NextGen: What Is It and What Does it Mean for Airport Planning? Chris Oswald VP, Safety and Technical Operations, ACI-NA coswald@aci-na.org 1
Session Overview Establish a working definition of NextGen Understand the players involved with NextGen development Describe NextGen technological building blocks Explain what NextGen means for airports and airport planning Identify key challenges for airports going forward 2
What is NextGen? 3
An FAA Definition NextGen is an umbrella term for the ongoing, wide-ranging transformation of the United States national airspace system (NAS). At its most basic level, NextGen represents an evolution from a ground-based system of air traffic control to a satellite-based system of air traffic management. This evolution is vital to meeting future demand, and avoid to gridlock in the sky and at our nation s airports. FAA NextGen Website http://www.faa.gov/about/initiatives/nextgen/defined/what/ 4
Key Elements of this FAA Definition NextGen is an air traffic initiative NextGen is about delay reduction and capacity enhancement NextGen is centrally focused on satellite navigation Is this definition sufficient? Is it accurate? 5
Expanding NextGen s Definition An Airport Perspective Although air traffic modernization is a central NextGen focus, other issues are important as well Airport ground access Airport terminal operations Improved use of airport systems Technologies like multilateration make NextGen much more than a SatNav program Program goals are broader than increasing National Airspace System capacity Enhanced system safety Improved system security Reduced environmental footprint Reduced operating costs for all stakeholders Better operational decision making 6
Although Cited as Transformational, NextGen is Really Evolutionary Aircraft equipage cycles alone will likely to dictate evolutionary introduction of NextGen capabilities NextGen plans must consider phased introduction of capabilities/equipage This makes maintaining program momentum both politically and technically a significant challenge 8
Who s Driving NextGen? 9
The Key Federal Players Joint Planning & Development Office (JPDO) Focused on long-term (e.g., 2025) vision, research, planning and development Outgrowth of 2003 FAA Reauthorization Multi-agency (FAA, NASA, DHS, DoD, DoC, White House OST) Explicit mechanisms for broad stakeholder involvement More information at http://www.jpdo.gov/index.asp FAA NextGen Program Focused on near to mid-term (e.g., 2018) NextGen planning and implementation At present, primarily an FAA Air Traffic Organization initiative Mechanisms for direct stakeholder involvement are limited More information at http://www.faa.gov/about/initiatives/nextgen/ 10
RTCA Task Force 5 Objective: Forge a communitywide consensus on NextGen improvements to be implemented between now and 2018 Community included airports, airlines, general and business aviation, and avionics manufacturers Task Force considered benefits, costs, and operational readiness of over 100 NextGen capabilities Final report issued on September 9, 2009 11
RTCA Task Force 5 Key Findings NextGen is about capabilities not technologies Airport-centric capabilities will maximize benefits Existing aircraft/atc system capabilities should be leveraged first before moving to new tech Significant concerns about the business case for ADS-B 12
RTCA Task Force 5 Recommendations (cont d) Quality rather than quantity is essential when it comes to NextGen flight procedures Too much focus on easy RNAV overlays vs. more difficult new procedures that offer real operational enhancement Recalibration of FAA performance incentives needed Best equipped, best served is an appealing concept but one that will be quite challenging to implement Equipage incentives including financial incentives need to be explored in greater detail and are probably critical for expedited ADS-B implementation 13
Let s Not to Forget the International Players Europe s Single European Skies ATM Research (SESAR) program NextGen for Europe with the added challenge of national sovereignty issues More information at http://www.atmmasterplan.eu ICAO Efforts PBN is a major focus Key reference documents include ICAO Document 9750, Global Air Navigation Plan, and ICAO Document 9854, Global Air Traffic Management Operational Concept Also assisting with global standards harmonization More information at http://www.icao.int/icao/en/anb/ 14
FAA s NextGen Vision (through 2018 ) Source: FAA, 2009. 15
NextGen Technological Building Blocks Communications Navigation Surveillance Source: FAA, 2009. 16
RNP/RNAV (a.k.a. Performance Based Navigation) Area navigation (RNAV): Flight procedures that rely on the flexibly-defined waypoints at any point in space, rather than at terrestrial navigation aids, intersections, or along radials Required navigation performance (RNP): A navigation paradigm which depends on the aircraft flying the procedure to perform at a specified level of navigational performance or RNP level to use the procedure. 17
Possibilities with RNP/RNAV Narrower, constant-width containment corridors for arrival and departure procedures More direct flight routes both en-route and in terminal airspace Accommodation of more procedures within a fixed volume of airspace Precision turns (for aircraft with RF-leg capability) Precision approach procedures without traditional ILS infrastructure (e.g., localizers, glideslopes) Environmentally-beneficial flight procedures like optimized profile descents (OPDs) Capabilities depend on aircraft equipage and, in some cases, airport equipage 19
RNP/RNAV Applications: Selected Examples Improved route separations Enhanced terrain avoidance Optimized profile descents 20
Automated Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) Replace radar surveillance with distributed network of airborne ADS-B transponders Transponder transmits position and secondary surveillance data when interrogated by air traffic control (ADS-B out) Eventually, aircraft-borne ADS-B will also receive surveillance data (ADS-B in), facilitating smarter air traffic management 21
ADS-B (cont d) Increases surveillance update rates relative to traditional radar systems Reduced in-trail and parallel track separations? Closely-spaced runway operations? Unlike radar, surveillance accuracy will be independent of aircraft distance from interrogation equipment However, requires expensive aircraft equipage, creating a very difficult business case for airlines, especially with respect to aircraft retrofits Also increases reliance on GPS satellite constellation, which has been a concern for some 22
Data Communications Transition from voice communications to data communications for many types of ATC services (frequency changes, reroutes, weather information, etc) Also provides capabilities needed for 4-D trajectory management Initiatives already underway at many airlines to provide data communications capability Definition of standards including flexibility to accommodate future ATC system architecture is a key issue Will airports also be able to make use of these technologies? 23
Another Cornerstone Surveillance Technology Multilateration Uses low-cost ground-based radio receivers to determine aircraft position and provide secondary surveillance data Potential alternative/ supplement to SatNav and radar Area-wide surveillance (e.g., Colorado s program) Surface surveillance enhancement Regional/terminal area surveillance enhancement Source: Sensis. 24
Automation Capabilities Also Needed Tie it All Together Automated flight/route planning Automated gate assignment/allocation Advanced ATM automation For trajectory-based operations For management of surface traffic/ departure queue optimization Links to other airport information systems? 25
NextGen and Airports 26
Why NextGen Begins and Ends at Airports Flight delays have grown over the past several years, driven by increasing activity 25% Percent of Arrivals to OEP35 Airports Delayed and Cancelled: 2003-2008 20% % delayed % cancelled 15% 10% 5% 0% 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 Note: In the data presented above, a flight is considered delayed if it arrived at the gate 15 minutes or more after the scheduled arrival time as reflected in the Computerized Reservation System. OEP35=Operational Evolution Program 35 airports, which represent the busiest commercial service airports in the U.S. Source: FAA Airline Service Quality Performance System (ASQP) database. 27
Why NextGen Begins and Ends at Airports (cont d) Despite the current recession, traffic growth is projected to resume in the long-term Passenger enplanements (millions) 1,200 1,000 800 600 400 200 0 Historical 2009 FAA Forecast 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 2025 Federal Fiscal Year Source: FAA Aviation Forecast 2009-2025 28
Why NextGen Begins and Ends at Airports (cont d) Increasing the pressure on capacity bottlenecks that exist at airports and in the terminal airspace that surrounds them Source: Capacity Needs in the National Airspace System, 2007-2025, FAA, May 2007 29
Why NextGen Begins and Ends at Airports (cont d) However, most of these airports are located in urban environments, with limited ability to expand 30
Why NextGen Begins and Ends at Airports (concluded) therefore, enhancing the efficiently of current airport footprints is essential NEXTGEN 31
Another Reason: Implementing NextGen at Airports will Take Time Airports need NextGen solutions tailored to their unique operational issues Procedure development Infrastructure Environmental evaluation Unlike many other components of the NAS, airport solutions require local knowledge involvement and support Time and resources are needed at the local level to prepare and evaluate local solutions 32
NextGen is Part of a Comprehensive Delay Solution Increase Airport Runway Capacity Wherever Possible Expedite Deployment and Use of Relevant Airport Technologies = NEXTGEN Manage Congestion Where Required 33
How Do FAA s NextGen Initiatives Affect Airports? Airport Goal: Accommodate current and future aviation activity safely, efficiently, and securely in a cost-effective and environmentally responsible way Increased capacity Improved operational reliability Enhanced operational and development flexibility Reduced environmental footprint Improved access Improved customer service 34
At Airports, NextGen is Also About More than Air Traffic Terminal operations and design Passenger processing Gate management Curbside management Ground access Improved parking management Improved curbside management Better multimodal networks Airport operations and maintenance Enhanced ARFF response Enhanced winter operations Airfield and facility maintenance Safety Avian radar and FOD detection Airside vehicle tracking Source: BAA Security Passenger and cargo screening technologies Biometrics Source: Dallas/Fort Worth Airport Board 35
Focus of NextGen Will Vary by Airport Size Non-hubs: Lower approach minimums, enhanced surveillance, improved safety Small and medium hubs: Reduced ground infrastructure needs, reduced environmental impacts, enhanced ability to relieve large hubs Large hubs: Capacity enhancement, new airfield development concepts, reduced airport interactions Cumulative Capability 36
In Terms of Capacity Enhancement and Operational Reliability Increase percent of time that approaches can be conducted visually Reduce in-trail separations and associated buffers Improve closely-spaced parallel runway operations Improve surface flows and situational awareness Deconflict multiple airports in congested terminal areas Increasing good weather is capacity is great; reducing capacity losses in poor weather may be even better 37
Increase Percent of Time that Visual Procedures Are Available Lower visual approach minimums via improved navigation technology Separation aircraft from obstacles Separation of aircraft from other aircraft Enhance navigate to visual 38
Reduce In-Trail Separations and Buffers Re-examine in-trail separation standards in light of: Higher precision navigation Enhanced weather data Datalink Improved avionics Enhance merging and spacing within the terminal environment via 4-D trajectory traffic management Minimum radar separation (e.g., 3 n.m.) Buffer (0.5-1 n.m.) 39
Why do Buffers Exist? Human factors FAA Air Traffic Safety Assurance Program (aka the Snitch Patch ) Variations in controller and pilot performance Surveillance and navigation limitations Data limitations Intentions of other aircraft Weather/wind Wake turbulence Airspace design 40
Enhance Closely-Spaced Parallel Runway Operations Develop near-visual approach and departure procedures Ultimately, reduce separation standards for independent instrument procedures to parallel runways Source: Airliners.net 41
CSPO Examples San Francisco International Airport Seattle-Tacoma International Airport John F. Kennedy International Airport Newark-Liberty International Airport 42
Initial Work Towards Enhanced CSPO in the U.S. PRM/SOIA approaches FAA s JO 7110.308 dependent runway approach procedures 46
JO 7110.308: Plan View Source: FAA Order 7110.308 47
JO 7110.308: Profile View Source: FAA Order 7110.308 48
JO 7110.308 Implementation Up to 8 additional arrivals per hour realized at SEA in IMC during peak arrival periods (appx. 20% increase) EWR and MEM were added to the list on December 1 Source: FAA Order 7110.308 49
Additional Wake Turbulence Mitigation Efforts Wake Turbulence Mitigation for Departures (WTMD) Eliminate the 2-minute rule behind heavy departures from closely-spaced parallel runways Will likely require a minimum crosswind Wake Turbulence Mitigation for Arrivals Eliminate need for dependent approaches Much more difficult to achieve than WTMD Policy changes Aircraft recategorization Aircraft design changes 50
Improve Surface Flows & Situational Awareness Expedite installation of ASDE-X and multilateration-based surface monitoring at congested airports Implement passive surface surveillance and data distribution to airport operators Develop surface traffic flow management automation aids Optimize taxiway and holding apron layouts to reduce surface congestion 51
FAA ASDE-X Program Grew out of FAA safety programs in the late 1990s Program goals Increase controller situational awareness Reduce the risk of critical Category A and B runway incursions Improve surface operational efficiencies Initial program goal was to enhance safety; efficiency benefits were somewhat incidental 52
Components of the ASDE-X System Multilateration Controller Working Position Surface Movement Radar Data Processing & Control & Monitor Terminal Area Radar Conflict Alerting Remote Units Source: Sensis Corporation 53
ASDE-X as seen in the Airport Traffic Control Tower Source: Sensis Corporation 54
From ASDE-X to Surface Flow Management ASDE-X provides a rich data source regarding surface movements, especially when secondary surveillance information is obtained Several vendors have developed surface traffic management packages that rely on such surface surveillance data from ASDE-X or other sources Surveillance data can come from multiple sources ASDE-X Multilateration systems Eventually, ADS-B? 55
Surface Management Systems: Aerobahn Example from JFK 4 Situational awareness 4 Color scheme control 4 Integrated and customizable plug-in applets 4 Manual target attributes 4 Map annotations 4 Customizable data blocks 4 Playback 4 Regions of interest 4 Scratch pad text 4 Alerts Source: Sensis Corporation 56
Deconflict Airports in Congested Terminal Areas Use higher precision navigation to narrow existing arrival and departure corridors Schematic Representation of the Existing Airspace Route Structure Over the San Francisco Bay Area Use new navigational capabilities to define new procedures Ultimately, separate aircraft from aircraft rather than aircraft from airspace Source: Northern California TRACON 57
Flight Tracks Over New York Circa 2000 Source: Jacobs Consultancy 58
Potential to Reduce Conflicts with NextGen Source: Jacobs Consultancy 59
Enhancing Airport and Airspace Access Use NextGen surveillance and navigation technologies to provide: Precision approach capabilities without ILSs Access to airspace where radar coverage is incomplete (or non-existant) More tailored airspace in congested metroplexes for use by general aviation These capabilities are especially critical for the general and business aviation communities ADS-B and RNAV/RNP are the primary enablers of these capabilities 60
Implications for Airport Planning and Design? Inventory FAA survey requirements and airport GIS Expanded consideration of off-airport land uses and obstructions Forecasting Constrained forecasts Consideration of impacts of supporting airports and other transportation modes and system management techniques on demand and demand patterns Facility requirements assessment What assumptions should be used in airfield and airspace capacity assessments? Navaid siting requirements and phase-in/phase-out schedules Obstruction clearance analyses for NextGen procedures Renewed emphasis on balanced capacity analyses to ensure bottlenecks aren t merely relocated downstream 61
An Unsung NextGen Enabler: FAA Survey/eALP Guidance Intended to provide a single authoritative source of airport geospatial data Costly for airports and FAA initially, but expedites information exchange and NextGen procedure development Key questions is when airports should upgrade Source: FAA Southwest Region 62
Implications for Airport Planning and Design? Alternatives development and evaluation New airfield development and operational concepts Impact of NextGen on airport terminals, ground access and other facilities Consideration of NextGen-only alternatives? Environmental analyses/nepa New procedure development likely to face local opposition due to noise and metal overhead NextGen capabilities may also be seen as enabling growth of air traffic operations and their associated environmental impacts Lengthy delays in implementation could result; can reviews be expedited? Safety assessments Airport SMS rules expected in 2011 ATO SRMD requirements already in place Uncertainty about how these assessments should be considered in airport planning processes 63
A Quick Case Study: JFK Runway 1L/1R departures Runway 28L/28R arrivals 64
A Quick Case Study: JFK Runway 1L/1R departures Runway 28L/28R arrivals 65
Challenges as We Go Forward Incorporating NextGen into mainstream airport planning What, when, and where? Continued need for traditional capacity enhancements Balancing airfield and airspace capacity gains with needed terminal and ground access enhancements Addressing environmental challenges Global greenhouse gas emissions/climate change Local noise, local emissions, metal overhead Funding the future Equipage on the ground and in the air NextGen procedure development 66
A Final Note About Leveraging Local Resources Airports have a key role Participation in ongoing national NextGen efforts Local planning efforts incorporating NextGen Advocacy and oversight Past/current airport partnerships with the FAA proven very successful Technology trials at Memphis, Louisville, elsewhere Procedure development at San Francisco, Seattle, Juneau, and Newark Airports Need to be Involved, Otherwise We Might Not Like the Outcome Dr. Agam Sinha, General Mgr, MITRE CAASD 67
Selected NextGen Web Resources JPDO: http://www.jpdo.gov/index.asp FAA NextGen Initiative: http://www.faa.gov/about/initiatives/nextgen/ RTCA: http://www.rtca.org/ SESAR/Eurocontrol: http://www.atmmasterplan.eu ICAO: http://www.icao.int/icao/en/anb/ NextGen acronyms: http://blog.flynextgen.com/overview/nextgenacronyms/ 72