INCREASED FLEXIBILITY OF ATCO VALIDATIONS – V3

Growing traffic numbers, environmental aspects and cost effectiveness issues create a huge demand on the Air Traffic Management to continuously optimize its processes and use of resources.One key resource is the availability air traffic controllers of the air navigation service providers.

Due to current regulations and practices, the deployment of air traffic controllers to a specific airspace or unit is restricted by unit endorsements, as controllers have to be comprehensively trained on local procedures and circumstances.The research proposed in this project aims at enabling a more flexible deployment of ATCOs to sectors.

This is a very wanted and eagerly awaited improvement in ATM, because it would improve its cost efficiency by Millions of Euros that could be saved yearly in the European Union.

The concept behind increased flexibility of ATCO validations (IFAV) are various flexible endorsement strategies, that are based on technical enablers, like specific controller assistance systems that provide support on sector specific procedures and rules and/or procedural enablers, like for example ATC task standardization.Based on prequel SESAR solutions, like PJ.33-01a/b and PJ.10-73 IFAV, this new project will continue the IFAV work done in upper area control, and progress it to V3 / TRL6 maturity.

This will be the main part of the project.

In addition, about 15% of the project will be spent to transfer the know-how to another beneficial and similar use case: the application of IFAV in a remote tower centre.This project proposes two solutions that correspond to the described activities, and will include eight validation exercises.

The consortium will consist of 13 partners: 5 ANSPs, 2 universities, 1 big industrial partner and 5 research organisations. Most of the partners were involved in prequel solutions PJ.33-01a/b and/or PJ.10-73 IFAV. DLR will act as project coordinator.