# Presentation: 717942

## 2025 Block-to-Block OperationsBriefing to NASA ARAC

- Doug Arbuckle
- May 3, 2005

- E-mail: _[p.d.](mailto:p.d.arbuckle@nasa.gov)__[arbuckle@nasa](mailto:p.d.arbuckle@nasa.gov)__[.](mailto:p.d.arbuckle@nasa.gov)__[gov](mailto:p.d.arbuckle@nasa.gov)_
- Phone: 202-220-3456
- www.jpdo.aero

## 2025 NGATS Capabilities

***Global Secure Access to Net Centric Information***
***Airborne Information Web***
***Broad-Area Precision Navigation***
***Required Total System Performance – Equip for Service***
***4D Trajectory Management***
***Dynamic Airspace Configuration ***
***Seamless Weather Assimilation Into Decision Loops***
***Equivalent Visual Operations***
***Super Density Operations***

**“****Block to Block”**

- Version 3.0 - Draft for Discussion

- 03-May-2005

**Notes:**
Net Centric Info services available nation-wide and globally
Knowledge flows real-time & freely via push/pull processes to relevant NGATS communities of interest 
Meld inputs from private, commercial, & gov’t sources, via networked- enabled operations, to develop a common understanding of on-going day-to-day operations, events, and crises
“Air Net” Communications, including wide area broadband for voice & data (incl surveillance info)
National-level dynamic airspace configuration management, reconfigurable in response to user plans, national security, etc (All NAS info in a common Geo Info Sys with temporal capability)
Broad-Area Precision Navigation
Multiple, differentiated service levels aligned with user ability to meet different levels of Required Total System Performance (includes RNP, etc)
service preferences for capable users
“Evaluator”
All users “post” desired 4D trajectories in common system that continuously evaluates all trajectories for mutual compatibility
Integrates/communicates information such as weather, security, defense, non-US entities
Management-by-trajectory with block-to-block coverage & NAS-wide time-based “metering”
Seamless assimilation of weather information in all ATM System “decision loops”
“Equivalent visual” operations, with aircraft responsible for their own separation assurance
System-wide availability of services to support high capacity airport operations, providing “level playing field” for current public airports and future “air portals”
“Super density” operations at airports
2 nm in-trail, indep parallel @ 750’ centerline separation, etc

## “Block to Block” Concept:  Selected Elements

***“******Block to Block” Concept:  Selected Elements***

**SatNav Constellation**
- (Positioning)

**SatComm **
**Constellation**
**(Data & Voice Digital Comm)**
**Aeronautical Information & **
**Block-to-Block 4-D Trajectory**

- Air Traffic Management
- Facilities
**Airborne & Surface**

- Airport

- Ground-Based Users
**AOC, FBO, Business,**
**Private, Etc.**

**ADS-X**

**ADS-X**

**ADS-X**

**Dynamic**
**Airspace**

**ADS-X**

- NETWORK CENTRIC INFORMATION

**Communication Constellation**

**Navigation Constellation**

- Based on original graphic courtesy of Crown Consulting, Inc

**Secured Access Responsive to Needs**

- Version 3.0 - Draft for Discussion

- 03-May-2005

## Capability:  Global Secure Access to Net Centric Information

**Real-time free-flow of information**
**Push/pull processes to relevant NGATS communities of interest **
**Meld inputs from private, commercial, & gov’t sources**
**Network-enabled operations**
**Common awareness of on-going day-to-day operations, events, and crises**
**Secured according to needs and priorities**

**“****Shared Situational Awareness”**

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## Net-Centric Operations

**Net-Centric Operations**

_**From**_
**Info supplier dominated**
**Owner pushes **
**   ****controlled info**
**Sequential info flow**

_**To**_
**User (consumer) dominates**
**Owner posts info for **
**   ****appropriate classes of users**
**Parallel information flow**

**Gather, Process, Use, Disseminate**

- 			_Net Centricity Payoffs_
- Faster Decision Making
- Increased Collaboration
- Better Decisions based on access to more information

**Gather, Post, ****Process, Use**

- Version 3.0 - Draft for Discussion

- 03-May-2005

## “See”System of systems layering, integrating aerospace surveillance

“Comprehend”Standardized interagency and industry policies, procedures, processes and info sharing

“Enable Action”Broadband-like access throughout system

***“******Comprehend”******Standardized***** ****interagency and industry policies, procedures, processes and info sharing**
***“******Enable Action”******Broadband-like****** ******a*****ccess throughout system**

***Shared Situational Awareness:  Major Themes ***

- Version 3.0 - Draft for Discussion

- 03-May-2005

**Notes:**
“See”  
Layered, integrated aerospace surveillance “system of systems”
Rapidly highlights correlation anomalies between cooperative tracks and surveillance awareness
“Comprehend”
	Standardized interagency and industry policies, procedures, and info sharing organizational processes 

Leverages Executive Order 13356 foundations for standards and architecture
Based on adoption of Network-Enabled Operations (NEO) concepts with developed information sharing Communities of Interest able to share data and knowledge from public and private sources

“Enable Action”
Technology development allows broadband-like access throughout system
Air-to-ground, ground-to-air, air-to-air:  digital, secure, collaborative via an “AirNet” concept
Ground to Ground: digital, virtual chat, e-mail, collaborative, web
Commercial/Internet: broad-based access (to appropriate
    portions of information), demand driven, web based

## NGATS Information Sharing

***Aerospace Vehicles***

***ATM***

***International Aviation***
***Canada, Mexico***

***Airports/Gnd Spt***

***Intel Community***

- Surveillance Architecture

- Public

- Weather Infrastructure

***Homeland Security***
***Homeland Defense***

- Correlation

***NGATS Information Sharing***

_***2025 Assumptions***_
- Sufficient bandwidth exists
- Sufficient infrastructure

- Broad-Area Precision navigation
- Tailored, secured according to needs of users
- “Push/Pull” information sharing via NEO

- Version 3.0 - Draft for Discussion

- 03-May-2005

## NGATS Airborne Web

***ATM***

- Correlation

***Wake Vortex knowledge***

***4D Trajectory Mgt***

***Inter-aircraft Communication***

***Block-to-Block ATM***

***Weather info***

***Safety Factors***

***Surveillance, Defense Assessments***

**Range: 300 Miles at 30,000 ft**

**45 Mbps**

**45 Mbps**

**Broadband communications over 1000 times as fast as standard 64K satellite service, operating at a small fraction of the cost.**

***Broad-area broadband***
***Data & Voice ***
***Surveillance***
***Secured***
***Responsive***
***User-tailored***

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## Implementing Network Enabled Capabilities

**Technology**

**Culture**

**Organization**

**Policy**

**Technology**

**Culture**

**Organization**

**Policy**

***Policy Change/Creation***
***Organizational Innovation***
***Culture Acceptance***

***Technology ***
***Innovation***

***Implementing Network Enabled Capabilities***

***...******Requires Innovation/Change Across all Lines of Development***

- Version 3.0 - Draft for Discussion

- 03-May-2005

## Capability: Broad-Area Precision Navigation

**Navigation performance sufficient to enable precision approaches (CAT-I/II/III) **
**Minimal/zero ground-based aids at any “air portal”**
**CAT-II without local augmentation, CAT-III with low-cost local augmentation **
**“****Air portal”-specific, vice runway-specific**
**Broad Area to Global Availability of Nav Services **
** ****Meeting appropriate requirements for accuracy, integrity and continuity**
**Divests current ground-based systems of landing/navigation aids**
**Reduction/elimination of runway lighting, markings**

- Version 3.0 - Draft for Discussion

- 03-May-2005

**Notes:**
Navigation performance sufficient to enable precision approaches (CAT-I/II/III) with zero or minimal ground-based aids at any “air portal”
Goal:  CAT-II without local augmentation, CAT-III with low-cost local augmentation (“air portal”-specific, not runway-specific)
Stretch goal:  CAT-III without local augmentation
Navigation service will be available over large areas (almost globally) and meet appropriate requirements for accuracy, integrity and continuity

Would allow divesture of many ground-based landing and navigation aids
Could eliminate/reduce need for special runway lighting and painting

ISSUES [incomplete list;]
What performance possible with GPS III and at what cost?
Requirements for Backup capability
What is a “critical” function/application?
Needed only to safely reach operational “standdown”, or safely operate at some reduced level of sustained operations?
Revisit ICAO req’ts for precision landing (based on ILS paradigm)?

## Capability:  Required Total System Performance*:  Equip For Service

**Multiple, differentiated service levels**
**Provides choice to users depending on needs **
**Required Communication, Navigation and Surveillance performance**
**Other categories of performance as needed**
**Temporal Flexibility, Responsiveness**
**Varies from area to area, in terms of airspace and “air portal” surfaces**
**Varies with time as needs dictate**
**Preference established based on user capability/equipage/training etc.**
**“****Contracts” aligning services between users and providers**
**Developed cooperatively by service providers and their users **
**“****Guarantees” prior to flight commencement **

****Ref Policy Fact Sheet: “******Performance-Based Operations and Services”***

- Version 3.0 - Draft for Discussion

- 03-May-2005

**Notes:**
Ref Policy Fact Sheet: “Performance-Based Operations and Services”
System shall provide multiple, differentiated service levels aligned with user ability to meet different levels of Required Total System Performance (includes Required Communication, Navigation and Surveillance performance, as well as other categories of performance as needed)
Multiple service levels shall exist within given volumes of airspace (or on an airport surface) and can vary with time as needs dictate; preference will be established within an airspace based on user capability/equipage/training etc
Airspace system service providers and their users shall develop “contracts” that commit both parties to aligned service/capability “guarantees” prior to commencement of a flight

## Capability: 4-D Trajectory Mgt

**Users have 4D trajectories which are the basis for planning and execution over multiple time horizons**
**Trajectory definition is “block-to-block” (includes airport surface operations)**
**4D trajectories exchanged among users and ATM service provider using “Airborne Web” (previously described)**
**Separation Assurance/Management performed using current aircraft states and intent as defined by “active” 4D trajectory**
**Strategic Traffic Management performed using 4D trajectories that include probabilistic information**
**Where appropriate, “4D contracts” exist between users and the ATM service provider**
**Contracts imply commitment(s) by both parties **
**Contracts are renegotiable “on the fly” at initiation of either party**

- Version 3.0 - Draft for Discussion

- 03-May-2005

## Management-by-Trajectory

**Projected Profiles**
**Planned Profiles**

**Weather, Aggregate Flow, Airport Configuration/Infrastructure**

**Agreement**

**User Requested**
**Profile**

**Clearance**

**Separation Mgmt Domain**

**Tactical Domain**

**Strategic Domain**

**Irregular Operations**

**Airspace Organization and Management**

**Airport Operations**

**Demand Capacity Balancing**

**ATM Service Delivery Management**

- _Key Issues are functional allocation between_:
- automation and humans
- aircraft operators and ‘central’ service provider

**Information Management**

**Airspace User Operations**

**Traffic Synchronization**

**Conformance Monitoring**

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## Capability:  National Dynamic Airspace

**Airspace configuration driven by**
** ****User needs**
** ****National Security Requirements**
** ****Safety**
** ****Overall efficiency of operations**
**Reconfigurable hourly**
**Single mechanism for implementing        Special Use Airspace, TFR’s, etc**
** ****Maximizes airspace access to all**
** ****National security needs prioritized**
**Temporal implementation of high-density, high demand corridors, etc**

**4D Global Information System:**

- Version 3.0 - Draft for Discussion

- 03-May-2005

**Notes:**
Airspace configuration driven by
User needs (requested/planned 4D trajectories)
National security requirements
Safety and overall efficiency of operations
Reconfigurable hourly
Single mechanism for implementing Temporary Flight Restrictions, Special Use Airspace, etc
Philosophy to have maximum airspace open to all users at all times
National security needs met by priority 4D reservation; immediately known to all users
Mechanism for temporal implementation of high-density corridors, etc

## Dynamic Airspace Configuration

- Political

- NAS Assets

- Airspace

- Loc

- .

- ’

- s

- Delegated Airspace (SUA)

- Preferred Routings

- Flow Constrained Areas

- Collaborative Routings

- LOAs

- /

- SOPs

- Vehicles

- WX

- Volume of Interest

- /time

- Physical Structures

- Flight Info. Regions

- Geographical/Topological

- Political

- NAS Assets

- Airspace

- Loc

- .

- ’

- s

- Delegated Airspace (SUA)

- Preferred Routings

- Flow Constrained Areas

- Collaborative Routings

- LOAs

- /

- SOPs

- Vehicles

- WX

- Volume of Interest

- /time

- Physical Structures

- Flight Info. Regions

_**Common 4D Geospatial Info System (GIS)**_
- Consistent definition across all elements
- Elements have geospatial and temporal dimensions

_**STEPS TOWARD IMPLEMENTATION...**_
**Set standard GIS format & access method**
**Establish method as core SSA capability**

***Dynamic Airspace Configuration***

- Version 3.0 - Draft for Discussion

- 03-May-2005

## “Evaluator”

**Requires trajectory management and dynamic airspace capabilities -- yet key to utilizing those capabilities**
**Users “post”/update desired 4D trajectories in common system that continuously evaluates mutual compatibility**
**Integrates/communicates weather, security, environmental, safety & other information**
**Predicts potential “over demand” situations**
**Works across all time horizons from +330 days prior to flight up to separation management (20 minutes or less) **
**Supports distributed decision-making environment where players have clear, agreed-to roles and rules of engagement**

- Version 3.0 - Draft for Discussion

- 03-May-2005

**Notes:**
The approach to strategic traffic management is an operational planning/execution element that we have named the evaluator.  The evaluator will take 4D trajectory proposals from the users (GA, passenger or cargo airlines, military, etc.) and evaluates this information for mutual compatibility with airspace/system capacity.  The ANSP will dynamically adapt and plan airspace configurations to support changing user needs.  Users will be able to immediately “see” situations where ”over demand” or resource contention is projected to occur, and users will be encouraged to play an active role in their resolution.  Based on a set of published rules jointly determined by the users and the ANSP, the ANSP will provide just-in-time “final arbitration” decisions when users are unable to resolve resource contention situations.

Supports distributed decision-making environment where players have clear, agreed-to roles and rules of engagement:
Air Navigation Service Provider (ANSP) uses “Evaluator” to
adapt and plan airspace configurations to support user needs
plan for optimal allocation of resources to support user plans
provide end-to-end traffic flow management services to users using probabilistic information to make decisions (insure overall safety and efficiency of operations)
provide “final arbitration” decisions when users unable to resolve resource contention
Users use “Evaluator” to 
identify over subscribed airspace system resources (transparency)
resolve “over demand” situations “among themselves” as much as possible
have insight into ANSP resource allocation and degrees of freedom
Airports may use “Evaluator” to
plan for optimal allocation of resources to support user plans
have insight into ANSP resource allocation and degrees of freedom

## Capability: Seamless Weather AssimilationInto Decision Loops

**NGATS Weather Information Network (NWIN)**
**Observation from many sensors, feeding multiple forecast models, fused into single national database**
**Capable of dynamic update rates of a minute or less**
**NWIN supports “push/pull” information sharing**
**Seamlessly assimilated into NGATS “decision loops”**
**Total integration via machine-to-machine transfer**
**Critical decision system time scales using both probabilistic and deterministic weather information**
**Optimized to maximize available weather-favorable airspace to the NAS**
**Terminal weather impacts including ground/ramp operations**

- Version 3.0 - Draft for Discussion

- 03-May-2005

**Notes:**
NGATS Weather Information Network (NWIN)

Weather observation and forecast data from multiple sensors (thousands) and prediction models (tens) will fuse into single national database, dynamically updating on the order of a minute or less
NWIN enables nationally consistent NGATS weather common operational picture
NWIN will support all required push/pull operations (i.e., not I/O bound) required as part of total shared situational awareness system

NGATS will seamlessly and automatically assimilate NWIN data into all ATM System “decision loops”
NWIN data will support critical operational decision system time scales using both probabilistic and deterministic weather information
As a critical component of the evaluator, use of NWIN data will best optimize and maximize available weather-safe airspace to the NAS
NGATS will proactively plan and account for terminal weather impacts as part of the 4-D trajectory development process
“Local” weather related operational decisions will be passed real time to entire national system
Includes forecast weather impacts on ground operations (lightning/deicing/surface wind shift changes impacting active runway and flow configurations) 
Total integration of weather information into highly automated operational decision support tools (machine to machine transfer)  
Many current day weather products become obsolete 
No more stovepiped “weather systems”

## Capability: Equivalent Visual Operations

***Capability: Equivalent Visual Operations***

**Enable aircraft to perform *****"equivalent visual"***** ****operations in non-visual conditions**
**ATM providers delegate *****“maintain separation”***** responsibility to aircraft operators**
**Greater freedom of independent operations in non-visual conditions to converging and closely-spaced parallel runways**
**Reduced in-trail spacing during flight**
**Timely, high fidelity information on nearby aircraft, weather, etc.**
**System-wide availability at all “air portals”**
**Airborne separation assurance and cost-effective sequencing automation in IMC at non-towered, non-radar airports (requires ADS-B)**
**Affordable capabilities and procedures enabling low visibility air & ground movements (down to CAT-II/III)**

- Version 3.0 - Draft for Discussion

- 03-May-2005

**Notes:**
Enable aircraft to perform "equivalent visual" operations in non-visual conditions, allowing controllers to delegate “maintain separation” function to aircraft as is done in current NAS
independent operations in non-visual conditions to converging and closely-spaced parallel runways
closer in-trail spacings than typically occur during non-visual operations
aircraft have timely, high fidelity state information about nearby aircraft
aircraft must meet required spacing precision

## Capability: Super Density Airports

***Capability: Super Density Airports***

**Maximized runway capacity**** **
**Reduced arrival/departure spacing for single runways**
**Reduced arrival/departure spacing for closely-spaced parallel runways**
**Equivalent Visual capability**
**Predictable detection/integration of wake vortex hazards**
**Reduce Runway Occupancy Time**
**Aircraft energy management during rollout coupled with optimum turnoff selection**
**Situational awareness of “nearby” surface traffic and intent for high-speed turnoff**
**Simultaneous operations on single runway**
**Multiple aircraft operate on a single runway when sufficient “separation” exists**
**High-update rate surveillance info available to all aircraft**

- Version 3.0 - Draft for Discussion

- 03-May-2005

**Notes:**
Maximize runway capacity by minimizing arrival/departure spacing for single runways due to wake vortex constraints
predict/detect wake vortex hazards and use information to:
reduce spacings to as low as [1.5-2 nm] (what is the right number?)
dynamically adjust system in-trail spacings
aircraft must meet all “equivalent visual” standards
Maximize capacity of a runway set by minimizing arrival/departure spacing for parallel runways due to wake vortex constraints
predict/detect wake vortex hazards and use this information to safely conduct closely-spaced parallel operations in non-visual conditions for runways w/ 750’ centerline separation [SFO is 700’ -- what is the right number?]
aircraft must meet all “equivalent visual” standards, plus have timely, high fidelity intent information about nearby aircraft (may require additional capabilities)
Reduce Runway Occupancy Time
aircraft energy management during rollout coupled with onboard digital airport map for optimum turnoff selection
aircraft awareness of “nearby” surface traffic and intent for high-speed turnoff
Simultaneous operations on single runway
Allow two aircraft to operate on a single runway when sufficient “separation” exists(high-update rate surveillance info available to both aircraft)

Need to work this further with Airports IPT

## NGATS 2025:  Realizing Capabilities...

| CAPABILITY | MEANS   |
| --- | --- |
| Global Secure Access to Net-centric Information | Policy changes; standards adoption; research; technology |
| Airborne Information and Surveillance Web | Airborne-based info sharing constellation
 |
| Broad-Area Precision Navigation | GPS III + aircraft augmentation + ?
 |
| Required Total System Performance
“Equip for Service” | New policy and regulatory framework, including publication of preferences |
| 4D Trajectory Assessment & Management | Modernization & Research (“Evaluator”)
 |
| Dynamic Airspace Configuration | NAS Information in Common 4D GIS; Cultural change |
| Seamless Weather Assimilation Into Decision Loops | Research; Policy changes; agency synchronization |
| Equivalent visual Operations | Cultural change; Research + Fully capable ADS-B |
| Super Density Operations | Cultural change; Research + Modernization
ADS-B(full); Implementation of SATS project technologies/procedures
 |

- Version 3.0 - Draft for Discussion

- 03-May-2005