Boeing

Boeing Air Traffic Management (ATM) is preparing to deliver in mid-May its first work package under contract with the Eurocontrol Experimental Center (EEC). The business unit is developing fast-time simulations of air traffic in busy sectors of European airspace in support of an EEC project aimed at improving air traffic system efficiency.

Earlier this year, a multi-national team was selected to work on the EEC's Project CAMES -- Cooperative ATM Measures for a European Single Sky. The project is focused on developing operational procedures for air traffic control centers, airports and aircraft operators to synchronize, in real time, traffic flow between airspace sectors to avoid traffic overloads and maximize system productivity.

In current air traffic operations, central flow planning halts two hours before a flight becomes active. CAMES would fill the gap, allowing cooperative and dynamic flight plan modifications to occur after central flow management ends and before tactical control of the flight begins. The project initially has focused on en-route traffic synchronization.

Teamed with Boeing subsidiary Preston Aviation Solutions, ATM is providing fast-time modeling and simulation support to analyze, evaluate and validate the CAMES operational concept. Up to six traffic scenarios are being modeled, depicting actual traffic flows in high-density European airspace. ATM is using its recently developed Regional Traffic Model simulation platform to perform modeling and simulation tasks.

CAMES is a joint project among EEC and European country partners from Spain (AENA), France (DGAC/DNA), Switzerland (Skyguide) and Italy (ENAV). Following delivery of this first work package, ATM will then simulate interactions of the operational concept with air traffic, completing its work in July 2003. The Boeing business unit was established in November 2000 to develop concepts for an integrated, global air traffic system. These concepts will dramatically improve the safety, security and capacity of the current system, and reduce environmental impact while retaining affordability for all users.