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Back to Air Transport IT Review - Issue 1, May 2010

Digital ATM takes off

International Air Traffic Control (ATC) communications infrastructure has for the most part remained the same over the last few decades, using the legacy aeronautical fixed telecommunications network (AFTN) that was first introduced after the Second World War.

Change however, is now on the way. A range of common challenges are forcing Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSPs) to work collectively to modernise the industry's international ATC systems through a move to IP-based networks.

• Traffic growth - The world's 160+ ANSPs now handle almost 40 million flights every year, with demand continuing to grow, particularly in emerging markets. When traffic doubles, the risk is squared, creating a need for stronger 'failsafe' procedures that leverage new technologies.
  
• Evolving technologies - legacy X.25 services upon which the majority of international ATC communications are based are being phased out by service providers. Network equipment vendors are also no longer delivering next generation Air Traffic Management (ATM) systems with X.25 capability.
  
  ANSPs are also having to deal with the integration of new technologies and applications - CPDLC, FANS 1/A, ADS-B, D-ATIS, DCL, VDL Mode 2, ATN, AIS/AIM - with current systems. These new applications often have higher bandwidth requirements and technical specifications to handle the increasing exchange of information, than can be managed by legacy systems.
  
• Regulatory provisions - New regional initiatives as well as evolving rules and regulations worldwide are changing the way ANSPs do business. In particular, efforts to harmonize fragmented airspace, such as the European SES initiative, are having a major impact on operations. The development of the Aeronautical Data base Service (EAD) and the Central Flow Management Service (CFMU) in Europe are examples of this.
  
• Privatization - As regional markets liberalize, ANSPs face the challenge of transforming themselves into highly competitive private sector players. That means increasing their operational efficiency to reduce unit costs while ensuring strict regulatory compliance.

Europe is leading the way

Harmonizing ATM in Europe has been a long held ambition of the European Commission. In 2004, it launched the Single European Sky (SES) initiative with the aim of designing an integrated EU airspace, independent of national boundaries. If successful, the SES should sustain the expected doubling of traffic by 2025, while halving the route charge cost per flight.

To be successful the initiative needs to ensure interoperability within the European Air Traffic Management Network. To this end the major European ANSPs have been planning the implementation of a regional IP network service that would enable the efficient interconnection of their national networks, for a number of years.

The objectives is to enable the introduction of regional ATM applications and the reduction of overall communications costs by obviating the need for the many bi-lateral connections between ANSPs that are in place today. A typical European ANSP could have anything between five to 25 international dedicated connections with an adjacent ANSP. Each would typically have been deployed organically on an as needed basis without any central oversight and management.

The result is PENS - Pan European Network Service. It will potentially allow 38 ANSPs across Europe to reduce and mostly eliminate dedicated voice and data international leased lines, yielding over 15% costs savings per annum. PENS will additionally provide a platform for the introduction of pan European applications yielding further cost savings. The European PENS serves as a model of best practice in international ANSP communications for all other ICAO regions to consider.

The PENS roll-out is well underway and is scheduled to be completed by May 2011. Once delivered it will enable a transformation in the way air navigation services are delivered in Europe. It will also serve as an example of best practice that other regions should and must consider.

The PENS project will further enhance the safety and efficiency of the European ATM system and should be considered as an example of best practice for all ICAO regions as they plan the evolution of their infrastructure.

ATMNet - a regional IP backbone for ATM applications The €50m-plus PENS (Pan European Network Service) project awarded by EUROCONTROL to SITA at the end of 2009 will be the first implementation of SITA's ATMNet service. ATMNet is an extranet service for the air transport industry delivering IP-based ATC services. It supports voice and data communication for both national and international communications, such as messaging, surveillance, management information services, meteorology, and air ground services. ATMNet supports new applications such as AFTN/CIDIN/AMHS, radar data exchange such as ADS-B data sharing between ANSPs, AIS, AIM, G/G voice, AIDC, Met messages, A/G voice, D-Volmet, and D-ATIS. In addition, it meets the latest ICAO SARPs standards and regional plans and supports the ICAO Global ATM Operational Concept of an interoperable and seamless global ATM system for all users. Using ATMNet results in reduced costs and increased operational benefits, including greater cost effectiveness than one-to-one connectivity normally found in fragmented networks. Rapid sign up Fourteen PENS users − 13 key ANSPs and EUROCONTROL - have now announced that they have contracted for the delivery of the PENS service. They include AENA (Spain), Avinor (Norway), Croatia Control (Croatia), DFS (Germany), ENAV (Italy), Finavia (Finland), HungaroControl (Hungary), LFV (Sweden), LPS (Slovakia), NATS (UK), NAV Portugal, NAVIAIR (Denmark) and Slovenia Control (Slovenia). According to Yvan Fischer, EUROCONTROL's PENS Development Manager, this: "clearly demonstrates the urgency with which the ANSPs wish to start using the service. Notably it will enable these ANSPs to readily comply with the Single European Sky Implementation Rule deadline of 2011 related to exchange of flight data between air traffic control centres." See www.sita.aero/pressreleases for more.

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