Demonstration of runway enhanced approaches made with satellite navigation

The DREAMS project (SESAR VLD1-W2) evaluates sustainable approach procedures in real operational environments for single-runway-with-dual-threshold operations or dual-glide-slope (one being steeper) operations while contributing to a reduction in noise pollution.

Innovations in global navigation satellite system (GNSS) technologies are paving the way for better-optimised and more efficient approaches. Such developments are key enablers of sustainable airport operations.

During this project, flight trials will be conducted with test aircraft equipped with airborne platforms, and with airliner aircraft (under non-revenue flights), supported by ground platforms. Participating air navigation service providers (ANSPs) will develop new approach procedures and further assess ground and space-based augmentation systems (GBAS and SBAS) at several airports, including Twente, Frankfurt and Rome Ciampino.

The objective of the DREAMS project is to bring enhanced approach procedure operations to the next maturity stage (V4) through a proof of concept (PoC) with flight trials, tests and preparations for the necessary changes in standardisation and regulations.

The demonstrations will utilise business jets and mainline aircraft (with Airbus and Boeing aircraft) with the support from leading aircraft operators.

We will cover three types of operational solutions:

• increased second glide slope (ISGS),
• second runway aiming point (SRAP),
• increased glide slope to second runway aiming point (IGS-to-SRAP).

The trials include flights on GBAS CAT II with several months of application, more than one hundred flights and flight data collected to power noise analysis. In addition, a technical study will be performed on procedure design criteria for adaptive increased glide slope (A-IGS).

At EUROCONTROL, we contribute to several activities in the project by:

• leading the work package on the demonstrations of SRAP and ISG-to-SRAP solutions,
• leading the ‘V4‘ standardisation and regulatory aspects,
• providing an on-board GBAS GAST-D receiver MMR,
• supporting the analysis of GBAS data performance.

We also ensure the coordination of the overall VLD demonstration plan development, establishing the demonstration objectives and approach.

Moreover, as we lead the industrial research phase of PJ02's solution, we ensure solution knowledge transfer to our partners involved in the flight trial demonstrations.

INDRA SISTEMAS SA, AIRBUS, DASSAULT AVIATION, DFS DEUTSCHE FLUGSICHERUNG GMBH, ENAV SPA, EUROPEAN ORGANISATION FOR THE SAFETY OF AIR NAVIGATION (EUROCONTROL), HONEYWELL AEROSPACE, STICHTING KONINKLIJK NEDERLANDS LUCHT - EN RUIMTEVAARTCENTRUM, DEUTSCHES ZENTRUM FUR LUFT - UND RAUMFAHRT EV