SESAR Project P15.2.7: Airport Surface Communications Aeromacs a Project Overview

ACP WG/WHL/0 International Civil Aviation Organization 4/IP-05 09/09/11 INFORMATION PAPER

AERONAUTICAL COMMUNICATIONS PANEL (ACP)

FOURTH MEETING OF THE WORKING GROUP OF THE WHOLE (ACP WG/WHL/4)

Montreal, Canada 14 – 16 September 2011

Agenda Item 2: Future Communication Infrastructure, progress update and recommendations

SESAR project P15.2.7: Airport Surface Communications – AeroMACS A project overview

(Presented by N. Fistas, EUROCONTROL)

(Prepared by the A. Albacete, P15.2.7 PM, INDRA)

SUMMARY This paper provides an update of the activities in the SESAR project P15.2.7 addressing the development of AeroMACS, the airport surface communication system based on the WIMAX standard. ACTION The meeting is invited to note the information

(4 pages) 0260a857897dddfda5bed83ea7de5e9d.doc 2 ACP WG/WHL/0 4/IP-05

1. INTRODUCTION: OVERALL SCOPE AND EXPECTED OUTCOME

1.1 The AeroMACS project (Project P15.2.7), funded by the European SESAR Programme, aims at defining, validating and demonstrating a new generation of airport surface data link system.

1.2 Project P15.2.7 addresses the overall system aspects and focuses in the ground part. The following SESAR members contribute to the project activities: AENA, AIRBUS, DSNA, EUROCONTROL, INDRA, NATMIG, SELEX and THALES. INDRA is the leader of the project. A closely related project (P9.16) addresses the airborne part of AeroMACS with contributions from AIRBUS, EUROCONTROL, SELEX, and THALES, lead by AIRBUS.

1.3 The AeroMACS system will improve information distribution at a lower cost, with increased safety levels and will enable advanced surface CNS systems, leading to more efficient airport surface operations

1.4 The Eurocontrol/FAA Action Plan 17 jointly identified and recommended the IEEE 802.16e1 based (commercially known as Mobile WiMAX) system as the solution for the provision of dedicated aeronautical communication services on the airport surface utilizing proposed aeronautical C- band allocations. This technology, designed for short-range and high data rate communications, is well matched to the airport surface environment in terms of capability and performance.

1.5 A related work is the ‘Communications Operating Concept and Requirements for the Future Radio System (COCR)’ v2.0, which identifies the future ATS concepts and then uses Air Traffic Management (ATM) operational requirements and airline operating concepts expected to be implemented in the highest density airspace regions to specify requirements. As the COCR only provided n initial consideration of the AOC requirements, a dedicated SESAR study (“SJU AOC Study”) detailed the expected future AOC requirements.

1.6 Based on the existing standard IEEE 802.16-2009, AeroMACS will modify the derived Mobile WiMAX profile to use a reserved aeronautical band (Extended MLS at C-Band) and specific ATS & AOC requirements.

1.7 A draft profile has jointly been agreed by the EUROCAE WG82 and the RTCA SC223 groups, with the support of the P15.2.7 project investigations.

1.8 Verification tests are being carried out in laboratory and field to check compliancy with the profile, support of ATS & AOC services and interoperability between different prototypes. Aircraft prototyping and testing will also be carried out to ensure integration with avionics equipment.

1.9 The expected outcome is two-fold:

a) Contributions to the development of the required AeroMACS standards in the appropriate groups in EUROCAE, RTCA and ICAO (MOPS, MASPS, SARPS etc)

1 This standard is now covered by the IEEE 802.16 – 2009 standard 3 ACP WG/WHL/0 4/IP-05

b) Pre-industrial prototypes, developed by the SESAR industrial members (Indra, Thales and Selex).

2. CURRENT STATUS

 AeroMACS profile drafted, based on system requirements.  Channel propagation modelled, at the reserved aeronautical band (5.091 – 5.150 GHz)  ATS / AOC traffic simulations (based on Eurocontrol / FAA study ‘Communication Operating Concept and Requirements’ v2 and the SJU AOC study).  Interference studies with existing aeronautical systems and Fixed Satellite Systems.  Security risk analysis and Safety and Performance Requirements (SPR) definition underway  Simulations for refinement underway (both software simulations and hardware real-test environment tests).  Specification of the Verification Objectives  Support to the corresponding Eurocae / RTCA working groups (WG-82 / SC-223)

3. FUTURE STEPS AND PLANNING

3.1 The following figure shows the planned standardization and implementation calendar for AeroMACS. It gives an idea on the different standardization processes foreseen in the two considered regions (US and Europe) together with estimated dates of fulfilment.

AeroMACS Calendar

AeroMACS Profile US AeroMACS profile & MOPS RTCA standard

2012 2013 2014 … 2020

Voluntary implementations ARINC AEEC ICAO WG-S

AeroMACS Profile EUROCAE standard Europe AeroMACS Profile & MOPS AeroMACS Profile & MOPS & MASPS 4 ACP WG/WHL/0 4/IP-05

4. ACTION BY THE MEETING

4.1 The ACP WGW is invited to note the information.