An imbalance of automation between flight phases and ground movement has created the situation that the usage of airport ground infrastructure (e.g. runways, taxiways, gates) is not optimum. The result is that the airport is becoming the limiting factor for further growth of air traffic, as in most cases the extension of airport infrastructure is not possible, particularly due to environmental restrictions. The efficiency and safety of ground movements at airports within the overall ATM (air traffic movement) concept is a key element that needs particular and urgent attention. A frame concept under the term A-SMGCS (Advanced Surface Movement Guidance and Control System) has been accepted by the ICAO states world-wide. Although most of the technology to be applied is available today, the implementation into the real airport environment needs further attention. For example the operational procedures have to be adapted in order to make best use of the new tool. Furthermore the transition from individual systems (e.g. Radars, Flight Plan Systems) to a complex, modular system network with a very high safety level requires careful design, tests and preparation. Based on the long-term experience in the A-SMGCS field, the German Aerospace Centre (DER) is involved in several European Commission sponsored projects as well as in an internal project called TARMAC. The DLR funded Taxi And Ramp Management And Control project (TARMAC) started in December 1997 and will end in December 2001. Its concept is very much in line with the ICAO Manual on ASMGCS. It takes into account the lessons learned from the first full-scale demonstrator DEFAMM, a European Commission funded project finalised at the begin of 1999. DEFAMM showed the system including the main functions Surveillance, Planning, Guidance and Control. At four test sites specific evaluations took place. Finally the complete A-SMGCS was demonstrated at Koeln/Bonn international airport. In order to support the acceptance of the concept and to show the quantitative benefit of an A-SMGCS, the European Commission launched the follow on project at the beginning of the year 2000. This project BETA (operational Benefit Evaluation by Testing an A-SMGCS) is co-ordinated by DLR and worked out by a European consortium of 14 industrial companies, research organisations and partners from Airports, Air Traffic Service providers and Airlines. The field tests are scheduled for 2001 and 2002 in the real airport environments of Braunschweig, Hamburg and Prague. For the covering abstract see ITRD E114174.
Samenvatting