On any given day, an estimated 100,000 commercial flights are operated around the world. This works out to just over one flight per second or, about a dozen flights in the time that it’s taken you to read this.
Behind the scenes, and the statistics, lies a complex Air Traffic Management (ATM) system that combines technology and human skill to safely and efficiently, conduct the intricate aerial ballet that takes place in crowded skies around the world, every day.
Global air traffic movements are forecast to continue growing over the next two decades, with the Middle East alone expected to grow at a rate of 6.2 per cent by 2034. And with an additional 3,180 aircraft valued at $730 billion expected to join the region’s fleet in the next 20 years, ATM systems must transform to keep pace with the aviation industry and the growing capabilities on board today’s aircraft.
In a sophisticated sector that evolves at the speed that commercial aviation does, this is no easy ask.
As a matter of fact, it was the potentially negative impact of the continued use of legacy Air Traffic Control (ATC) systems, on safety, the environment, and the sustainable growth of commercial aviation that had instigated a global review of ATM infrastructure.
While conventional ATC systems, designed half a century ago, are safe and reliable, they are far from efficient. The clearest example is the fact that aircraft operating in countries with conventional systems simply cannot fly the most direct route from the point of origin to their destinations.
Instead, pilots fly their aeroplanes to and from a network of ground-based radio navigation facilities, or NAVAIDs, located en route — but not necessarily representing the most direct route — to their destination. Each NAVAID has controllers who will monitor planes flying in their airspace and communicate with the pilots before handing a flight over to a counterpart at the next station on an aircraft’s flight plan.
This has a direct impact on the efficiency of flight operations. Although modern aircraft, such as the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, have redefined fuel efficiency and contribute to making air transport more economically and environmentally sustainable, the absence of direct routing translates into additional — and, usually, unnecessary — fuel burn.
This in turn impacts an airline’s operating economics and leads to increased carbon emissions.
Additionally, the use of dated analogue radio technology reduces the ability to accurately track an aeroplane’s exact position, forcing controllers to maintain large safety buffers between flights and reducing the number of planes that can use a particular air corridor.
For instance, while two or more aircraft could safely use a corridor, controllers forced to rely on radio-based systems may only be able to allow one aircraft at a time, significantly limiting the efficient use of civilian air space and contributing to congestion and delays.
In the last decade, however, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), following the lead from the Federal Aviation Administration NextGen and Single European Sky Advanced Research (SESAR) programmes, has been leading the charge to modernise global ATM systems that leverage on-board aircraft capabilities.
Airspace Solutions, a business unit within CAS’ Digital Aviation organisation, is leading Boeing Commercial Airplane’s engagement on these programmes with ICAO, FAA and SESAR — in addition to global air navigation air service providers, airlines and airports — to ensure that aeroplane capabilities, such as the recognition of the role that satellite-enabled Global Positioning Systems (GPS), can play a more prominent role in improving air traffic flows, increasing capacity and optimising airspace.
It is this recognition, combined with the now standard availability of sophisticated avionics, data-sharing capabilities and cutting-edge communications technologies on modern aircraft, which has allowed ICAO to implement the Performance Based Navigation (PBN) system with its member-states.
PBN, which incorporates learnings from several decades of Boeing’s experience in optimising its customers’ flight operations — such as its involvement in developing the Future Air Navigation System (FANS) in the 1990s — places technology at the heart of the effort to transform, modernise and standardise ATM.
In moving away from the restrictions of sensor-based ATC, PBN optimises the use of avionics, information management solutions such as the Electronic Flight Bag, and data-driven communications.
Already in various stages of roll-out in the Middle East4 — where regional investments in ATC equipment are expected to reach $4.23 billion by 2020 — PBN enables more direct routing; efficient descent paths which reduce the amount of time aircraft spend in holding patterns before landing; and minimal altitude changes during flight.
All of these aspects have a direct impact on airlines’ efforts to enhance safety, conserve fuel, and boost efficiencies, while reducing their carbon footprint and operating costs.
Importantly, PBN’s use of GPS helps reduce the in-flight separation between aircraft, allowing controllers to make more efficient use of available air space as a direct result of having access to accurate location data. Additionally, the use of satellite technology paves the way for data-driven communications — enabling direct data sharing between the Flight Management Computer (FMC) and ATC systems, which minimises the time lag required for communications and further enhances operations.
These are just some of the transformational changes that are taking place behind the scenes in the commercial aviation world. When ICAO’s PBN programme is fully implemented in a few years, there is no doubt that the industry and available technology would’ve evolved further, requiring additional updates and modernisation.
But this is a reflection of the dynamic nature of aviation, where innovation and continuous improvement is the lifeblood of an entire industry.
The writer is Vice-President, Airspace Solutions — Air Traffic Management, Boeing Commercial Airplanes.
