Federal Aviation
Administration
Aeronautical Mobile Airport
Communications System
(AeroMACS) Status Briefing
Presentation to WG-M/18
Montreal, Canada
Presented by: Brent Phillips; FAA
Date: July 18, 2011
Background
•
Future Communications Study (AP-17),
ICAO Aeronautical Communications Panel,
Recommendation #1:
– Develop a new system based on the IEEE
802.16e standard operating in the C-band and
supporting the airport surface environment.
NextGen Implementation Plan (FY09, FY10
& FY11) to improve collaborative Air Traffic
Management includes “New ATM
Requirements: Future Communications”
– Test bed infrastructure to enable validation of
aviation profile
B-AMC
P34/TIA-902
Continental LDL AMACS
B-AMC
P34/TIA-902
LDL
AMACS
Oceanic /
Remote
Inmarsat SBB
Custom
Satellite
Inmarsat SBB
Custom
Satellite
Oceanic /
Remote
Airport
IEEE 802.16e
IEEE 802.16e
Airport
Continental
Custom
Satellite
Communication Roadmap (1 of 4)
SWIM
CY
09
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
SWIM Segmt. 1 SWIM Segmt. 2
SWIM-Core Services
214
LDRCL
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
SWIM Segmt. 3
X
RCL
X
215
BWM
Telecom
– Concepts of use, preliminary requirements,
and architecture for C-band airport surface
wireless communication system
Europe
AMACS-001rev1
X
DMN
102
NADIN PSN
ANICS
X Discontinued
X25 Service
Users transferred to FTI IP
130
FID
74
FID
ASTI
129
NADIN MSN
NMR
FTI-1
Supporting
Activities
•
Common Shortlist
United
States
X
X
FTI-2
216
Airport
IID
CRDR
497 FID Wireless
217JARD
498
Note: Fixed User Ground Communications as a
Communication
496
component of a Mobile User Communications Network
System
Airport Wireless
Communications
System (R&D Effort)
344
NASA R&D on
airport vehicles
(with ADS-B out)
surface location
345 Inventory Navigation
Time and Frequency
Requirements and Assess
GPS Outage Impact
Approved
AMACS-002rev1
2
C-band Datalink Recommendations
Develop airport surface system based on IEEE 802.16e standard
[A1.1] Identify the portions of the IEEE standard best suited for airport
surface wireless communications, identify and develop any missing
functionality and propose an aviation specific standard to appropriate
standardisation bodies;
[A1.2] Evaluate and validate the performance of the aviation specific
standard to support wireless mobile communications networks operating
in the relevant airport surface environments through trials and test bed
development;
[A1.3] Propose a channelization methodology for allocation of safety and
regularity of flight services in the band to accommodate a range of airport
classes, configurations and operational requirements;
[A0.4] Complete business analysis in relation to the FCI components and
implementation from the perspective of the ground infrastructure and the
airlines.
AIR TRAFFIC ORGANIZATION
2007 World Radiocommunications
Conference Decision
The WRC-07 approved adding an AM(R)S allocation for 5091-5150 MHz
to the International Table of Frequency Allocations
Removed prior limitation in so-called MLS Extension Band for “support
of navigation/surveillance functions”
AM(R)S designation for safety and regularity of flight applications
No interference allowed with other occupants in the band: non-GEO satellite feeder links and
aeronautical telemetry
Protected allocation enables ICAO to develop international standards
for airport mobile (i.e., wheels in contact) surface wireless
communications networks that include fixed assets
Ideal for airport surface wireless network with short range (~10 km or less sector coverage) and high
data throughput (10s of Mb/s)
The WRC-12 will consider adding an AM(R)S allocation in the 5000-5030
MHz band
AIR TRAFFIC ORGANIZATION
Potential AeroMACS Service Categories in U.S.
Potential AeroMACS Services
Air Traffic
Mobile
Air Traffic Control
Advisory Services
Fixed
Airline
Airport
Mobile
Mobile
AOC Services
AAC Services
Advisory Services
Port Authority Ops
Safety Services
Fixed
Fixed
Surface CNS
Services
• FAA, FTI, Others?
TBD
Port Authority Ops
Security Services
• ARINC, SITA, Airlines, Others? • Port Authority, Commercial?
5
AeroMACS Service Examples and Provision Options
Air Traffic Services
Service Examples
Provision Options
Airline Services
Service Examples
Provision Options






Air traffic control commands beyond Data Comm Segment 3
Surface communications, navigation, and surveillance (CNS) fixed assets
Government-owned (licensed)/Government-operated (GO/GO)
Government-owned (licensed)/Commercially-operated (GO/CO)
Non-competed service extension via FAA Telecommunications Infrastructure (FTI)
Open commercial competition by FAA










Airline Operational Control (AOC)
Airline Administrative Communications (AAC)
Advisory information
System Wide Information Management (SWIM)
Aeronautical Information Management (AIM)
Meteorological (MET) data services
Commercially-owned (licensed)/Commercially-operated (CO/CO)
Non-competed service extension via exiting AOC service providers
Airline service provision internally
Open commercial competition by airlines
Airport Operator/Port Authority Services
Service Examples
Provision Options






Security video
Routine and emergency operations
De-icing/snow removal
Local Government-owned (licensed)/Commercially-operated (GO/CO)
Commercially-owned (licensed)/Commercially-operated (CO/CO)
Open commercial competition by Operator/Port Authority
6
C-Band Research Description – FY09
Develop ConUse, requirements, and architecture for the C-Band airport surface
wireless communications system
Conduct supporting system analyses (e.g. high-level safety, interference,
wireless security, risk assessment)
Develop detailed system designs based on IEEE 802.16 standards
Establish an operational capability in NextGen CNS Test Bed to characterize
the performance and conduct services demos/trials
Develop test and demo plans and execute those plans to establish baseline
performance as point of departure for proposed aeronautical services
modifications
Develop initial recommendations for joint RTCA/EUROCAE standards activities
and provide support to new RTCA SC, and propose methods to validate
standards in follow-on tasks
AeroMACS NASA-CLE CNS Test Bed
• ITT’s AeroMACS prototype implements features required to
support mobile and stationary wideband communications for
safety and regularity of flight services in an operational airport
environment
• Full prototype network has been installed, including user
verification and security with Authentication, Authorization, and
Accounting (AAA) server function
• AeroMACS hardware and network installation completed in
October 2009 with two multi-sector base stations providing wide
area coverage and redundancy (one on Glenn property, one on
CLE) and eight subscriber stations (two on Glenn, six on CLE)
• AeroMACS operational capability established in March 2010
8
NASA-Cleveland Test Bed AeroMACS Network Layout
NASA Glenn
Research Center
AZ = 55° °
Subscriber
Stations
AZ = 200°
AZ = 45°
AZ = 295°
AZ = 185°
Core
Server
Base
Stations
Cleveland-Hopkins
International Airport
9
Two-Sector Base Station Located at NASA Glenn
Hangar Building 4
GPS ODU
BTS 1-1 ODU
GPS ODU
BTS 1-2 ODU
11 GHz Backhaul ODU
10
Three-Sector Base Station Located at CLE
Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting (ARFF) Building
GPS ODUs
ARFF Building and Observation Deck
11 GHz Data
Backhaul
to B110
BS ODUs (3)
11
Subscriber Station Installation Example on Sensis
MLAT Equipment at NASA Glenn Building 500
Sensis
Multilateration
MLAT Remote Unit
Equipment
ITT AeroMACS
Subscriber Station
ODU
ITT AeroMACS
Subscriber Station
Electronics
Enclosure
12
AeroMACS FY10 Evaluations
• Measure data throughput and packet integrity for the following
conditions:
–
–
–
–
5 and 10 MHz channel bandwidths
Stationary and mobile subscriber stations at speeds of at least 40 knots
Line-Of-Sight (LOS) and Non-LOS (N-LOS) propagation links
Presence of adjacent channel activity
• Mobility tests with hand-off transition between base station coverage
sectors and between base stations
• Determine minimum transmit power required to maintain a minimum
level of link performance:
– Single subscriber station antenna
– MIMO antenna diversity
• Characterize link performance when transferring sensor data from
MLAT sensors in test bed
– Mixture of data traffic streams
– Traffic priority setting with Quality of Service (QoS) settings
Funded Research Activities in FY11
• Evaluate selected ATC mobile applications on the aeronautical
mobile airport communications system (AeroMACS)
• Investigate and resolve remaining issues affecting the final
AeroMACS profile inputs to the MOPS process
Evaluate and recommend mobile Source Station (SS) MIMO antenna
configurations for mobile SSs
Optimize AeroMACS system-level performance (QoS, data throughput,
latency, error rate) within ITU limitations on radiated power
Resolve channel BW and center frequency spacing plans to satisfy US
and European objectives while preserving Spectrum Office flexibility
and compatibility with WiMAX Forum practices
Validate that the proposed AeroMACS complies with interference
requirements for the US proposed allocation at World
Radiocommunications Conference in 2012.
14
RTCA SC-223
•
RTCA Program Management Council approved SC-223 in July 2009 for Airport
Surface Wireless Communications standard development
– Aeronautical Mobile Airport Communications System (AeroMACS) profile is
based on IEEE 802.16-2009 standard
– Working in close collaboration with EUROCAE WG-82 to develop joint profile
and MOPS documents.
– Engaged industry participation from their perspectives:
Honeywell (Co-Lead) and Rockwell Collins, avionics providers
ITT (Co-Lead) and Harris, service providers
Boeing, aircraft manufacturer
– Draft AeroMACS profile complete. Document through Final Recommendations
and Comments (FRAC). Presented to PMC 28 Sept. for formal approval.
– Minimum Operational Performance Standard (MOPS) process began in February
2011.
– Next Meeting:
– August 2011 at RTCA Washington D.C.
15
Approach for Technical Parameter Profile
•
•
•
System profile define AeroMACS
operation in the unique airport surface
environment
Profile based on IEEE 802.16-2009
broadband mobility standard
Leverages commercial mobile
Worldwide Interoperability for
Microwave Access (WiMAX) for
profiles, hardware, software, and
network architecture
•
Testing, analyses, and demos will
validate that application needs are met
•
RTCA SC-223 is developing FAA
profile recommendations; EUROCAE
WG-82 is developing common profile
for EUROCONTROL in parallel
Profile Area
RF/Radio parameters

Frequency band

Channel BWs

Channel center
frequencies
Power class

Max DL TX power

Max UL TX power
Duplex Mode

TDD/FDD
Physical Layer

M-ary QAM range

Coding options

MIMO
MAC Layer

ARQ

Security protocols

Mobile protocols

QoS options
Key Parameter Selections
5091 to 5150 MHz
5, 10 MHz
Center frequencies at 5 MHz
increments
Unchanged from IEEE
802.16e
TDD
Performance profiles – Min.
performance defined in
802.16e and sensitivity
values scaled for frequency
Unchanged from IEEE
802.16e
16
Pending Action Plan 30: FCI
AP-30 Future Communications Infrastructure
On 30 July 2009, the FAA-Eurocontrol Coordinating Committee
(CCOM) approved the AP-30
“Eurocontrol/Jacky Pouzet and FAA/Brent Phillips to develop a work
programme for the agreed new Action Plan to cover Communication
Infrastructure that will focus on WiMAX at terminal areas. TOR and
AWP2010 to be proposed at CCOM 11.”
Conduct the research and technology development for the FCI
based on the ICAO endorsed findings and recommendations of
AP-17: Future Communications Study (FCS)
FAA/Steve Bradford endorsed NASA’s co-signatory role on AP-30
as on AP-17
FAA-NASA to focus on airport surface AeroWiMAX
FAA to allow Eurocontrol to lead on L-band enroute
NASA-funded research on SatCom FCI for FAA is preferred
17
C-Band Research Description – FY12
Assess requirements for data service segregation and reliable delivery
of ATC and AOC AeroMACS applications identified by the RCTA
SC-223 Ad Hoc User Services and Applications Survey working
group.
Investigate secure and reliable methods for Private Key Management
and synchronization across all AAA AeroMACS sites, including the
responsibility for generating initial PKM certificates and
dissemination across the AeroMACS system
Support the development of the AeroMACS Standards and
Recommended Practices (SARPS) document in ICAO ACP
Working Group S through validation and analysis.
AeroMACS Activities Schedule & Milestones
2009
Task Name
•
Technology Investigation Phase III Report (May 2007)
•
U.S/Eurocontrol FCS Final Recommendations (Nov 2007)
•
ICAO Endorses FCS Recommendations (Apr. 2008)
2011
J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O ND
• NextGen I&I Project Level Agreements
• NASA TestBed Development
• AeroMACS Validation Testing
• RTCA SC-223 PMC Approval
• RTCA SC-223/EUROCAE WG-82 Joint Working Groups
• AeroMACS Profile Development
• AeroMACS MOPS Development
• AeroMACS Vol I Report: Concepts of Use, Initial System
Reqts, Architecture and Design Considerations
• AeroMACS Vol II Report: Test Bed Performance
Evaluationand AeroMACS Recommendations
• AeroMACS Profile Validation Activities
2010