Proposals are not requested to address all the elements under these areas. Applicants are free to select certain elements within the areas:

1. GBAS demonstrations leading to environmental benefits for airports and TMAs

Deploying GBAS for CAT II and III operations in European airports and TMAs can unlock substantial environmental benefits such as reduced noise and CO2 emissions by improving precision approach, landing and departure in all-weather operations conditions, thereby increasing operational efficiency and capacity. The technology can enable a number of enhanced green procedures e.g. RNP to GLS landing procedures, curved approaches, variable approach glide slopes and/or multiple runway aiming points, etc.

2. Trajectory based operations enabling the aviation green deal

Trajectory based operations (TBO) is an ICAO and global strategic operational goal, which can be summarised as enabling a fully collaborative environment where each flight trajectory is shared, maintained and used by all the concerned actors during all phases of flight. The objective of TBO is to provide benefits across multiple key performance areas, in particular environmental sustainability. TBO developments need to be coordinated at the global level through ICAO. All TBO demonstrations should report their results to the relevant ICAO panels, which are ATMRPP, ATM Operations Panel and Communications Panel.

3. Long-haul flights SWIM-enabled in-flight trajectory optimisation

The scope addresses the demonstration of the environmental benefits enabled by SWIM –compliant information exchange in the particular context of the in-flight optimisation of the trajectory of long-haul flights with an FF-ICE flight plan (SESAR solution PJ.18-02c “eFPL distribution to ATC”). The objective is to deploy (target TRL8) initial use cases to allow the AU to request from the ATM system a strategic revision of the trajectory of an airborne flight with the aim of reducing the environmental impact of the flight, e.g. in response to updated weather information. The demonstrator must include the whole process, from the original request from the airline’s flight operations centre (FOC) to ATCM to the delivery of the clearance to the cockpit via CPDLC and its on-board implementation. For oceanic flights, demonstrators may leverage available satellite networks, which allow oceanic flights to be tracked more accurately while remaining a safe distance apart. This represents an opportunity to design more flexible and efficient flight trajectories (e.g., better following favourable tailwinds and avoid headwinds) and therefore reducing aviation emissions. The long-haul flights are an opportunity to address FF-ICE release 2 operational and technical capabilities allowing the revision and update of the flight plan during the execution phase.

4. Greener ATM operations at European airports

This area addresses the introduction of a series of environmental indicators in the daily operation of an airport in the execution phase, triggering and influencing operational decisions. The environmental indicators must consider those used in the performance plans, but could also include additional local indicators if needed. This build on the work performed by SESAR solution PJ.04-W2-29.3 “Environmental performance management” that has shown the feasibility of introducing in the airport operations plan (AOP) an environmental dashboard that is monitored from the mid-term/short-term planning phase (D-1) and improves collaborative decision-making process in the APOC. The monitoring of the airport environmental performance can trigger the implementation of potential solutions to reduce the airport impact on noise and emissions near the airport. These potential solutions include: use of cameras and machine learning/artificial intelligence to optimise turn-around operations, reduce emissions applying green taxiing techniques (e.g., single engine taxiing, engine-off taxi-out and taxi-in, sustainable taxiing vehicles, auxiliary engines, etc.), link landside and airside processes to increase predictability of operations, improve on-time performance and use of resources such as parking stands, etc. The main targeted airports are large and very large airports and medium hub airports with daily or weekly DCB & capacity issues resulting in a decreased environmental performance, but the solution could also be applicable to medium hub airports that encounter regular capacity shortfalls or can propagate delays in the network.
The objective is also to improve airport performance and resilience under MET conditions through the pro-active assessment, monitoring and management of the impact of meteorological events on the airport operations (SESAR solutions PJ.04-W2-29.2a “Management of airport performance under MET conditions at very-large/large and medium-hub airports” and PJ.04-W2-29.2b “Monitoring of airport performance under MET conditions at medium/small airport”).

5. Scalable and resilient network management operations

This area brings together a number of SESAR solutions aiming at improving network management operations e.g., on traffic flow management, flight planning and AU fleet management and airport operations management and their connection with the network. The demonstrator requires the participation of NM, airports, ANSPS and AUs (including military) and must ensure the required engagement from EASA and the National Supervisory Authorities (NSAs).

Further details in the call document p.15-22.