhance the flow of air traffic and control of airspace usage, thereby reducing emissions. The expected effects of the SESAR financed proposals is to improve ATM efficiency and reduce aviation emissions.
Furthermore, air travel is one of the stickiest problems for climate change campaigners and policy makers alike, and CREATE project is specifically aimed at supporting quantifiable and acceptable solutions to be promoted by such stakeholders.
In particular, the CREATE project will show how environmental impacts of ATM operations can be reduced during different flights phases, in particular in TMA & en-route operations.
The results coming from CREA TE project will contribute to define recommendations and new climate/environmental assessment methodology to be taken into account in the future ATM R&D project in order to try to reverse as much as possible the today growing trend of aviation emissions and impact on climate. CREATE will share its aims and expected results with key industrial stakeholders to allow them to implement strategies to reduce aviation impact on climate change. A particular attention will be given to citizens and NGOs, with the special aim to make them aware about the project opportunities. A workshop with relevant industrial stakeholders, policy makers, NGOs such asUnion Européenne Contre les Nuisances Aériennes (UECNA) will be organized to share among all representatives grouped by CREATE the project scientific results and the improvements in climate-friendly flight operations.
CREATE project gives certain and measurable responses to both call and SESAR programme needs.