4D Skyways

The PJ18-W2 4D Skyway project aims to continue the research on Trajectory Management (TM) to enable the deployment of the SESAR Trajectory Based Operations (TBO).

PJ18-W2 will deliver mature TM operational improvements to accelerate their deployment and to get the associated benefits and will also work on a longer term on the definition of the consolidated TM solution to drive the coherence and efficiency of the research on TM and on architecture alternatives to address the European ATM fragmentation.

In details, PJ18-W2 will:

• Prepare the deployment of improvements to the ground trajectory prediction and separation management/ monitoring tools by using aircraft trajectory data, more precise meta data, improved algorithms and machine learning techniques. This will decrease trajectory uncertainty and thus will reduce ATCO workload and increase airspace capacity.
• Prepare the deployment of complex CPDLC clearances sent in advance of the horizontal, vertical and longitudinal trajectory change to enhance the synchronisation of the airborne trajectory with the ground trajectory. Automation will keep the flight crew and the ATCO workload to a low level. It will decrease trajectory uncertainty and increase airspace capacity.
• Define the Ground-Ground and Air-Ground TM exchanges between the European ATM actors by consolidating the different initiatives and bridging the gaps. This will drive the current and the future TM research and the ICAO FF-ICE discussions. Also, explore new automation for Trajectory exchanges (big data, machine learning, voice recognition…).
• Define a trajectory common service as an alternative architecture for Trajectory exchanges between ground ATM actors compared to the current European ATM fragmented approach to improve its cost effectiveness.

PJ18-W2 will work on the definition and validation of operational TM solutions using prototypes and the expertise of European ANSPs, Ground and airborne industries, Research centres and EUROCONTROL.