FAA Completes Multi-Regional Demonstration of Trajectory-Based Operations

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has successfully completed a six-day multi-regional demonstration of trajectory-based operations (TBO), a global air traffic management concept that could lead to collaborative data-sharing among countries to improve the efficiency and safety of flights. The TBO approach, tested in four scenarios involving flights between the US, Japan, Singapore, and Thailand, enables accurate prediction of an aircraft’s location and time at key points along its route.

TBO is an air traffic management concept that enhances strategic planning of aircraft flows under changing conditions, and provides tools to air traffic management personnel and controllers to help expedite aircraft movement between origin and destination airports. TBO uses performance-based navigation (PBN) and time-based management (TBM) to optimize the use of airspace and airport resources, and reduce capacity-to-demand imbalances.

TBO relies on the use, sharing, and management of aircraft trajectories, which are defined in four dimensions – latitude, longitude, altitude and time. The trajectory represents a common reference for where an aircraft is expected to be – and when – at key points along its route. The trajectory is defined prior to departure, updated in response to emerging conditions and operator inputs, and shared between stakeholders and systems.

The FAA conducted the TBO demonstration in collaboration with the Aeronautical Radio of Thailand (AEROTHAI), the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS), and the Japan Civil Aviation Bureau (JCAB). The demonstration involved four flight segments between the US, Japan, Singapore, and Thailand, using live flights operated by United Airlines, All Nippon Airways (ANA), Singapore Airlines, and Thai Airways.

The demonstration aimed to showcase the benefits of TBO in terms of reducing flight delays, fuel consumption, emissions, and noise. The demonstration also aimed to test the feasibility of exchanging trajectory information across different regions and systems, using various communication services and standards.

According to the FAA, the demonstration was a success, as it showed that TBO can improve the predictability and accuracy of flight operations across multiple regions. The demonstration also showed that TBO can enhance the situational awareness and decision-making of air traffic managers and controllers, as well as pilots and dispatchers. The demonstration also highlighted the challenges and opportunities for further development and implementation of TBO.

The FAA plans to continue working with its international partners to advance TBO as a global air traffic management concept. The FAA also plans to leverage its existing automation platforms, such as the Traffic Flow Management System (TFMS), the Time-based Flow Management (TBFM), and the Terminal Flow Data Manager (TFDM), to support TBO in the US National Airspace System (NAS).

Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, msn.com, faa.gov