ATC-TBO Solution 0468 provides additional and improved automation support to the ATC Separation Management Services in en-route and TMA operational environments, through three improved functionalities:
1. Improved trajectory prediction accuracy aids the controller’s decision making by providing more reliable and less cluttered display of conflicts, allowing earlier, more efficient resolution of conflicts and thereby reducing controller workload and increasing flight efficiency.
2. Automated resolution proposals reduce controller workload further by assisting in the assimilation of the diverse information that is needed to allow him/her to take optimal decisions taking into account flight efficiency and intent, weather and ultimately, safety.
3.Integration of Adverse Weather Areas (AWA) in controller support tools gives the controller a greater situational awareness during periods of hazardous weather where, today, sector capacity is often heavily impacted as the controller has to react to flightdeck requests for weather-avoidance manoeuvres. With this greater situational awareness, the controller is able to anticipate earlier the need for avoidance actions and to take a more proactive role in establishing safe and efficient trajectories.
These three improved functionalities are described in more detail below.
Solution 53b in SESAR 2020 validated benefits to the ATC trajectory prediction function through the use of the downlinked aircraft trajectory data (ADS-C). However, these benefits depend on the aircraft being equipped to transmit ADS-C EPP, and can be reduced during departure and approach phases of flight where the aircraft is often not flying in managed mode.
ATC-TBO Solution 0468 extends these benefits and fills the gaps by using techniques out of scope of preceding solutions. Through the use of historic data, the automation system learns the most likely speed-schedules used by flights according to their aircraft type, airline, departure and destination aerodromes, and time of day. Furthermore, wind data provided by aircraft in Mode-S reports is used to create a dynamic wind grid, thus ensuring that the most up-to-date information is used to calculate the aircraft trajectory.
Automated resolution proposals (termed “what-next”), comprising direct-to, heading, speed and level clearances, are generated for all conflicts. The controller is able to select the proposed resolutions or to choose their own. Enhanced what-if functionalities (concerning vertical evolution clearances with level constraints) assist the controller in determining the most efficient and conflict-free flight trajectory.
The current and/or predicted locations of adverse weather areas (AWA) is integrated with Conflict Detection and Resolution (CD/R) tools, allowing conflicts of flight trajectories with AWA to be notified to the controller and ensuring that resolution proposals given by the CD/R tool for aircraft-to-aircraft conflicts will not penetrate an AWA.
The target operating environment is en-route and terminal airspace, excluding airspace dedicated to the final approach and aerodrome vicinity. The traffic density and complexity are medium to very high.
The solution contributes to performance benefits for safety, operational efficiency, capacity, cost efficiency and human performance, through expected positive impacts on tool performance, ATCO workload, and ATCO situational awareness.