Vilmar Mollwitz

Green trajectories in high traffic TMAs

New conflicting future demands in air travel like gain of capacity and coexistent reduction of environmental impact necessitate new airborne functions and a better integration of these capabilities in air traffic management (ATM). DLRs Advanced Flight Management System proved a highly accurate predictability of 4D trajectories in flight trials with the A330-300 Full Flight Simulator of ZFB Berlin and DLRs test aircraft ATTAS, a VFW 614 twin engine jet transport aircraft modified for research purposes. Due to an inefficient air-ground integration current terminal manoeuvring area (TMA) concepts do not support 4D-capable aircraft in flying fuel efficient and noise abating profiles. A trajectory based TMA handling is necessary to combine aircraft optimized flight profiles with high airport efficiency. This paper presents results of advanced continuous descent approaches (CDA) flight trials with the research aircraft ATTAS and simulation trials with the A330 full flight simulator. Furthermore, a trajectory based TMA concept is introduced as a possible solution for the current trade-off between green trajectories and high airport capacity even in high traffic situations.

Virtual Block Control and Separation Bubbles in ATC Low Visibility Operations

The EUROCONTROL Airport Operations Programme (APR) is providing stakeholders with documentation and support for safe, cost-effective and efficient airport operations. Within this work programme the potential of Advanced Surface Movement Guidance and Control Systems (A-SMGCS) to increase safety and maintain throughput in all weather conditions is investigated. Currently, airport operations under low visibility conditions are still based on procedures and working methods without automation support. National Aerospace Laboratory of the Netherlands (NLR) together with their partners from the German Aerospace Centre (DLR) carried out research activities on the selection and evaluation of candidate concepts for advanced operations with A-SMGCS surveillance under low visibility conditions as part of the EUROCONTROL APR. During dedicated interviews and workshops with stakeholders, candidate concepts were selected based on criteria for usability, safety, human factors, and cost-benefit. Two candidate concepts, named Virtual Block Control and Separation Bubble Alerting, emerged and were evaluated in full-scale human-in-the-loop real-time simulations of Rotterdam Airport on the NLR ATM Research Tower Simulator (NARSIM Tower) platform. The study showed that a combination of the two tower control concepts can indeed improve efficiency of operations under low visibility conditions. The designed interface prototypes are flexible and inexpensive tools that should be developed further.

Flight testing of noise abating required navigation performance procedures and steep approaches

To test different types of noise abatement approach procedures the Institute of Flight Guidance and the Institute of Aerodynamics and Flow Technology performed flight tests on 6 September 2010 with a Boeing 737-700. In total, 13 approaches to the research airport in Brunswick, Germany (EDVE) were flown while the approach area of the airport was equipped with six noise measurement microphones. Brunswick airport is equipped with an experimental ground based augmentation system which allows the implementation of 49 instrument landing system (ILS) look-alike precision approach procedures with different approach angles simultaneously.

Operational feasibility analysis of steep segmented approaches

The paper deals with a steeper approach profile to increase altitude of the aircraft during approach for noise mitigation. To allow a standard 3° landing and thus a higher rate of applicability the vertical approach profile is divided into 2 segments. It starts at about 8000ft AGL with a 4,5° slope. At about 1500 ft AGL the approach slope transitions into a standard 3° slope, intercepting the glide slope from above. Previous publications [1, 2] already reported about successfully testing this kind of procedure in various full-flight training simulators and flight trials with a Condor B 767-300 in Frankfurt and a TUIfly B737-800 in Hanover. This contribution addresses the operational feasibility of integrated such approaches into the arrival stream of Frankfurt airport. Several approaches using different arrival concepts will be discussed and analyzed with respect to capacity and safety.

Flight testing steep segmented approaches for noise abatement

The paper deals with a steeper approach profile to increase altitude of the aircraft during approach. To allow a standard 3° landing and thus a higher rate of applicability the vertical approach profile is divided into 2 segments. It starts at about 8000ft AGL with a 4,5° slope. At about 1500 ft AGL the approach slope transitions into a standard 3° slope, intercepting the glide slope from above. A previous publication [1] already reported about successfully testing this kind of procedure in various fullflight training simulators of TUIfly, Condor and Lufthansa. This contribution will report about first flight trials which took place with a Condor B 767-300 in Frankfurt and a TUIfly B 737-800 in Hanover. Results of these flight trials including noise measurements and future activities are presented and discussed.

A Simulation Environment for Analyzing the Impact of Volcanic Ash on Trajectory-Based Air Traffic Management

Large areas of the European airspace have been affected by volcanic ash clouds during the past volcanic eruptions resulting in widespread disruption to air traffic. Future strategies for the air transportation system should reduce negative impacts during a volcanic eruption. To assist in these investigations this contribution shows an successful approach for a simulation environment which optimizes trajectories during a volcanic eruption. The existing simulation environment provided by DLR’s Institute of Flight Guidance is expanded with some newly developed components in order to meet the new requirements. It is described how the existing computation of realistic trajectories was associated with the new component for trajectory optimization. The optimization algorithm is illustrated by a single trajectory optimization. An exemplary air traffic analysis based on data which was recorded during the Grimsvotn eruption shows first results.