The old way of validating new ATM concepts separately in the ATFCM and the ATC domains using dedicated validation platforms – an approach based on the traditional timeline of ATFCM and ATC operations – is increasingly anachronistic. Recent developments and new SESAR concepts have moved ATFCM actors increasingly towards the execution time domain (e.g. via STAM – Short Term ATFCM Measures and DAC – Dynamic Airspace Configurations), while ATC actors have in turn found themselves increasingly drawn towards the ATFCM time domain, working on INAP – Integrated Network Management and Extended ATC Planning and Extended Arrival Managers.
The first client project of the integrated platform will be the validation of DAC and DMA (Dynamic Mobile Area) concepts, including the validation of the impact of dynamic updates on the ATC Controller Working Positions. The solution, which is part of the SESAR programme, will also combine DAC with classical DCB (Demand Capacity Balancing) measures.
Work on the necessary modifications to both simulators started Q4 2020, resulting in the first successful integration tests in Q1 2021, which saw aircraft data successfully exchanged between both simulators as well as the successful hand-over of simulation control for flights.
The full integration work is expected to be completed by Q4 2021, with tests of various traffic handover use cases and enlarged traffic samples, and building the necessary B2B links to permit the real-time exchange of flight plans, sector configuration plans and airspace configuration data. The first exercises are scheduled for Q1 2022.
