Flight Centric ATC (FCA) describes a new concept of Air Traffic Control (ATC), in which an air traffic controller is responsible for a certain number of aircraft throughout the entire flight segment within a given airspace, whereas other controllers are responsible for different aircraft within the same airspace. The new operating method focuses on aspects of the allocation of flights to controllers and conflict management.
The mode of operation is in line with the main principles of trajectory based operations. It allows better distribution of controllers workload with overall system efficiency, as no sectors are overloaded anymore, while others are almost empty. Since the concept allows non-geographically based provision of ATC service, especially in higher airspace, it can contribute to the reduction of the fragmentation in european airspace. The concept is also a solution for the physical limitation related to the creation of new/additional ATC sectors to cope with the demand in the highly congested airspace. Furthermore, the concept affects the frequency spectrum and addresses frequency distribution on an european-wide basis as it investigates the means for air-ground communication over large areas.
The Flight Centric ATC concept has already been analyzed within the SESAR2020 PJ.10-W2-73 FCA solution, and the general operational feasibility has been proven. Final investigations, in particular of abnormal and degraded mode situations with regard to human performance and safety, the investigation of a possible communication solution as well as the combination of Dynamic Airspace Configuration (DAC) and Flight Centric ATC (FCA) could not be conclusively considered due to Covid-19-related cancellations of two exercises, which means that the solution will only achieve V3-ongoing status at the end of SESAR2020 Wave2.
The Flight Centric ATC project (FCA) addresses Industrial Research & Validation for Master Plan Phase C Connected and Automated ATM (HORIZON-SESAR-2022-DES-IR-01-WA6-1). The main objective of FCA is to finally develop (V3 Maturity level) the Flight Centric ATC concept for an ECAC-wide implementation in medium density traffic areas considering the existing national boundaries. Furthermore, the project includes the development of ECAC-wide deployment scenarios, which are consistent with the limitations of the VHF spectrum for voice communications. ECAC-wide benefits of the concept in each of the deployment scenarios will be analyzed as well, based on the exiting SESAR2020, PJ.10-W2-73 FCA Cost-Benefit Analysis. Two different exercises and workshops will be conducted during the project to address the remaining gaps and to take the final step from a V3 on-going solution to a V3 completed solution. Therefore, an analysis will be conducted to validate the Key Performance Indicators: Cost Efficiency (CEF2), Capacity (CAP), Predictability (PRD) and Fuel Efficiency (FEFF), as well as Human Performance and Safety. In addition, final validations will take place to validate e.g. the change from a sectorized airspace to Flight Centric ATC and vice versa, to assess the possibility of a fallback scenario, to evaluate an appropriate allocation strategy and an acceptable approach for the opening and closing of CWPs.
The final results will be disseminated across the relevant stakeholders and the S3JU via scientific papers, open days and a project website specifically designated to the Industrial Research Flight Centric ATC project.