Report

Teaser, summary, work performed and final results

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - PJ06 ToBeFREE (Trajectory based Free Routing)

Teaser

\"Today in ECAC airspace, Airspace Users are constrained, outside Free Routing Airspace, to plan flight trajectories using the published ATS route network or DCTs.Some Free Routing Airspace (FRA) implementations exist, most of the time at national level and not always available...

Summary

\"Today in ECAC airspace, Airspace Users are constrained, outside Free Routing Airspace, to plan flight trajectories using the published ATS route network or DCTs.
Some Free Routing Airspace (FRA) implementations exist, most of the time at national level and not always available H24. FRA when available is thus fragmented geographically and in terms of hours of availability.

The full and seamless deployment of Free Routing Airspace is hampered by the traffic complexity (e.g. in the core area) and the lack of systems interoperability. Free Routing within high & very high complexity environments is likely to result in a change of ATCO workload that may require an advanced controller tool set to meet the operational needs.

This project aims at optimizing free route operations.

To achieve this, two solutions are considered:
• Solution PJ06-01 “Optimized traffic management to enable Free Routing in high and very high complexity environments”. The aim of this Solution is to complete research supporting delivery of PCP AF#3 (Free routing available above FL310 in ICAO EUR region).
• Solution PJ06-02 “Management of Performance Based Free Routing in Lower Airspace”. The aim of this solution is to research the benefit and impact of expanding the Free Routing concept to the lowest limit possible (below FL310) while accommodating all Airspace Users concerned.


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Work performed

During the reporting period, the following work towards the achievement of the objectives of this project has been carried out:

- Develop and validate concepts enabling Airspace Users to plan flight trajectories without reference to a fixed route network or published directs within high & very high-complexity environments.
---> About upper airspace: concept has been further refined. About lower airspace: V1 concept definition has been completed, initial concept definition at V2 level has been done.
This work will be updated according to the validation exercises results.

- Identify the additional infrastructure that is required locally and regionally to establish Free Routing Airspace.
--->The requirements associated to the relevant infrastructure (and supporting tool) enabling the provision of air traffic services in a Free Route environment have been defined. This work will be updated according to the validation exercises results

- Support the evolutions related to Demand & Capacity Balancing and ATC support tools to be performed and identify the specificities of the Free Routing environment.
---> Fulfilled by providing to others SESAR2020 projects the Free Routing environment description and, when relevant, updated requirements.

- Consider the General Aviation and rotorcrafts to be Airspace Users in order to investigate specific requirements to these users
--->These categories of Airspace Users have been considered when producing operational concept description in lower Free Route environment.


- Address the safe and transparent integration of Civil RPAS in non-segregated airspace, in a multi-aircraft and manned flight environment, guaranteeing the interoperability with the ATM system. Operational considerations specific to RPAS and technological needs, if any, will be identified.
---> Concept supporting the integration of civil RPAS, in lower Free Route environment, has been described and associated validation exercises have been carried out.

Final results

The results of this project will make a major contribution to deployment of Free Route Airspace on a Pan-European level.

This SESAR project will address different stakeholders’ expectations and provide the answers needed to fulfil them. Airspace Users wish to achieve increasing levels of flight efficiency to best fit their business needs and reduce the associated environmental impact of aircraft emissions; ANSPs aim for a more flexible airspace management to be able to guarantee capacity levels that meet the Airspace Users business requirement; the Network Manager proposes Free Routing Airspace as a means to meet SES performance requirements and contribute to deployment at European Network level.

Expected general performance objectives are :
• Improved flight efficiency through validation of different and shorter route options bringing improvements in fuel consumption and ensuring environmental sustainability so reducing the related CO2 and NOx emissions without negatively impacting safety and capacity.
• The capacity figures will be carefully studied during the validations. If need be, the trade-off between flight efficiency and capacity might be validated in order to guarantee the required safety level.
• Improved Predictability: In current operations the trajectory actually flown (putting aside the arrival phase) is statistically shorter than the trajectory planned in pre-flight phase. By enabling Airspace Users (AUs) to plan and fly a trajectory closer to their business needs, Free Routing will improve predictability.
• Accessibility and equity: Expansion of the Free Routing Airspace in vertical and horizontal dimension will allow a better accessibility for a wider range of Airspace Users.

Economic Impact:
Free Routing concept, by allowing multiple route options, provides Airspace Users with the opportunity to plan flight trajectories closer to their business needs. More efficient trajectories in term of costs will be available.
The implementation of FRA may also have an economic impact on ANSPs which might have to invest in improved controller tools. Where these tools are not foreseen as part of the continual cycle of system upgrades, investment will be required for FRA to be implemented or extended below the PCP FLs.

Social Impact:
Free Routing implementation represents a clear step towards a less fragmented European airspace foreseen by SES. Reduced airspace fragmentation through the creation of more flexible structures aligned to traffic flows rather than national boundaries and the possibility to fly user preferred routes should result in more efficient flights. This will reduce AUs costs and promote cheaper travel facilitating increased personal mobility and trade.
Within the European community current constraints are overcome through cooperation and collaboration. Improving the use of the continent airspace will contribute to increased tourism, business and cultural exchanges and will augment overall wealth and social stability.
In addition, Free Routing implementation will be viewed as instrumental in reducing the greenhouse gas emissions that currently contribute to global warming, thereby creating a greener airspace.

Website & more info

More info: http://www.sesarju.eu/.