Federal Aviation

Administration

Wes Wright, ANG-C5 

March 8, 2016

Operational Concepts

BLI Number: 1A11

Review of FY 2018 

Proposed Portfolio
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Portfolio Overview

• OCVM Funding ended in FY14

 Future CD&V activities must be tied to Portfolios

• FY16 proposed funding in Performance Based Navigation and Metroplex 

Portfolio (Optimized Route Capability)

• FY17 proposed funding in Separation Management (Vertical Conformance 

Verification) and INDP Portfolios (Optimized Route Capability)

• Enhanced Services to Small Communities (ESSC)

• FY18 proposed funding in Improved Surface/Terminal Flight Data Manager 

(TFDM) Portfolio

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Financial Summary 

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* FY14 PLA: $2.2M; FY15 PLA: $2.245M

PROGRAM PORTFOLIO FY14 FY15 FY16 FY17 FY18

ESSC TFDM - - - $2,000,000

PBTA (ORC) INDP $1,000,000 $1,000,000 $1,000,000

UAS ODNI - - - $3,000,000

VCV SEPMAN - - $1,000,000 -

Total - - $1,000,000 $2,000,000 $6,000,000

PROGRAM FY14 FY15 FY16 FY17 FY18

OCVM $4,445,000* Moved to Portfolios

Total $4,445,000* - - - -
FY15 Accomplishments

• Integrated NAS/SVO Simulation Model (Oct 2014)

• VCV Operational Improvement Assessment (Oct 2014)

• VCV Concept Assessment Report (Dec 2014)

• Completed End-to-End Operational Description for Dynamic RNP / Update to 

Dynamic RNP Concept (Worked with RTCA SC 214 / EUROCAE WG-78) 

(Jan 2015)

• ORC Initial Concept of Use: Automation Support and Procedures (Mar 2015)

• Draft Requirements Document for Second Additional Type of SVO (May 2015)

• ORC Procedural Mapping (Jul 2015)

• ORC Concept of Operations v2.0 (Sep 2015)

• ORC Site-Specific Analysis (Nov 2015)

• Prepare Generic 4D TBO Use-Cases / Scenarios (Sep 2015)

• Draft Concept Reports for Class A&B (Sep 2015)

• NextGen Operational Analysis of UAS Operations in Class A&B Airspace 

(Sep 2015)

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FY16 Accomplishments 

• Final Requirements Document for Second Additional Type of SVO (Oct 2015)

• ORC Initial Integration Analysis/Model Development Report (Nov 2015)

• ORC Algorithm (Dec 2015)

• UAS Concept for Modified IFR (Feb 2016)

FY16 Planned Activities

• UAS Low Altitude Operating Concepts Paper (Modified IFR) (Apr 2016)

• NAS automation and ATC procedural needs for improved vertical airspace 

management prior to ADS-B (Aug 2016)

• ORC Quantitative Shortfalls Analysis Report (Jun 2016)

• Identify NAS Automation and ATC Procedural Needs for Improved Vertical 

Airspace Management Prior to ADS-B (Aug 2016)

• SVO Data Requirements Definitions (Aug 2016)

• SMDP Single Airport Phase 2 Model (Aug 2016)

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FY17 Planned Activities

OCVM

• Initial data elements for FIXM (SVO) (Nov 2016)

• TMI Attribute Standardization (TAS) Initial Requirements (Dec 2016)

• 4D Trajectory Concept for SVO (Mar 2017)

• SMDP Core 30 Phase 2 Model (Apr 2017)

• TAS Standardization Requirements (May 2017)

• Debris Mitigation Failure Mode Analysis Report (Jun 2017)

SEPMAN

• Preliminary VCV Concept of Operations (Mar 2017)

• Feasibility Analysis of Interim Vertical Solutions Prior to ADS-B 

(Mar 2017)

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Partnerships:

• FAA Mission Support (AJV)

Funding:

Statistical Methods for Departure 

Predictability (SMDP)

• SMDP research will develop a probabilistic 

directed acyclic graphical model for 

improving departure time predictions by 

developing a Bayesian Belief Network 

(BBN) model. 

• BBN model will utilize historical data to 

improve the reliability of departure time 

predictions for real-time traffic flow 

management.

FY14 FY15 FY16 FY17 FY18

$695,000* - - - -

Description: 

Accomplishments:

• BBN Model Approach document (Oct 2013)

• Bayesian Belief Network (BBN) of NAS Model 

(Jun 2014)

• BBN Model (Jun 2014)

• Obtain TFMS Historical Database (Feb 2016)

Plans:

• SMDP Single Airport Phase 2 Model 

(Aug 2016)

• SMDP Core 30 Phase 2 Model (Apr 2017)

* FY15 PLA

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(OCVM)
Partnerships:

• FAA Commercial Space Transportation (AST)

• Air Traffic Organization Space Operations 

• Stanford University

• William J. Hughes Technical Center

• ACTA

• Volpe Center

• Mosaic ATM

Funding:

Space Vehicle Operations (SVO)

• Final Requirements Document for Second

Additional Type of SVO (Oct 2015)

Plans:

• Define Data Requirements for SVO (Aug 2016)

• Initial data elements for FIXM (Nov 2016)

• 4D Trajectory Concept for SVO (Mar 2017)

• Debris Mitigation Failure Mode Analysis Report

(Jun 2017)

• SVO research facilitates synchronization of 

FAA’s NextGen, Commercial Space, and Air 

Traffic Organization offices with the Center of 

Excellence for Commercial Space 

Transportation (COE CST) and industry 

stakeholders to develop a concept that will 

enable integration of air and space traffic 

management in the NextGen timeframe.

FY14 FY15 FY16 FY17 FY18

$1,270,000* - - - -

Description: 

Accomplishments:

* FY14 PLA: $800,000; FY15 PLA: $470,000 

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(OCVM)
Partnerships:

• Volpe Center

• Mosaic ATM

• FAA Mission Support (AJV)

Funding:

TMI Attribute Standardization (TAS)

 Conduct Research of TMIs (Nov 2013)

 Develop TMI Taxonomy (Jun 2014)

 TMI Attribute Standardization Report (Jun 2014)

Plans:

 Initial Requirements (Dec 2016)

 Coordinate with AJV Advanced Methods (May 2017)

• TAS Standardization Requirements (May 2017)

• TAS research utilizes historical and current Traffic 

Management Initiative (TMI) data to define a 

system model in which TMI attributes are 

categorized in a manner that will facilitate real-time 

TMI information and feedback to NAS users, 

unified TMI modeling, post-event analysis, and 

continuous flight day evaluation.

• This research will also result in standardized TMI 

entry, parsing, and tracking, by enhancing 

functionality currently provided by NTML.

FY14 FY15 FY16 FY17 FY18

$290,000* - - - -

Description: 

Accomplishments:

* FY15 PLA

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(OCVM)
Funding:

Enhanced Services to Small 

Communities (ESSC)

• Analyze current airport operational 

capabilities and configurations

• Draft ESSC alternatives analysis document

• Draft ESSC feasibility study document

• Draft Concept of Operations (ConOps) 

document for ESSC

FY14 FY15 FY16 FY17 FY18

- - - - $2,000,000

The ESSC program will develop an approach to

expanding low-cost service capability to small

communities that are currently served by nontowered airports or airports with limited Air Traffic

Control (ATC) services.

ESSC will identify and group airports based on

similar configurations. The program will

recommend and evaluate a group of airports based

on their required level of service and potential

benefits to be achieved.

• ESSC evaluates procedures and technologies, and 

leverages NextGen surveillance, communications, 

data sharing and new optical technologies to provide 

ATC tower-like services at airports that do not 

currently meet the criteria for an ATC Tower.

• ESSC will identify and develop the recommended 

changes to controller equipment, standards, 

procedures and policies to provide the required 

surveillance, communications and other capabilities 

to support improved air traffic services and improved 

access to smaller airports. These services may be 

performed from a remote location..

Partnerships:

• TBD

Description: 

Plans:

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(TFDM Portfolio)

TFDM: Improved Surface/Terminal Flight Data Manager 
Performance Based Trajectory 

Allocation (PBTA) Description: 

Partnerships:

• NASA

Funding:

Plans:

• The addition of many new PBN routes and 

playbook options significantly increases 

complexity of optimal route selection and 

coordination

• PBTA expands ORC algorithm functionality 

to take advantage of emerging technologies 

and PBN routing options in support of the 

joint FAA/NASA Airspace Technology 

Demonstration–3 (ATD-3)

• Platform integration Operational Strategy and 

Guidance (Sep 2019)

• Preliminary PBN Route Optimization Plan 

(Oct 2019)

• ATD-3 Integration Analysis (Dec 2020)

FY14 FY15 FY16 FY17 FY18

- - $1,000,000* $1,000,000* $1,000,000*

* Proposed follow-on funding

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* Leverages Optimized Route Capability (ORC) functionality

(INDP Portfolio)

INDP: Integrated National Airspace Design and Procedures Planning 
UAS Integration into the NAS

Mature concept of operations for UAS integration into the NAS

• Ensure NextGen systems and capabilities are 

prepared for increased numbers of UAS operations

• Develop and describe operating concepts outside the 

scope of the UAS ConOps to enable nearer term 

operations

• Develop concept and system requirements for 

Common Support Services (CSS) notification 

system for small UAS 

• NextGen Operational Analysis of UAS Operations in 

Class A&B Airspace (Sep 2015)

Plans:

• UAS Low Altitude Operating Concepts Paper (aka 

Modified IFR) (Apr 2016)

• Functional Analysis for CSS Notification system for 

small UAS (Sep 2019)

• Analysis and development of system requirements 

for CSS Notification system for small UAS (Sep 

2019)

Partnerships/Stakeholders

Funding (OCVM)

FY14 FY15 FY16 FY17 FY18

$360,535 - - - -

Description: 

Accomplishments:

• AJV-7

• AFS-80

• ANG-C2

• AIR-130

• AFS-400

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Funding 

FY14 FY15 FY16 FY17 FY18

- - - - $3,000,000

(ODNI Portfolio)

ODNI: On Demand NAS Information 
Partnerships:

• Boeing

Funding:

Vertical Conformance Verification (VCV)

• Misjudgment of aircraft rate of climb and descent 

during Converging/Opposite Direction operations is 

among the top 5 risks to the NAS (FAA Safety Office)

• VCV researches the impact of new technologies on 

primary surveillance parameters, and how to mitigate 

the effects on ATC ability to leverage historical 

methods to mentally calculate vertical rate

• Providing near real time VR information will aid ATC 

in assessing conformance and promote more 

efficient airspace utilization

 Research Management Plan (Jan 2016)

Plans:

• Recommendations for Interim solutions prior to 

ADS-B (May 2016)

• Identify NAS automation and ATC procedural 

needs for improved vertical airspace management 

prior to ADS-B (Aug 2016)

• VCV Concept of Operations (Mar 2017)

• Feasibility Analysis and preliminary Implementation 

Plan of interim vertical solutions prior to ADS-B 

(Mar 2017)

FY14 FY15 FY16 FY17 FY18

- $490,000* - $1,000,000 -

Description: 

Accomplishments:

* FY15 PLA

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(SEPMAN Portfolio)

SEPMAN: Separation Management 
Acronyms

ESSC Enhanced Services to Small Communities

INDP Integrated National Airspace Design and Procedures Planning portfolio

ODNI On Demand NAS Information portfolio

ORC Optimized Route Capability

PBTA Performance Based Trajectory Allocation

SEPMAN Separation Management Portfolio

SMDP Statistical Methods for Departure Predictability

SVO Space Vehicle Operations

TAS TMI Attribute Standardization

TBO Trajectory-Based Operations

TFDM Improved Surface/Terminal Flight Data Manager (TFDM) Portfolio

TMI Traffic Management Initiative

UAS Unmanned Aircraft System

VCV Vertical Conformance Verification

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