Transcript Airborne Separation Operations in Oceanic Airspace

ASSTAR
Airborne Separation Operations in Oceanic Airspace
Bob McPike, NATS
ASAS-TN2 Conference
Glasgow, September 2006
Overview
 Background to oceanic operations
 ASAS operations to improve flight
flexibility
 ASAS operations to manage
airspace congestion
page 2
Oceanic Communications

No VHF Radio or radar cover over most of the North
Atlantic Region (NAT)

Voice communications provided by High Frequency
(HF) Radio

HF subject to weather effects

–
Audibility can be limited
–
Sometimes communication is impossible
So ATC issues strategic clearances
–
Issued prior to entering an oceanic Flight
Information Region (FIR)
–
Extend from Oceanic Control Area (OCA) entry to
landfall
–
Long-term conflict prediction used to ensure no
separation loss over whole route
page 3
Oceanic Separation Standards
 Separation standards governed by various uncertainties:
– Communication unreliability
– Navigational accuracy
– Accuracy of forward estimates (driven by weather forecasts)
. . . so separation standards are very large
10 mins
1000 ft
15 mins
60 miles
page 4
ASAS in Oceanic Airspace
 ASAS concepts under consideration by ASSTAR for oceanic airspace
– In-Trail Procedure (ATSA-ITP and ASEP-ITP)
– In-Trail Follow (ASEP-ITF)
– Self-Separation on a Free-Flight Track (SSEP-FFT)
 Status
– Concepts and procedures defined
– Simulations will be conducted in Amsterdam November 2006 to March
2007
page 5
In-Trail Procedure
• Aircraft
But standard
Crew
request
at FL340
longitudinal
an ITP
would
Climb
like
separation
to climb …..
does not exist at level above
> 10 mins
> 10 mins
FL360
FL350
ATSA-ITP
5 mins
Criteria
FL340
page 6
In-Trail Follow
• Airborne
5 minutes
Climb
Second
In-Trail
Exit
Oceanic
Approved,
Separation
Follow
climb
Separation
: No
Airspace
approved
cancelled
standard
Maintaining
maintained
Established:
–Maintaining
longitudinal
In-Trail
over
In-Trail
extended
separation
Airborne
ITFFollow
Separation
period
Separation
FL360
FL350
FL340
5 mins
ITF
page 7
Self-Separation on a Free-Flight Track
 Concept still in the early stages of
development
 FFT is an OTS track reserved for
ASAS-capable aircraft
 Aircraft on the track can change
speed and level at their own
discretion
. . . but no lateral flexibility allowed
 Aircraft requires downstream
clearance to re-enter managed
airspace
page 8
Using ASAS to manage airspace congestion
Oceanic/Domestic Interface - a
Plumbing Problem?
– Narrow ‘pipes’ in European/North
American regions
– European pipework highly complex
(lots of crossing and converging
traffic)
page 9
Traffic Concentration 24 May 2006
page 10
Traffic Streaming
page 11
Tactical re-routes in the NAT
4 minutes
15 minutes
ITF
page 12
Thank you for listening
[email protected]
page 13