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The paper studies the means with which the avionics manufacturers define the aeronautical data quality requirements. All participants in an aeronautical data chain must ensure that data quality requirements are correctly established for the data's intended usage. The paper discusses how avionics manufacturers define required assurance level, accuracy, resolution, format and other characters for the aeronautical data that would be used in the avionics, so that the appropriate airworthiness regulation could be met. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper describes message distribution in a strapdown inertial navigation system of an on-board aircraft electronic system using a CAN bus, complying with the CANaerospace protocol. The emphasis is put on transmission of individual messages in the avionic systems in precisely defined time. For this purpose a time-triggered approach of communication via the CAN bus was chosen. This paper also suggests a communication schedule for particular bit rates, the number of transmitted messages and transmitted message periods. The system communication behaviour is then verified by practical tests on a system with an inertial measurement unit. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Navigation database (NDB) capacity (memory size) has always been an issue in aircraft Flight Management Computers (FMC). And, that issue is a concern for Performance-based Navigation (PBN) Implementation as so many new next generation (NextGen) procedures are being developed and many FMCs no longer have the capacity for additions to their NDBs. For the near-term, the problem will just keep getting worse for aircraft with FMCs limited by capacity due to the growth in the number of coded procedures and waypoints to store and limitations in the storage size. Anecdotal evidence finds navigation database suppliers estimating that worldwide procedure production will increase database size approximately 3% to 8% annually for the forseable future.1 In many cases, the airlines must already strictly tailor the available sets of procedures in their databases according to geographic areas to meet current FMC memory capacity constraints. Fortunately, the trend for the mid-term and far-term is that the projected growth rate will not be such an issue given the actual and “potential” additional memory expansion of new FMCs. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The differences in performance of various manufacturers' Flight Management Systems (FMSs) and their associated Flight Management Computers (FMCs) have the potential for significant impact on the air traffic control system and as such need to be examined and reexamined. While Performance-Based Navigation (PBN), Area Navigation (RNAV) and Required Navigation Performance (RNP) procedures and routes are designed according to criteria contained in Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) orders, FMC manufacturers build their systems in accordance with Minimum Aviation System Performance Standards (MASPS) and Minimum Operational Performance Standards (MOPS) for area navigation systems, Technical Standard Orders (TSOs) and Advisory Circulars (ACs). With the exception of some minor differences, it has been shown in previous research on this subject that the resulting performance of the aircraft FMC will generally meet the procedure design requirements identified in the FAA criteria. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Existing FAA regulations, policy and guidance do not specifically address cyber security requirements for aircraft networks and systems. This could result in security related certification criteria that are not standardized and harmonized between domestic and international regulatory agencies. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Single European Sky ATM Research (SESAR) is the on-going European research program aiming at designing and validating a reformation of the Air Traffic Management system. In order to maximize the benefits of Single European Sky it is very important that the innovation involves the largest amount of the Airspace users. For this reason SESAR research program involves also military airspace users. Dedicated Work Packages are working in order to investigate and solve the civil-military interoperability problem. The need for interoperability is due to the potentially different avionic architectures and functionalities which often concern civil (e.g. Main-line and Regional categories) and military aircraft (e.g. Transport-type and Fighter-type). The WP's are working together so that in the future military avionics could be able to implement selected functionalities (i.e. Initial 4D and ASPA S&M) defined in the Single European Sky context. The aim of the paper is to present results of the work performed for solving the civil-military interoperability problem. SESAR context is described as far as Initial 4D and ASPA S&M functionalities are concerned. A reference airspace use of military aircraft is presented and related Communication, Navigation and Surveillance requirements are highlighted. The approach and the proposed solution to the interoperability problem are then presented. The assumption at the base of the work is that the best solution to the interoperability problem is not a retrofit solution but a solution based on the upgrade of existing avionic equipments. The reason is that an upgrade solution could be more attractive in terms of costs for military end users. The aim of the paper is to present results of the study. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Closely Spaced Parallel Runways (CSPRs) with centerlines separated by 700 to 2500 feet (ft) are used for simultaneous arrivals when visual separation can be provided by flight crews. Such operations typically provide arrival rates of roughly 60 aircraft per hour. When visual approaches cannot be conducted significant reductions in capacity and increased delays occur. An initial Automatic Dependent Surveillance - Broadcast (ADS-B) based Paired Approach (PA) procedure has been conceptualized to reclaim up to 90% of this lost capacity potentially down to Category I (CAT I) approach minima. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Thinking that the future aircraft tends to be as a flying robot where a flight plan is the main goal to achieve. The aircraft navigation requires many operations to be performed by several and different aircraft equipment. In this paper, the navigation process has been organized as Intelligent reference model, it is functionally distributed through nodes of a multi levels hierarchy, the root node of the hierarchy determines the flight plane and sends the corresponding required flight states to the nodes in the next level which receive the required states and perform further processing producing corresponding sub goals to the next level and so on until the leave nodes represents the actuators and sensors. The sensing parameters are read at the leave nodes and sent after processing or directly to the higher levels as required. Separate real time communication networks are used in the hierarchy, each network connect one node in a level with the nodes in the next level which have functional relation to that node. Simulation of the hierarchical nodes is implemented using multi computers system to verify the function of each node and the required data messages between them. The real time constrains in the real time communication networks and the haul system are evaluated for worthy navigation system. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This study investigated the relative acceptance of different avionics implementations that present Flightdeck Interval Management (FIM) speeds and speed deviations to commercial pilots, and for indications of conditions that require action. Results indicate a clear preference for an Avionics condition where target speed information was provided in the primary flight display, relevant traffic information was provided in the navigational display, IM clearance information and conformance information was provided in the Multi-function Control Display Unit (MCDU), and the engine-indicating and crew-alerting system (EICAS) display showed conformance deviation alerts; and a condition in which all this information was presented only in an Electronic Flight Bag (EFB)-like display (with extended functionality) implemented under the side window for both pilots. Other Avionics conditions tested were less desirable. These were conditions in which the EFB was mounted aft of, and below the side window - with and without an auxiliary display that repeated speed target and conformance information in the primary field of view. Results also indicate a preference for aural indications to direct attention to new speed targets, as a reminder to enter these when not done in a timely manner, and to convey when the aircraft has deviated significantly from the calculated FIM speed profile. The aural indications, thresholds for reminders and conformance indications used in this study were found to be appropriate. In general FIM, as implemented in this study, was perceived as having no deleterious effect on workload or crew coordination; and, under some conditions, was reported to have improved situation awareness of arrival speeds and general conditions during approach and descent. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper presents an approach to derive requirements for an avionics architecture that provides onboard sense-and-avoid and autonomous emergency forced landing capabilities to a UAS. The approach is based on two design paradigms that (1) derive requirements analyzing the common functionality between these two functions to then derive requirements for sensors, computing capability, interfaces, etc. (2) consider the risk and safety mitigation associated with these functions to derive certification requirements for the system design. We propose to use the Aircraft Certification Matrix (ACM) approach to tailor the system Development Assurance Levels (DAL) and architecture requirements in accordance with acceptable risk criteria. This architecture is developed under the name “Flight Guardian”. Flight Guardian is an avionics architecture that integrates common sensory elements that are essential components of any UAS that is required to be dependable. The Flight Guardian concept is also applicable to conventionally piloted aircraft, where it will serve to reduce cockpit workload. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

DME/DME and Passive Wide Area Multilateration (P-WAM) are two proposed FAA's Alternative Position, Navigation, and Timing (APNT) architectures that provide navigation and surveillance capability to National Air Space during a GNSS outage. Although Distance Measuring Equipment (DME) and Multilateration (MLAT) system operate in a very different way, they use the same frequency band and can share the same antenna, which allows for one system integrating DME and MLAT electronics. Similarly, Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) can be integrated with DME and MLAT. This DME/MLAT/ADS-B integrated system in one cabinet can be used to simultaneously provide DME and MLAT service for navigation and ADS-B for surveillance. With this dual navigation service capability of the integrated system, it is possible to develop a hybrid APNT architecture enabling both of DME/DME and P-WAM) service as a back-up of GNSS. The important advantage of the hybrid architecture is that the impacts on the avionics of General Aviation users and commercial jet airliners would be minimal by requiring only software and additional input/output connections. This paper describes the methodology and results for the feasibility study of the hybrid architecture and investigates the required ground station layout of the hybrid architecture that meets the anticipated APNT navigation and surveillance performance requirements by evaluating selected areas of the continental U.S. The required ground network will be determined through an optimization process called Coverage Analysis Method [1, 2] and be compared with the respective required ground networks for DME/DME and P-WAM based architectures to evaluate the additional number of ground stations needed in the hybrid architecture. In addition, the capacity of the DME/MLAT/ADS-B integrated systems in the hybrid architecture will be evaluated. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In this paper, an alternative to Global Navigation System (GPS) based navigation in the terminal airspace is proposed to improve the resilience of our nation's Next-Generation air transportation system (NextGen) against man-made and natural threats to the GPS. GPS is a critical element of the future aviation infrastructure and interruptions of GPS service are known to have measurable impacts on NextGen procedures in use today. We propose that, by modifying airports' multilateration surveillance systems to broadcast new navigation signals, seamless operation during GPS outages is possible. In this new concept, synchronized MLAT transceivers broadcast pseudo-randomly staggered messages so that onboard avionics can estimate an aircraft's position from the Time Difference of Arrival (TDOA) between messages received from multiple pairs of MLAT transceivers. Also, MLAT transceivers are modified to reply to TCAS interrogations or spontaneously respond to MODE-S Downlink messages allowing aircraft to measure the round-trip delay for range calculation. Using either multiple TDOAs, multiple ranges, or a combination of both from either a single airport or multiple airports, onboard avionics are able to calculate ownship position for navigation. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

At the request of The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the differences in performance of various manufacturers' Flight Management Systems (FMSs) and their associated Flight Management Computers (FMCs) have been a focus of research by these authors at The MITRE Corporation since 2004. While published Area Navigation (RNAV) and Required Navigation Performance (RNP) procedures and routes are designed according to criteria contained in FAA orders, FMC manufacturers design their systems in accordance with Minimum Aviation System Performance Standards (MASPS) and Minimum Operational Performance Standards (MOPS) for area navigation systems, Technical Standards Orders (TSOs), Advisory Circulars (AC's), and industry characteristics. Because procedure designers may not consider FMS functional characteristics, differences may occur between the intent of a procedure design in accordance with FAA orders and the actual path produced and flown by an aircraft's FMC. Exposing such differences is a derivative of MITRE's research. However, the primary purpose is to research and demonstrate variations in performance of individual FMS products. Another goal of this work is to provide supporting data for the development of instrument procedures where aircraft operations meet expectations for repeatability and predictability to levels of performance sufficient to support Performance-Based Navigation (PBN) worldwide and specifically in the National Airspace System (NAS) and the Next Generation (NextGen) environment. Sometimes, due to the nearly independent development of procedure design criteria and aircraft performance standards, the paths of various aircraft on the same procedure do not coincide and may not match the intent of the procedure designer. This paper explores those paths and complements six previous studies, the first conducted in 2006, (all presented at previous Digital Avionics System Conferences) with the basic title of Analysis of Advanced Flight Management Systems (FMSs), FMC Field Observations Trials. The previous studies have shown that the flight path differences may result from any or all of the following: variations in FMC equipment installed on the aircraft; variations and errors in procedure coding in the FMC navigation database; variations in aircraft to FMC interface and associated aircraft performance capabilities; and variations in flight crew training and procedures. The hypothesis common to all of these papers has been that the FMCs built by the major avionics manufacturers and installed as the core of the FMC/FMS combinations in various airframe platforms will perform differently and each paper has attempted to quantify those differences. This paper explores path adherence of radius-to-fix (RF) leg types (path terminators) in a Standard Instrument Departure (SID). At the time of the trial development in December 2011, the RNAV departure from Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport (EHAM) titled SPIJKERBOOR SPY2KZ Runway 24 Departure was the only public SID that incorporated RF leg types in the design. Subsequent to the initiation of this study, another public SID with RF legs was published in February 2012 at Hong Kong International (VHHH). As airspace becomes more complex, the use of RF legs in other than RNP Authorization Required (AR) procedures such as SID's, Standard Terminal Arrivals (STAR) and non-AR approaches will become increasingly more important as a tool to navigate obstacle rich and environmentally sensitive areas. The FAA has not approved operators to fly procedure designs with RF legs without RNP AR. However, consideration is being given to implementing an "Advanced RNP" concept which would allow RF leg types under certain restrictions. Criteria exists for RF legs in SID's and FAA AC 90–105, [1] addresses RF leg types in non-AR RNP approach procedures. Additionally, the use of RF leg types is encouraged as a key enabler of Performance-based Navigation (PBN) in the FAA [2]. This ... [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) leverages aircraft avionics to deliver beneficial communications, navigation, and surveillance capabilities. The avionics and enabled capabilities vary among aircraft and the resulting mixed capability environment presents challenges to air traffic control operations and, by extension, NextGen planning and implementation. The MITRE Corporation's Center for Advanced Aviation System Development (MITRE/CAASD) applies a data-driven approach to understanding the mixed capability environment, both current and forecast. While all aircraft are important to the success of NextGen and understanding the mixed capability environment, this paper focuses on the fleet of aircraft operated under Federal Aviation Regulation (FAR) Part 121 authorization and the specific capabilities defined in the NextGen Implementation Plan, Appendix A. This paper describes the avionics and capabilities of this fleet and discusses the expected impact of the mixed capability environment on the National Airspace System (NAS). [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper describes operations and procedures envisioned for NASA's Air Traffic Management (ATM) Technology Demonstration #1 (ATD-1). The ATD-1 Concept of Operations (ConOps) demonstration will integrate three NASA technologies to achieve high throughput, fuel-efficient arrival operations into busy terminal airspace. They are Traffic Management Advisor with Terminal Metering (TMA-TM) for precise time-based schedules to the runway and points within the terminal area, Controller-Managed Spacing (CMS) decision support tools for terminal controllers to better manage aircraft delay using speed control, and Flight deck Interval Management (FIM) avionics and flight crew procedures to conduct airborne spacing operations. The ATD-1 concept provides de-conflicted and efficient operations of multiple arrival streams of aircraft, passing through multiple merge points, from top-of-descent (TOD) to touchdown. It also enables aircraft to conduct Optimized Profile Descents (OPDs) from en route altitude to the runway, using primarily speed control to maintain separation and schedule. The ATD-1 project is currently addressing the challenges of integrating the three technologies, and implantation into an operational environment. Goals of the ATD-1 demonstration include increasing the throughput of high-density airports, reducing controller workload, increasing efficiency of arrival operations and the frequency of trajectory-based operations, and promoting aircraft ADS-B equipage. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The article describes the integration of a synthetic vision system into a pilot suit. The integration consists of designing the hardware part of the system — choosing the proper components and their placement into the pilot suit and helmet and modifications to the synthetic vision software. The integrated system can be used in the general aviation where it can work as a synthetic vision system with augmented reality function or in the military domain where it can also provide a ground navigation function to locate rescue points in case of ejecting from the airplane behind the enemy lines. The technical aspects of the first prototype design are discussed in the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Since the beginning of Aviation, instruments have been designed to provide the pilot with the information needed to control the aircraft. During the past 30 years, pilot involvement in aircraft navigation, guidance and control has shifted from manual control to supervision of the navigation system. The domain of digital avionics provided the enablers for this shift, and several important developments started already over half a century ago. One aspect of these developments concerns the instruments designed to provide the pilot with the required information. When considering today's systems, it is not immediately obvious that for several of the currently implemented concepts there have been other, competing ones that for some reason did not make it. It may come as a surprise that some of these alternatives are conceptually superior but required technology that at the time was not sufficiently mature for implementation in an aircraft. In this paper, the history of some promising alternatives is provided, and it is speculated why these ended up as missed opportunities. To illustrate how certain instrument / data presentation concepts are better suited to provide the required guidance, navigation and control information for both skill and knowledge-based involvement of the pilot, a classification based on the inner-, directional-, and outer-loop closure of the navigation function is used. It is argued that due to the increased complexity of the pilot's supervisory control task in a future air-traffic environment, some of these alternatives need to be reconsidered as a basis for decision support, and it is illustrated what opportunities exist. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In the future, the war will be developed from platform-centred form to network-centred one, which will integrate the information from the equipment of land, sea, air and space. In this countermeasure environment, the source and type of information will be various and the electromagnetic interference will be very complex. To adapt the cooperative combat mode in NCW, the avionic system of airborne should integrate the information which is not only from onboard but also from off-board sensors in the ground, warship, airborne and satellite. Then, an information fusion technology is needed to deal with the multi-platform information by associating, analyzing, processing, optimizing and reasoning. After that, the globe and unified battlefield situation can be obtained, and cooperative attack and defense would come into being. This paper first analyzes the military requirements of information fusion technology used for future war, and then describes the composition, functions and architecture of Multi-Source and MultiDimension Information Fusion System (MSMDIFS) used in avionics. The configuration and the realization of MSMDIFS are discussed in detail. At last, several key techniques involved in the system are presented and the results of the closed loop dynamic tests in laboratory are given. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]