Introduction:
The ATM system in
Europe can conceptually be divided into several layers with decreasing look
ahead time; strategic flow & capacity management, complexity and trajectory
management, tactical separation management and collision avoidance.
The Complexity and
Trajectory manager is one of the inherent goals of the related SESAR project,
but its foreseen functions and support tools are limited even when taking into account
the SESAR story board step 3. If we remove this limitation, the Complexity
and Trajectory manager will have a primary role in the ATM in order to increase
the overall efficiency of the air traffic management system.
The proposed research
will examine the roles, services and tools required by the highly automated complexity
and trajectory manager systems. The implementation of the complexity and
trajectory management layer in the execution phase with the longest look-ahead
time- will support a shift from today’s methods of controlling aircraft along
fixed route structures towards a fully dynamic management of aircraft
trajectories.
The assumption behind
the proposed research activities, is that higher levels of automation than
those described in SESAR can be reached using new, innovative support tools for
situational awareness assessment (what-if tools), trajectory management and clearance
coordination. These support tools will ease the fast implementation of
trajectory changes that meet trajectory objectives that are outside the sector
controller’s geographic and temporal field of view, without compromising the
effectiveness of sector operations.
The implementation of
the Functional Airspace Block (FAB) planning layer will present the environment
for C&T manager to execute this delicate, advanced and necessary role.
Identifying the services and assigning roles will be a necessary step to ensure
the C&T manager operates and cooperation efficiently with the other
planning layers.
This Research work is pursued as a requirement for the award of a PhD degree in Aerospace Engineering. The work that is described here mainly aims at evaluating the implementation of high levels of automation of
decision action selection for “complexity & trajectory Manager” systems