Novel ATM and avionic systems for environmentally sustainable aviation

Large-scale air transport modernisation initiatives including the Single European Sky Air Traffic Management Research (SESAR), Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) and Clean Sky Joint Technology Initiative for Aeronautics and Air Transport aim to improve the operational efficiency, safety and environmental sustainability of aviation. Scientific advances in Air Transport Management (ATM) and avionic systems are required to achieve the ambitious goals set by national and international aviation organisations. This paper presents the recent advances in ATM and avionic system concepts, integrated architectures and trajectory generation algorithms, to be adopted in Next Generation Avionics Flight Management Systems (NG-FMS) and ground-based 4-Dimensional Trajectory Planning, Negotiation and Validation (4-PNV) systems. Current research efforts are focussed on the development of NG-FMS and 4-PNV systems for Four Dimensional (4D) Trajectory/Intent Based Operations (TBO/IBO), enabling automated negotiation and validation of aircraft intents and thus alleviating the workload of operators. After describing the NG-FMS/4PNV concept of operations, the overall system architecture and the key mathematical models describing the 4DT optimisation algorithms are introduced. Simulation case studies utilising realistic operational scenarios highlight the generation and optimisation of a family of 4DT intents by the NG-FMS corresponding to a set of performance weightings agreed between Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSP) and Airline Operation Centres (AOC). The savings on time, fuel burn and gaseous emissions (CO2 and NOx) associated with the globally optimal 4DT intents are presented. The developed optimisation and negotiation/validation loops meet the timeframe requirements of typical online tactical routing/rerouting tasks.