ACP-WG-F30/WP-12
International Civil Aviation Organization
WORKING PAPER
AERONAUTICAL COMMUNICATIONS PANEL (ACP)
30TH MEETING OF THE WORKING GROUP F (WG F)
Pattaya, Thailand 13 – 19 March 2014
Agenda Item 8: Development of potential updates to ICAO WRC-15 Position
Possible update of ICAO Position for WRC-15 to include information on LEO Satellite ADS-B
(Presented by John Taylor)
SUMMARY
This working paper discusses the benefits of global aircraft surveillance
coverage via LEO Satellite ADS-B and availability of the data to ANSP’s that
could be used to support various efficiencies that are being requested by
airlines. Advanced aircraft technology is outpacing current practices used in
non-surveillance oceanic regions. This working paper considers the benefits of
LEO ADS-B surveillance in the North Atlantic as one example of how
efficiencies could be achieved. Further, that these efficiencies could apply to
other remote oceanic and Polar regions.
ACTION
WG-F is invited to consider this information, that airlines are requesting more
fuel efficient flight profiles and routes that reduce costs. Further, that the
industry is demanding change, change that requires use of advanced avionics
and changes to current procedures.
WG-F is invited to consider the benefits and efficiencies of global ADS-B via
LEO satellite that could be included as an information attachment to the ICAO
WRC-15 Position for awareness of all States.
-2-
1.
INTRODUCTION
1.1
ADS-B as a proven and standardised technology, supports both ground-based and
airborne surveillance applications. In airborne applications, aircraft equipped with ADS-B receivers can
also process messages from other aircraft to determine the location of surrounding traffic, the data is used
by air traffic management as a primary means of aircraft separation. However in oceanic, Polar and
remote regions the installation of ground based facilities is not feasible or practical, therefore ADS-B
position data from aircraft operating in these regions is unavailable to air traffic management.
1.2
Presently a space-based system is under development using ADS-B receivers on a LEO
satellite system that will provide global coverage and overcome the aforementioned limitations of
terrestrial ADS-B ground stations. The planned objective is to have ADS-B receivers on each satellite.
The satellite network receivers would have the capability of providing ADS-B position, velocity data and
message integrity from aircraft in near real time, for availability to air traffic management for processing
and display.
1.3
Space-based ADS-B has the potential to revolutionise aircraft surveillance coverage of
airspace in oceanic, Polar and remote regions globally. By comparison, there are foreseen operational
benefits of using space-based ADS-B in oceanic regions vis-à-vis the current structured procedural
separation standards using altitude, lateral distance and time separation of aircraft currently used in the
North Atlantic.
2.
DISCUSSION
2.1
Using the North Atlantic as an example of the most dense oceanic airspace with an
average of 1000 flights per day, procedural separation standards are used, whilst providing the necessary
safety of air traffic, the structured NAT OTS (North Atlantic Tracks Organised Track Structure) is limited
due to the lack of positive surveillance availability to air traffic management, the end effect of fixed
aircraft altitude and mach speed creates inefficiencies for airlines and other users.
2.2
The responsibility for air traffic control services within the North Atlantic (NAT) Region
is shared among nine states: Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Ireland, Norway, Portugal, the United
Kingdom and the United States
2.3
Although a number of fixed trans-Atlantic tracks exist, the bulk of traffic operates on
tracks, which vary from day to day dependent on meteorological conditions and planning. The variability
of the wind patterns renders the fixed track system unnecessarily penalising in terms of flight time and
consequent fuel usage. Nevertheless, the volume of traffic along the core routes is such that a complete
absence of any designated tracks (i.e. a free flow system) would currently be unworkable given the need
to maintain procedural separation standards in airspace largely without radar surveillance.
2.4
NAT customers request more fuel-efficient flight profiles and routes that will reduce
operating costs and show a return on operator investment in aircraft and avionics. It is envisioned that
applying reduced separation is expected to enhance the provision of fuel-efficient profiles, altitudes and
routes with minimal change to the overall NAT operations.
-3-
2.5
Advancements in aircraft design, avionics and air traffic management flight data
processing systems are currently driving analysis of whether the lateral separation standard in the current
NAT airspace can be reduced to increase the number of tracks available and therefore increase capacity at
optimum flight levels. The proposed change is to reduce lateral separation for aircraft operating at the
flight levels associated with the NAT airspace, which can be practically achieved by establishing tracks
which are spaced by ½ degree of latitude. Space-based ADS-B surveillance has the capability to fully
support this initiative to achieve reduced separation minima, expand capacity, while the required levels of
safety are maintained.
2.6
From the perspective of traffic management flow, aircraft surveillance coverage in the
NAT airspace would also contribute to efficiencies in domestic traffic flow at major airports due to
improved traffic sequencing and merging. Moreover, the efficiency benefits to air traffic management in
extending ADS-B coverage on a global basis bringing forth fuel savings, better cost predictability to the
airlines, reduced GHG’s, shorter flight duration and optimum routing collectively contribute to a more
sustainable global aviation system.
2.7
At the ITU WP 5B, work has been undertaken to develop a new ITU-R Report [ADS-B
OCEAN] to highlight the growing deployment of ADS-B as an aircraft surveillance application and to
introduce a description of the extension of ADS-B as a space-based application that would have the
capability of global coverage of all oceanic, Polar and remote regions.
3.
SUMMARY OF OPERATIONAL BENEFITS
3.1
The operational benefits of using space-based ADS-B in oceanic, Polar and remote
regions against the present oceanic airspace procedural separation, is expected to lead to;
•
The ability to implement reduced separation standards between aircraft in oceanic regions
with very dense traffic
•
Significantly increase the availability of optimum altitudes and flexible routings
•
Enable increased airspace capacity and efficiency leading to reduced fuel burn
•
Ability for air traffic management to have continuous ADS-B surveillance of aircraft
providing enhanced safety in oceanic and Polar airspace, globally
•
Overall significant operational benefits and reduced fuel costs to air carriers
•
The reduction of carbon emissions and GHG’s in support of a ICAO strategic objective
-4-
4.0
CONCLUSION
As the aviation industry constantly seeks innovation and ways to gain efficiencies, especially on long haul
operations, more direct routings and flexible altitudes would significantly contribute to reduced fuel burn
and operator cost savings. Space-based ADS-B can support a more efficient airspace management and
reduced separation standards in oceanic and remote regions which will bring forth all of these benefits.
5.0
ACTION BY THE MEETING
The meeting is invited to consider the operational benefits of ADS-B via LEO satellite
and the improved efficiencies in air traffic management, flight planning, safety, and the reduced operating
costs to the airlines.
Further, the meeting is invited to consider ongoing development of ITU-R Report [ADSB OCEAN] in WP 5B. This ITU- R Report is anticipated to be an important reference document that may
be considered by WRC-15 relative to ADS-B via LEO satellite, and that there will be relevance to having
a reference cross-link between the ITU-R Report and information contained in the ICAO Position.
At this point in time, there is no information on space-based ADS-B technology and its
benefit’s in the ICAO Position document, considering the value of this technology to the global aviation
community, the meeting is invited to consider the following as an ‘information attachment’ that could be
included as a separate section in the ICAO Position for the benefit of raising awareness of the space-based
ADS-B technology to all States.
-5-
ATTACHMENT
Information of Space-based ADS-B
ADS-B as a proven and standardised technology, supports both ground-based and airborne aircraft
surveillance applications. In airborne applications, aircraft equipped with ADS-B receivers can also
process the messages from other aircraft to determine the location of surrounding traffic. However in
oceanic, Polar and remote regions the installation of ground based facilities is either not feasible or
practical, therefore ADS-B data from aircraft operating in these areas is unavailable to air traffic
management. Currently a very high percentage of the Earth’s surface is not covered by radar.
Presently a space-based ADS-B LEO satellite system is under development that would provide global
coverage and overcome the aforementioned limitations of terrestrial ADS-B ground stations. The planned
objective is to have ADS-B receivers on each satellite. The satellite network would have the capability of
receiving ADS-B position, velocity data and message integrity from aircraft in near real time, and the
subsequent availability of the data to air traffic management for processing and display.
Space-based ADS-B has the potential to revolutionise aircraft surveillance coverage of airspace in
oceanic, Polar and remote regions globally. By comparison, the operational benefits of using space-based
ADS-B in oceanic regions are foreseen vis-à-vis the current structured procedural separation standards
using altitude, lateral distance and time separation of aircraft.
Using the North Atlantic as an example of the most dense oceanic airspace with an average of 1000
flights per day, this region of airspace has to use procedural separation standards, however whilst
providing the necessary safety of air traffic, the structured NAT OTS (North Atlantic Tracks Organised
Track Structure) is limited due to the lack of positive surveillance availability to air traffic management,
the end effect of fixed altitude and mach speed creates inefficiencies for airlines and other users.
Although a number of fixed trans-Atlantic tracks exist, the bulk of traffic operates on tracks, which vary
from day to day dependent on meteorological conditions and planning. The variability of the wind
patterns renders the fixed track system unnecessarily penalising in terms of flight time and consequent
fuel usage. Nevertheless, the volume of traffic along the core routes is such that a complete absence of
any designated tracks (i.e. a free flow system) would currently be unworkable given the need to maintain
procedural separation standards in airspace largely without radar surveillance.
Advancements in aircraft design, avionics and air traffic management flight data processing systems are
currently driving analysis of whether the lateral separation standard in the current NAT airspace can be
reduced to increase the number of tracks available and therefore increase capacity at optimum flight
levels, accordingly space-based ADS-B aircraft surveillance has the capability to fully support such
initiatives to achieve reduced separation minima, expand capacity, while continuing the required levels of
safety.
Moreover, there are efficiency benefits from extending ADS-B aircraft surveillance via satellite on a
global basis that will bring forth the realisation of significant fuel savings, better cost predictability for the
airlines, shorter flight times, optimum routing and altitude, reduced GHG’s, creating efficiencies that will
collectively contribute to a more sustainable global aviation system.