Airbus takes up prominent role in SESAR ATM EU initiative

Citation

(2009), "Airbus takes up prominent role in SESAR ATM EU initiative", Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, Vol. 81 No. 2. https://doi.org/10.1108/aeat.2009.12781bab.009

Airbus takes up prominent role in SESAR ATM EU initiative

Article Type: Safety topics and notes From: Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology: An International Journal, Volume 81, Issue 2

Airbus has been selected by the Single European Sky ATM Research (SESAR) Joint Undertaking (SJU) to provide the industrial support function. As an integrated EADS approach, Airbus, together with Astrium and Defence & Security divisions, will perform this Industrial support for the SJU. This selection comes as part of the overall SESAR Development Phase which runs to 2013, and is under the overall responsibility of the SJU. It will focus on operational improvements and the validation of associated specifications and standards, and for which Airbus has also been selected as a candidate member to lead the airborne platforms development and integration works.

The role of industrial support is to help establish one common methodology, and to ensure overall “system-of-system” consistency of the development phase.

This award follows the completion in April 2008 of the Definition Phase which started in 2006 and which Airbus was also heavily involved in. The Definition Phase delivered the agreed SESAR Master Plan by providing programme management and aircraft operation/system integration expertise.

The various trials have been and will be engaged with partners comprising airspace users, airports, air navigation service providers, and the air traffic management (ATM) supply industry. Areas investigated include, but are not limited to: required navigation performance approaches; continuous-descent-approach (CDA) and “tailored” arrivals; traffic situational awareness on board (e.g. ADS-B); on-board airport navigation systems; brake-to-vacate and runway overrun protection; and the on-board information systems.

Looking further ahead, the Deployment Phase will run from 2014 to 2020+ and will enable the delivery of the performance targets set by the SESAR master plan putting the new European ATM system into operation. In line with this, Airbus is preparing to industrially accommodate any required upgrades.

In the meantime and in anticipation of future needs, Airbus has been already performing operational trials for validation of the most promising and most advanced ATM operational concepts, elements and technological enablers available. These trials are in line with the overall goals of SESAR and ICAO, and also with the general aim of facilitating more cost-efficient and high-capacity capable ATM and with low-environmental impact.