Overview
In 2007, Germany showed a strong growth in the aviation sector. In comparison to the European Union, the growth rates were above the average. The growth rates were limited by slow development of the airport infrastructures. To reduce stress in a long-term perspective, infrastructure projects are necessary.
It is the objective of the WFF project to establish a consistent planning process without contradictions at German airports. Therefore, it is necessary to close gaps in the planning process and to link up existing planning and guiding systems with the following actions:
- Integrated optimization of the airport processes
Development of the required systems
Demonstrate the ability and advantage of an integrated system
The project is in line with the central objectives of the Federal research programme aeronautics “LuFo IV”:
- Environmentally friendly air transportation
Increase in transport performance
Safety and passenger comfort
Secure/Increase competitiveness
The WFF project is divided into 3 clusters:
- “take-off and landing”
“taxi: management and optimization systems”
“Turnaround”
Funding
Results
On 24 and 25 March 2010, the closing ceromony took place at DFS in Langen. Results presented at the event were grouped by the following topics:
Systems:
- TWR-HMI: New tower work places control interfaces
WAM - Wide Area Multi-Lateration
Integrated Taxi Guidance
Vehicle and Resources Management
Pre-Tactial Planning at Airfields and Airports
Work Place Validation:
- Field Test Hamburg
- Validating Taxi Guidance
- GBAS Flight Metering
- ADS-B Data Investigation
Technologies:
- Powerline-Communication
- Data Link
- Video Sensoring on the Air Field
- Estimating Directions in the Wide Area Multi-Lateration
All presentations are available at the project website (German Only)
According to the different clusters, the following results have been achieved:
- “take-off and landing”: In this subproject, the development of an interoperable, airport-centered air traffic management system was achieved. New functionalities and elements, e.g. linking AMAN (Arrival Management System) and DMAN (Departure Management System), were implemented. Furthermore, in the work package Wide Area Multilateration improvements in surveillance technologies were achieved. Also, the GBAS system (Ground Based Augmentation System) was improved and tested.
- “Taxi: management and optimization systems”: In this cluster, research on communication of airplane-tower and data link technologies (GSM, UMTS, Wi-Fi,…) was carried out. Sensors were developed, and the whole process of data recording, fusion and displaying at the ground was investigated.
- “Turnaround”: This cluster was about vehicle and resources management, coordination in the decision-making process, implementing a field-test and the monitoring of processes in the terminal.
Some results of the WFF project are already close to the operational use, others are embedded in implementation processes. The developed methods and technologies will contribute to deal with larger traffic volumes in future.
Findings of the study are published by a final report (German only), which is available online via the Technical Information Library (TIB) of the Hannover University: http://edok01.tib.uni-hannover.de/edoks/e01fb11/64518327X.pdf
For further information regarding the different clusters:
http://edok01.tib.uni-hannover.de/edoks/e01fb11/660777401.pdf (cluster 2)
http://edok01.tib.uni-hannover.de/edoks/e01fb11/647436442.pdf (cluster 3)
http://edok01.tib.uni-hannover.de/edoks/e01fb11/646205501.pdf (cluster 3)