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Increased access to airports for low visibility mixed fleet operations - SESAR-VLD1-06-2016
Deadline: Mar 22, 2017  
CALL EXPIRED

 Aerospace Technology
 Aeronautics Industries
 Horizon Europe

Specific Challenge:

This demonstration will address the use of advanced on-board equipment and GNSS augmentation through EGNOS or GBAS by business aviation to support safe access to small and medium-size airports to ILS Cat II and Cat III-equivalent minima.

With reference to the SJU Annual Work Programme 2016, this topic covers Section 3.5.4, sub Work Area 2.1 topic f).

Not all airports have advanced landing aids as the ones currently found at larger airports which allow operations in bad weather. Small to medium size airports are located in geographical locations where IFR approaches are difficult or impossible due to their proximity to high terrain or other obstacles. Business Aviation needs to operate, with increased resilience, at such smaller airfields. However, the concepts being demonstrated will be of relevance to all airports where any reduction of landing minima could be implemented, to the benefit of all types of operator.

Scope:

The purpose of this demonstration is to demonstrate:

  • Use of RNP procedures to enable IFR approaches at airports where landing aids do not currently exist to support landings to ILS Cat II/III equivalent minima; and

  • Use of flight-deck vision-support systems which, when combined with other landing aids, enable landings to ILS Cat II/III equivalent minima.

The project will build on previous SESAR research and demonstration work and will help to further develop existing SESAR Solutions, including:

  • Solution 55: Precision approaches using GBAS Category II/III;

  • Solution 09: Enhanced terminal operations with RNP transition to ILS/GLS;

  • Solution 51: Enhanced terminal operations with RNP transition to LPV; and

  • Solution 103: Approach procedures with vertical guidance.

The demonstrations will comprise live flights. These flights could be with dedicated trials aircraft or with standard commercial flights, subject to the appropriate regulatory approvals. It is intended that consortia applying for this demonstration will comprise all relevant stakeholders, including AU, ANSP, airport operator and industry, as appropriate. However, where not included directly in the consortium, applicants shall explain in their proposal how their involvement will be assured.

The demonstration should cover as wide a range of GNSS procedures as possible, including SBAS and, if possible GBAS. The demonstration shall include the use of flight-deck vision systems, such as synthetic vision systems (SVS) and enhanced flight vision systems (EFVS) which, when used in combination with augmented GNSS approaches, could further reduce landing minima. Applicants shall demonstrate how the nature and scale of their proposed flying programme will provide the benefits expected to be derived from the project.

It is recognised that demonstrating Cat II and especially Cat III approaches may be problematic in the current regulatory and technological environment. The demonstration shall demonstrate approaches to as low a minimum as possible and, should this not equate to Cat II or Cat III, a detailed analysis shall be performed to highlight issues and create a technological and regulatory roadmap to enabling achievement of full Cat II and Cat III operations.

Applicants for this demonstration must have aircraft that are certified to fly RNP approaches with EGNOS-augmented vertical guidance, that is specifically not BARO VNAV, and, optionally, GBAS approaches. In their proposals they must specify the airframes that they intend to use for the demonstration, detailing their equipage level. The demonstration shall use certified equipment for GNSS approaches and perform demonstrations at locations where the possibility of operational deployment exists on completion of the demonstration.

Applicants shall explain in their proposal which data they will collect and make available for the operational evaluation of the performance of the concepts under demonstration. These data may include, among others, questionnaires or other feedback by flight crews, fuel burn data (potentially including suitably aggregated and de-identified FDR data), and approach efficiency data.

Credit will be given to applicants who include both fixed-wing and rotorcraft stakeholders in their consortium, and who demonstrate a firm agreement with stakeholders regarding location(s) for the demonstration.

The demonstration activities shall cover the full demonstration lifecycle. This includes development of the concept of the demonstrations, production of approach plates, participation in periodic meetings, production of all the documentation related to the demonstration (most notably including the demonstration plan and the demonstration report), and results dissemination and communication activities. The demonstration report shall include a full analysis by each participating stakeholder of the impact of the demonstrated concept on performance within their sphere of operations. Recommendations for standardisation and regulation should be made, and anticipated difficulties should be highlighted.

Expected Impact:

This demonstration project will show how access to small, medium and remote airports in bad weather conditions can be improved for business aviation. It will also improve resilience at airports where business aviation operators currently fly, through reducing the impact of bad weather on their operations. Results of the demonstration should quantify performance improvements resulting from the demonstration flights, using, as a minimum, relevant KPAs from the performance framework defined in the ATM Master Plan.



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