Clean Sky Joint Technological Innitiave (JTI), FP7 Programme
Client:ALENIA AERONAUTICA, CIRA (Italy)
Period:2011 /01 – 2014 /12
Solutions: Project description:„Clean Sky“ Joint Technological Innitiative (JTI) – part of EU Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) for research and technological development over 2007-2013 period. „Clean Sky“ program is being innitiated aiming to reach EU goals (ACARE 2020 agenda) in the field of aeronautics and air transport – reduce negative impact on environment and population, specifically, to reduce aircraft fuel consumption and hazardous gas (CO2/NOX) emmision, and reduce perceived noise. This could be reached by developing and implementing advanced technologies in various fields related to aviation – new composite materials, engines, avionics, flight management systems, etc. The results of „Clean Sky“ JTI will be used in new commercial aircrafts entering into the market by 2020.
The „Clean Sky“JTI is one of the largest European research projects ever, with a budget estimated at €1.6 billion and with 54 enterprises, 15 research centers, 17 Universities from 16 countries participating. The whole program is divided into 6 technology domains: (1) Green Regional Aircraft (GRA), (2) Green Rotocraft (GRO), (3) Smart Fixed-Wing Aircraft (SFWA), (4) Eco-design, (5) Sustainable and Green Engine (SAGE), (6) Systems for Green Operations (SGO).
„Elsis“ participating in „Clean Sky“ JTI GRA and SGO domains. Project technological leaders – Alenia Aeronautica, EADS, Thales Avionics, Fraunhofer, Liebherr.
New technologies will be demonstrated, tested and validated through integrated technology demonstrators, including computer simulators. „Elsis“ specialists in cooperation with other project partners are working on the development of GRA flight simulator, specifically – Air Traffic Controller (ATC) simulation. ATC simulation, integral part of GRA simulator, will be used for performing exercises to validate new air traffic management functionalities.
New approach in flight mission and trajectory management (MTM) – one of the ways for achieving „Clean Sky“ program goals. The main aim of MTM – aircraft take-off/landing trajectory and mission route optimization that strongly depend from meteorological, air traffic and many other conditions. Optimal flight means less fuel consumption, thus less environmental pollution, and percieved noise. Trying to optimize aircraft flights neccessary to change currently applied air traffic management rules and methods, find and implement new innovative solutions. One of the aims of new ATM – to the maximum extent automate communication between aircraft (pilot) and land systems (ATC) implementing.
The main function of air traffic controller – to safeguard secure, regular and orderly aircraft traffic. To fulfill this function, ATC needs knowledge in the field of air navigation, aeronautical meteorology, must strictly follow rules and instructions regulating air traffic and air traffic controller work.
Air traffic controller functions:
- Aircraft traffic management and coordination;
- Flight Information provision;
- Secure route selection and en-route flight coordination;
- Information about flight conditions provision (decisions are made by pilots);
- Aircraft flight coordination in the areas of intensive traffic, a/c flight in the airport area management. A/c management is done from Air traffic management tower using radio communication and navigation equipment;
- Transit a/c flight management.
At the same time there is a clear demand to automate the flight management process to the maximum extent, e.g. to perform more operations in fully automatic mode without pilot‘s or controller‘s direct involvement. This could be done implementing automatic data/message exchange between a/c FMS (Flight Mission System) and ATC system. The systems shall receive and process incoming information, and make the right (optimal) decisions about the flight. For this purpose standard FMS will be upgraded with new „green“ functions, which will be demonstrated and validated with the help of GRA/ATC simulator.
The new ATC simulation software will enable to perform the following operations:
- Using GIS review selected aircrafts and related information (a/c number, flight direction, speed, altitude, etc.);
- Control selected map (zoom-in/out, shift, measure distance, area, etc.);
- View a/c lists, which are in the status of: take-off, descent, landing, transit, etc.
- View route collisions, e.g. routes, where a/c trajectories intersect and where dangerous situations may arise;
- View full a/c list;
- Possibility to establish communication with a/c (controlled a/c);
- Possibility to receive from a/c information in ADS-C protocol;
- Possibility to send and receive information in CPDLC protocol;
- Possibility to review earlier performed scenarios („replay“ performed actions);
- receive and show information from scenarios generated by University of Bologna (situation in a specific air space near a specific airport, where air traffic is the most intensive);
generate information about flying a/c‘s based on provided scenarios (University of Bologna scenarious emulation);
Technology:
MS Visual Studio 2010, C#, MapWindow GIS, SQLite DB,
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