By introducing a flexible approach to managing aircraft arriving in the terminal airspace, the GALAAD project looks to reduce fuel consumption and noise emissions – all while maintaining safety and capacity.
Europe’s airspace and airports are becoming increasingly crowded places. But this increase in congestion doesn’t just mean more flight delays, it also means more flight inefficiencies.
“Whether those inefficiencies are due to such variables as air traffic operation contingencies or severe weather conditions or are the result of the airspace itself, the result is a significant increase in fuel burn, carbon emissions and noise,” says Fabio Mangiaracina, GALAAD project coordinator at ENAV.
The SESAR-supported project looks to address these inefficiencies by transitioning air traffic control (ATC) away from its use of rigid required navigation performance (RNP) arrival route structures and towards a more flexible way of managing arrivals and departures.
“The end goal is to reduce fuel consumption and noise emissions while maintaining safety and capacity,” adds Mangiaracina.
Brining performance-based navigation into route management
With a focus on aircraft arriving in the terminal airspace, the project set out to introduce a dynamic approach to route management. Specifically, it looked to implement a system that allows performance-based navigation (PBN) to be activated or deactivated in response to traffic density, time-of-day constraints, and environmental considerations.
“To ensure the smooth deployment of our solution, we needed to ensure that dynamic route allocation could be implemented without disrupting existing operational protocols,” explains GALAAD solution leader Aurora Giovanna Simonetti.
But doing so proved easier said than done, requiring that the project conduct extensive simulations and stakeholder engagement to validate the feasibility of its flexible route structures under varying traffic scenarios. It also involved developing modular decision-support tools, conducting iterative testing with operational experts, and organising dedicated workshops with pilots and controllers.
Optimal, tailored trajectories
Out of this work came a validated concept for the time-dependent, demand-sensitive activation of PBN arrival routes and the integration of these functionalities into the Arrival Manager system.
“This innovative concept allows ATC to select optimal and tailored trajectories that adapt to actual operational conditions and are based on predicted airborne delays and environmental metrics,” notes Simonetti.
The result is a reduction in level-offs and holding patterns, two operations tied to increased fuel consumption and noise levels.
Another key outcome of the project is improved coordination between ground decision-making systems and the cockpit. Facilitated by voice and controller–pilot data link communications (CPDLC), this enhanced coordination ensures that pilots can accept the proposed trajectories with greater situational awareness.
GALAAD also prototyped a validated energy management cockpit function that allows pilots to assess dynamically changing PBN arrival routes in advance.
Towards a greener, more responsive ATC
Because GALAAD’s solutions are scalable, airports of all shapes and sizes can use them to achieve gains in both environmental and operational efficiency. “Together, our solutions help aviation achieve greater fuel efficiency and environmental sustainability without compromising capacity, safety, human performance, or cost efficiency,” says Simonetti.
The project is now working to assess the performance of its dynamic PBN structures in real-world conditions. It is also working closely with airlines, air traffic controllers, regulatory bodies, and industry stakeholders to integrate the GALAAD concept into standard operational practices.
“By demonstrating that environmental sustainability and operational performance are not mutually exclusive, GALAAD is clearing the way towards a greener, more responsive air traffic control system,” concludes Mangiaracina.
You can learn more about the project here.
