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Shared Virtual Sky: Leading the Way Toward Enhanced European Air Traffic Management

One of the most challenging aspects of learning to fly is getting used to the radio communications.  Even as an experienced aviator going to a new area where they have different procedures, or even just a different lingo can be difficult.  I have long wondered why there are not more intertwined systems to help pilots, and air traffic controllers practice this more.

Apparently I was not the only one thinking this as Airbus’ ProSky is in the process of developing just such a system.  The full details can be found in the press release below.

It is amazing how much of an impact this could have on the quality of training.

For example, I spent about a year going through military flight training and became quite adept at communicating over the radios.  I then followed that up with about four months in simulators where the only radio chatter was from our crew and the instructors.  When I returned to the flight line to resume real flying it took me at least a week of flights to get back to where I felt comfortable with the radio communications again.

They obviously have much bigger plans than just to practice communications with this system, but if it does nothing more than make the training more realistic, then I think it is worth the cost.

Airbus ProSky is taking a high-profile role in developing Europe’s first airspace simulation platform that will be available to the aviation sector – which is called Shared Virtual Sky, and allows for accelerated innovation as well as the ability to test new air navigation concepts for improved safety and fluidity.

20 February 2013 Shared Virtual Sky is an innovative response to challenges facing the aviation sector. It enables multiple participants to connect their simulators to a completely realistic real-time environment, where test pilots and air traffic controllers can work together – while each are based in their respective cockpits or control towers.

Airbus ProSky – the air traffic management subsidiary of Airbus – and Paris-based Steria signed an agreement with nine additional partners for the system’s advancement, following completion of a collaborative research & development project. The nine other partners include: Aerospace Valley, Airbus, DSNA, ENAC, Thales, Oktal SAS, CGX AERO, Alticode and Intespace.

Under terms of the accord, Airbus ProSky will handle the promotion and marketing of Shared Virtual Sky – which has its origins in the Gaia Virtual Sky project launched by Aerospace Valley in 2007; while Steria will be responsible for operating it as a software service.

This solution supports the European Commission’s efforts to modernise air traffic management systems through its Single European Sky ATM Research (SESAR) project, which seeks to develop a world-class integrated air traffic navigation system. Ten industry leaders currently are conducting experiments as part of the SESAR project, and five participants are negotiating to join the SVS platform in 2013 to validate their new ideas.

The Shared Virtual Sky technology also can be adapted to other industries that face similar challenges with respect to interconnection and interoperability of systems.

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February 20, 2013 I Written By

I'm Dave and I am a proud Avgeek. It goes way beyond liking airplanes. It is a passion that cannot be subdued.

Filed Under: Air Traffic Control  Airbus  Aviation  Aviation Education/Training  Aviation Technology  Press Release
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Boeing and Airbus Working Together to Make NextGen ATC a Reality

If you browse through this blog at all it will become apparent rather quickly that I am a huge proponent of NextGen ATC technology.  Call me crazy, but when it has been proven that there is a system that exists to replace decades old technology to make something more efficient, effective, and safe, I think we should act quickly to implement it.

While it is not happening as quickly as some people would like to see, it is happening.  Just last week Qatar Airways flew a RNP-AR approach into Nepal.  This week Frontier Airlines received certification from the FAA to fly the same types of approaches in the US.

I find it interesting that both of these events share a common trait.  They are both heavily impacted by high terrain.  Nepal is one of the most mountainous countries in the world, and Frontier does a huge amount of business through Denver which is nestled high in the mountains of Colorado.

These applications are where the safety impact of NextGen becomes so apparent.  Navigational aids are all based on line of sight, which makes it incredibly difficult for ground-based navigational aids to be effective in mountainous regions.  While GPS still requires line of sight with satellites, it is much easier to achieve that with the satellites positioned overhead as opposed to the being on the ground where they can easily be blocked by mountains.

While both of these press releases come from Airbus, it is important to note that both Airbus and Boeing are actually working together to make this new system a reality.  On Airbus’s ProSky website, which is essentially their ATC arm, they have a long description of how the two airlines are cooperating to improve the whole system.

Boeing and Airbus are two of the biggest corporate competitors in the world, so to see them work together on something says a lot about its importance.

For those who may not really understand what exactly NextGen is, Boeing has an article that does a great job of explaining some of the most important technology, namely the ADS-B and how it works to improve air travel for everyone involved.

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February 5, 2013 I Written By

I'm Dave and I am a proud Avgeek. It goes way beyond liking airplanes. It is a passion that cannot be subdued.

Filed Under: Air Traffic Control  Airbus  Aviation  Aviation Technology  Boeing  Commercial Aviation
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The United Arab Emirates Selects Airbus ProSky for Airspace Restructuring Study

Airspace utilization is becoming increasingly more important all over the world as flying becomes more popular.  One of the fastest growing areas is the Middle East where there is a lot of money from oil, and a continued effort to diversify their economy, especially in areas like tourism.

As part of their efforts to more efficiently use their airspace, United Arab Emirates'(UAE) General Civil Aviation Authority has hired Airbus ProSky. (Full details in the press release below.)  Airbus ProSky will create a report to make suggestions to enhance UAE airspace.

In what is a very wise move, they will base their findings on what they learn from current airport and airspace users, navigation service providers, as well as historical data.  It is all well and good to make changes to the system, but if they aren’t providing the improvements that are wanted, and needed, then it is just a waste of money.

The report will be released this summer, but it will obviously take much longer to implement any changes.  Hopefully, it will be more efficient than the US efforts to implement NextGen.

That has always been one of my biggest gripes about reports like this.  Studies are done to determine needs, but then not enough is done to implement those changes.  An old leader of mine always used to say, “After everything is said and done, a whole lot more is said than done.”

We have been talking about implementing NextGen for at least a decade, but we are still creeping along in the process.  Everyone knows what the benefits are, and what it will take to make it happen, but the politics of it all makes it take forever to implement.

Maybe someday we will be able to get past the politics of life to actually make things happen, and maybe it will take some of these other developing countries advancing ahead of us to make it happen.

Press Release

Airbus ProSky will take an important role in wide-ranging enhancements to United Arab Emirates airspace with its selection by the nation’s General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) for a restructuring study – which will lead the way for improved air traffic management, navigation procedures, aircraft technologies and more.

28 January 2013 The agreement was signed today at Abu Dhabi’s Sheikh Zayed Air Navigation Center. Under terms of this contract, Airbus ProSky – which is Airbus’ air traffic management subsidiary – will provide a comprehensive report based on its interaction with all airspace users, navigation service provides and United Arab Emirates airports, as well as on historical data.
Working in close coordination with the GCAA, Airbus ProSky will deliver the study and its proposed airspace enhancements this summer.

“It is very important to seek continuous enhancement of [United Arab Emirates’] airspace to better serve the increasing air traffic movement and to be at the forefront of air navigation services providers internationally,” said Saif Mohammed Al Suwaidi, Director General of the GCAA.

“We are pleased to announce this partnership with Airbus ProSky, known for its expertise in providing solutions to improve and accelerate ATM performance and providing a comprehensive look into the future,” added GCAA Executive Director of Air Navigation Services Ahmed Al Jallaf. “Their experience in flow management, Performance-Based Navigation, innovation and aircraft technologies make them a true partner to the GCAA for our future development.”

The Airbus ProSky subsidiary – which includes the Metron Aviation, Quovadis and ATRiCs companies – is committed to working side-by-side with air navigation service providers, aircraft operators and airport authorities to build a truly collaborative system with greater capacity, better performance and environmental sustainability for all stakeholders.

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January 29, 2013 I Written By

I'm Dave and I am a proud Avgeek. It goes way beyond liking airplanes. It is a passion that cannot be subdued.

Filed Under: Air Traffic Control  Airbus  Airports  Aviation  Press Release
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Airbus ProSky Offers Integrated Airport Surface Management for Air Traffic Controllers

SMAN was designed for environmental efficiency by the German company ATRiCS and is now offered through Airbus ProSky. A unique feature of this airport surface management system is that it automatically switches on the green taxiway lights in front of the aircraft as it moves forward, to illuminate the correct route ahead for the pilot to follow. Overall, the system reduces taxi time and maximises airport capacity and aircraft throughput, while its intelligent predictive guidance also prevents runway incursions and a ‘wrong-turn’. SMAN thus smoothes overall traffic flow and facilitates a continuous taxi speed. This results in less queuing, less ‘stop-and-go’, and of course, lower CO2 emissions.

Keeping traffic moving efficiently on airport taxiways and reducing emissions

30 January 2012 Press Release

Airports strive for ever more eco-efficient ground operations including safe taxiway routing for pilots, all-weather guidance between the terminal gate and the runway, and control of aircraft and vehicles. Airbus ProSky is responding to this demand by complementing its Air Traffic Management (ATM) offerings with a powerful airport surface management system (SMAN) for Air Traffic Control centres worldwide.

SMAN was designed for environmental efficiency by the German company ATRiCS and is now offered through Airbus ProSky. A unique feature of this airport surface management system is that it automatically switches on the green taxiway lights in front of the aircraft as it moves forward, to illuminate the correct route ahead for the pilot to follow. Overall, the system reduces taxi time and maximises airport capacity and aircraft throughput, while its intelligent predictive guidance also prevents runway incursions and a ‘wrong-turn’. SMAN thus smoothes overall traffic flow and facilitates a continuous taxi speed. This results in less queuing, less ‘stop-and-go’, and of course, lower CO2 emissions.

“Airbus ProSky and ATRiCS share a common goal for improving the efficiency of our airport and aviation systems,” said Wolfgang Hatzack, Chief Executive Officer of ATRiCS. “Our deployments in Incheon, Kuala Lumpur, Dubai, Frankfurt, Zurich and Düsseldorf demonstrate the safety and cost benefits for the global aviation industry with Airbus ProSky.”

Eric Stefanello, Chief Executive Officer of Airbus ProSky said: “Airbus ProSky is bringing together intelligent ATM components which offer the highest level of performance improvements.” He added: “ATRiCS is a proven leader and innovator in advanced artificial intelligence to assist controllers, and we are delighted to have them as part of our team.”

Airbus ProSky, a subsidiary company of Airbus, is dedicated to improving the performance and efficiency of global ATM. By drawing on the operational know-how throughout Airbus itself, and in particular, bringing together the expertise of Airbus’ subsidiaries – Metron Aviation in the US and Quovadis in France, Airbus ProSky offers more than the sum of these parts to provide the world’s best ATM components to maximize value, efficiency, capacity and environmental sustainability. Part of this team, ATRiCS, based in Freiburg, Germany, is a leader in improving traffic efficiency and controller productivity at airports.

Airbus is the world’s leading aircraft manufacturer offering the most modern, innovative and efficient family of passenger airliners on the market, ranging in capacity from 100 to more than 500 seats. Airbus is an EADS company.

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January 30, 2012 I Written By

I'm Dave and I am a proud Avgeek. It goes way beyond liking airplanes. It is a passion that cannot be subdued.

Filed Under: Air Traffic Control  Airbus  Aviation Technology  Press Release
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