1 Data Link Roadmap Overview Mike Shorthose, Helios Technology September 2003

2 Overview  Purpose of the study  Team  Background  ATM application roadmap  Benefits in 5 steps  Technology assessment  Barriers to implementation  Strategies for implementation  Actions to support decision making  Presentation: status as of March 2003 (project completion)

3 Purpose of the study  Study to develop a roadmap for the implementation of data link services supporting European Air Traffic Management (ATM)  Phase 1 –Establish a list of ATM applications suited for enhancing safety and capacity –Stakeholders reviewed list of ATM applications and agreed priorities and timescales required to match the demand for capacity for each ATM application  Phase 2 –Assessed the candidate data link technologies, taking account of the ability to meet the technical requirements of the ATM applications, technology maturity and cost

4 Study team  Core team  Airbus  Helios Technology (lead)  IATA  Integra  Sofreavia  Other partners  AENA  IAA  LFV/Swedavia  Mitre  NATS  University of Leiden  Eurocontrol  review input  expert assistance  Peer Review Group  review of deliverables  participation in stakeholder workshop

5 ATM application roadmap  Identified ATM applications that would assist in maintaining or increasing safety  ATM applications related to the provision of additional capacity  Without additional capacity, cost of delays will lead to additional costs for the industry  Reduce costs of ATM provision  Move from a context of operations where the number of sectors is increasing to stabilisation and eventual reduction

6 ATM application roadmap  Most urgent area for capacity enhancement is terminal airspace  Study concluded that the main capacity enhancing step is the use of trajectory planning by ground systems, requiring the setting of arrival times into terminal airspace  En-route capacity provision  In spite of relief gained from the recent introduction of RVSM, it is important to keep making progress  Study results indicate that implementation of spacing and separation ATM applications based on ADS-B to achieve capacity. –Requires the availability of applications based on effective delegation of separation responsibility to the pilot  The objective is to facilitate growth while keeping the cost of the infrastructure, and the number of sectors, as low as possible  As traffic grows would lead to a significant reduction in ATM costs per flight  Probable reduction in flight times and fuel burn

7 ATM application roadmap  For airport region  Study recommended use of airborne spacing for arrivals  Use of ATSAW and aircraft derived data to improve efficiency of airport operations, to support operations under IMC conditions and to provide runway and final approach occupancy awareness  For oceanic and remote regions, the study identified applications based on ADS-B to support surveillance and airborne separation

8 Overall benefits deliverable in 5 steps:  Step 1: Early air/ground ATM applications, with a target for widespread operational use by 2006  Step 2: ATM applications related to downlink of air-derived data, with a target for widespread operational use by 2008  Step 3: Introduction of spacing, with a target for widespread operational use by 2010  Step 4: Extension of air/ground ATM applications, with a target for widespread operational use by 2009/10  Step 5: Consists of:  Step 5a: Introduction of separation and self-separation  Step 5b: Conflict free trajectory negotiation  These have a target for widespread operational use from 2013 onwards

9 Key issues post stakeholder review  The timescales are unlikely to be achievable given current industry implementation plans, mainly based on institutional constraints and practice rather than on actual technical constraints  There is a need for further validation of the benefits provided by each step  There is a need to agree on a long-term vision for capacity provision, balancing the approaches used in steps 5a and 5b

10 Technology Assessment  Candidate technologies assessed for:  Performance  Cost  Maturity  Implementation scenarios considered in which combinations of technologies were used to support the 5 steps in the ATM application roadmap

11 Technology Conclusions  Data link technologies necessary to deliver roadmap up to and including step 4 are available or close to being available  Could be implemented in time to meet demand (assuming addressing of implementation constraints)  Alternative candidate data link technologies were identified to meet the requirements of step 5  Study analysed a number of scenarios combining data link technologies, all provide benefit but costs vary between the scenarios

12 Factors supporting certain data link technologies:  Availability and capability of technologies  Availability of standards for airborne and ground equipment  Decisions and recommendations by the community –VDL2 for Airline Operational Communications –ATM applications under name LINK –1090 Extended Squitter for ADS/B applications  Consensus from France, the UK and Germany, their relevant ANSPs and some airlines toward implementation of Mode S Enhanced Surveillance  Investment by ARINC/SITA in VDL2 ground networks for AOC applications  Investment by Airbus in solutions to support a route based on VDL2, Mode S EHS and 1090 ES  Emerging plans for a VDL4 AOC network  Investments by EU and partners in tests and trial projects of VDL4 for ADS-B ATM applications  Russian and Swedish plans for the implementation of VDL4 based ATS networks

13 Barriers to reaching a decision on the implementation of data link technologies include:  Technical issues  No single agreed solution for all users  High investment costs

14 Technical issues raised by the study  Performance issues and spectrum consequences with each link, including uncertainty and lack of simulation data on the effective data rates of VDL2, VDL3 and VDL4  Co-site issues including whether interference between two VDL radios or current voice radios could be controlled or eliminated by technical means  Need to understand how a transition to VDL3 could be made  Need to derive frequency planning criteria for VDL3 and VDL4 and investigate frequency availability in Europe for UAT  Spectrum shortage in the VHF Communication band driven by the saturation of the spectrum by voice channels, exacerbated by an inefficient use of existing spectrum  Incomplete demonstration of data link technical and operational performance during all phases of flight  Incomplete assessments of integrity and availability requirements for ADS-B

15 No single agreed solution for all users: For steps 1,2 and 3  ANSPs operating in core Europe, IATA and Airbus  A route starting from VDL2, Mode S EHS and 1090 ES as the most pragmatic way forward with SITA and ARINC supporting VDL2 for AOC and ATM applications as described under the programme LINK  The General Aviation community, Swedish and Russian ANSPs, and a low cost carrier (EasyJet)  A solution based on VDL4 as the cheapest way forward for a combined set of applications

16 High investment costs  The required investment is very high for any alternative considered  The Community must act to ensure that maximum short, medium and long term benefits are achieved in a timely manner and that the highest possible return on investment is obtained  This means that decisions made at any time must be supported by strong business cases and appropriate for the longest possible time frame

17 Strategies for data link implementation  There is full consensus in the community that implementation of data link technology is essential to meet future needs  It is urgent to start implementation programs as soon as possible  There is no consensus on how to move forward

18 Options for steps 1,2 and 3  The deployment of VDL2, Mode S EHS and 1090 ES is based on: –The possibility to expeditiously deploy VDL2 taking advantage of the maturity of the technology –Widespread equipage with Mode S EHS through a mandate in some core states and their current plans for establishment of a network of Mode S radar stations –The availability of 1090 ES ADS-B “out” resulting from equipage to support Mode S EHS, followed by a subsequent upgrade to support ADS-B “in” –It would result in a common decision across the Atlantic for 1090 ES as an interoperable link –Supported by Airbus, IATA, DFS, NATS, and Eurocontrol  Solution based on VDL4 based on: –Exploiting the ability of VDL4 to provide broadcast and point-to-point services as a “generic” enabler for all considered applications –Achieving a lower cost route for some operators and service providers. –Progressing a system which might prove essential in step 4 and 5 –Making more efficient use of available spectrum –Supported by Marconi Selenia Communications, Com4 solutions, CNS Systems, EasyJet, IAOPA and LFV

19 Options for step 4  VDL2 as a candidate?  Eurocontrol believes VDL2 provides insufficient QoS required by ATM applications. View not shared by ARINC and SITA  Number of VHF channels needed to support any VDL (particularly VDL2) during step 4 may be too high given current VHF allocation in the spectrum  IATA and AIRBUS believe need to explore outside VHF  Assuming VDL2 is not a candidate or a partial one:  Delay implementation of these ATM applications, until a new technology outside the VHF spectrum is developed  Implement VDL solution with a greater data throughput (e.g. VDL3 or VDL4) but cost and spectrum allocation issues  Accelerate data link technology for step 5b and use to support step 4 (e.g. broadband)

20 Candidate Technologies for step 5  Volume of aircraft-ground data exchanges, their increasing critically and the shortage of VHF spectrum may require alternative aircraft-ground data link technologies to support step 5a (and probably step 4)  Capacity and QoS issues with 1090 ES as an ADS-B solution will necessitate supplementation or replacement of this link in Step 5a  Study concluded that the most likely solutions are:  A dual 1090 ES/VDL4 data link or dual 1090 ES/UAT data link for broadcast applications, with a solution for point to point communication based on broadband technologies  Community urgently needs to commit itself to the research and development of an appropriate and globally agreed solution

ATM application stepPhase 1 timescales “operational need” Stakeholder comments “availability of technology and infrastructure” Equipage Step 1: early air/ground ATM applications 2006 (75% equipage) 2011/2012 (based on perception by SITA of market reaction assuming no incentive for early equipage) 75% Step 2: ATM applications related to downlink of air-derived data 2008 (75% equipage) 2006 (Airbus) > 75% Step 3: introduction of spacing 2010 (75% equipage) Start of equipage Step 4: extension of air/ground ATM applications 2009/2010 (75% equipage) 2006 (Airbus) > 75% Step 5a: introduction of separation and self- separation (75% equipage) Start of equipage Step 5b: conflict free trajectory negotiation (75% equipage) 2011 (Airbus)Start of equipage 2007 (Airbus)EVA only 2008 (Airbus)Final approach spacing + EVA 2012 (Airbus)Other spacing 2012 (Airbus)Oceanic and remote 2018 (Airbus)Terminal and en-route (Airbus)Sole means surveillance

22 Need to accelerate roadmap timescales  With the exception of step 2, these timescales lag significantly behind those established in Phase 1  Timescales of industry implementation plans will probably not meet increased traffic demand during next 15 years  Unlikely sufficient capacity will be provided to reduce the high rate of delays experienced by air travellers in Europe  No contingency to respond to an upturn in traffic demand, study assumed Eurocontrol STATFOR base case figures –Eurocontrol STATFOR predict doubling of traffic by 2020 –IATA and Airbus predict 3 times current demand by 2020  Any shortfall in capacity can only be met by increased sectorisation, increasing the cost of ground infrastructure and the need for additional VHF channels

23 Actions for the community to support decision making  Community needs to decide if it supports one or both of the proposed routes for steps 1, 2 and 3  Route based on VDL2, Mode S EHS and 1090 ES –Seen by some stakeholders as pragmatic choice to deliver early benefits –Concerns raised in public consultation need to be addressed –To reduce costs, exemption policies exempting non-frequent users from core air space may be required  Both routes supported –Is co-existence of data link technologies possible? do the disadvantages outweigh the advantages? –Advantage: Requirements of all airspace users accommodated –Disadvantages: Additional costs and the requirement for additional VHF spectrum

24 Urgent actions  Actions to assess the outstanding technical issues must be completed by the end of 2003  Large-scale simulations of VDL2 performance to determine frequency requirements. Eurocontrol: completion by mid-2003  Detailed performance analysis of 1090 ES in dense traffic/high interference environments, feasibility for ADS-B applications  Detailed studies of technical issues in VDL3 and VDL4 (effective data rates/guard bands/frequency requirements)  Revisit specifications of VHF DSB-AM communications radios to investigate if interference from voice and VDL can be reduced  Development of frequency planning criteria and assignments for VDL3 and VDL4  Investigation of the availability of a frequency for UAT  Raise technologies outside VHF at World Radio Conference, to begin necessary processes to obtain spectrum allocation

25 Other actions  Completion of urgent actions will support decision process for steps 1, 2 and 3 of the roadmap  Other actions must be carried out to support early steps and support decisions for later steps  Optimisation of the availability of capacity to the traffic demand –Sectorisation to best use ATM resources including staffing and spectrum. Single Sky provisions provide important backdrop allowing sectorisation across national boundaries  Rationalisation of VHF spectrum –VHF spectrum reserved for aviation use is in desperately short supply –Transfer from voice to data provides additional requirements for channels during the transition period –Europe wide review needed to determine frequency assignments for the data link technologies supporting the roadmap

26 Other necessary actions  Establish a European business and safety case, a detailed technical and cost benefit assessment should be conducted in consultation with the FAA  Determine measures to stimulate airborne equipage and deployment of ground infrastructure from ANSPs including use of mandates, incentives and differential user charges  Implement pilot projects to provide the earliest possible operational implementation of key ATM applications  Establish appropriate ATM Application and equipment standards  Co-ordinate regulatory and airspace planning issues  Promote a standardised approach for the provision of airborne and ground infrastructure

27 Other necessary actions  Carry out RTD actions to identify and evaluate technologies for Steps 4 and 5 –Include monitoring and supporting US developments in VDL3 and UAT –Ensuring that the US do not close the door to 8.33 as an effective means of creating spectrum for voice communication –Research into new data link technology should be given high priority including both terrestrial and satellite technologies  Community to use its teeth under Single European Sky legislation but already today as part of Eurocontrol and ICAO to ensure that decisions are taken in due time