Work Package 3 (WP3) aims at contributing to the Initial Trajectory Information Sharing (AF6 in CP1). It addresses the upgrade of the ATC ground systems to receive and process the downlinked EPP data, display the downlinked trajectories on the Controller Working Position (CWP) and provide a warning to Air Traffic Controllers (ATCOs) in case of discrepancies between the downlinked aircraft trajectory and the ground system trajectory.

Under WP3, DSNA, PANSA and ROMATSA RA will upgrade the local systems, contributing to SDP Family 6.1.2 “Initial A/G Trajectory Information Sharing (ground)”, specifically contributing to AF6 DM1 & DM2 minimum requirements as specified in the SDP.

The specific objectives of WP3 include:

For DSNA, delivering the initial CONOPS of the AF6 function, to complete the related specifications for the DSNA En-Route ATC System (i.e. 4-Flight) through the delivery of the System Design Requirements document (version 1), to develop the resulting software and to test it in a factory test environment.

For PANSA, developing the concepts of the possible usage of ADS-C / EPP data in the main and supporting ATC systems and to make this data available for internal processing. PEGASUS_21, current PANSA main ATC system, has an expected End of Life (EoL) in 2033. This system will be substituted by a new iSNEX system.

This is to ensure seamless transfer to the new ATC system, the ADS-C data shall be easily accessible locally through a controlled interface. Furthermore, this type of data shall be also accessible to various analytics systems.

PANSA specific objectives are:
- Preparing the concepts and proposals for using ADS-C data.
- Developing an interface that communicates with ADS-C common service in a SWIM compliant way.
- Ensuring the local storage and distributing the ADS-C data.
- Implementing the interface in a test environment, processing and visualising ADS-C data (including EPP) in PEGASUS_21 ATC system, including providing the conformance monitoring functions.

For ROMATSA RA, enhancing the Trajectory information by using air-ground trajectory exchange. The EPP data will be processed by the ATC systems, to enable to the display of the downlinked trajectory route on the CWP and make controllers aware of any detected discrepancy between downlink trajectory and ground system computed trajectory. Within WP3, ROMATSA RA ATC system will be upgraded exclusively within the testing environment, specifically for performing the Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT) and Site Acceptance Testing (SAT) phases. The operational implementation will take place at a later stage, outside of the WP3 scope, and only after a thorough assessment and validation of the project's outcome.

ROMATSA RA specific objectives contribute to:
- Enable ROMATSA RA ATC Systems to support the ADS-C/EPP application, as part of the ATS-B2 services.
- Enable ROMATSA RA ATC Systems to process the downlinked EPP data from the aircraft.
- Enable the display of the downlinked EPP on the CWP.
- Enable ROMATSA RA ATC Systems to warn controllers of discrepancies between the downlinked EPP and the ground ATC system computed trajectory.

WP3 is linked to WPs 2 and 4, as all of them contribute to ATM Functionality 6 “Initial Trajectory Information Sharing”.

Expected benefits of WP3

The partial implementation of SDP Family 6.1.2 “Initial A/G Trajectory Information Sharing (ground)” will contribute to the following performance benefits:
- Increase safety and predictability by allowing controllers to be aware of the trajectory currently programmed in the aircraft’s FMS, by displaying it on the CWP.
- Increase safety and predictability by allowing controllers to be aware of any discrepancy between the aircraft’s EPP and the ground ATC System’s computed trajectory.
- Increase safety by allowing controllers to anticipate conflict resolution measures, by knowing beforehand each equipped aircraft’s intent;
- Reduce CO2 emissions’ and increase efficiency by accommodating, whenever possible, the aircraft’s optimal route, thus reducing the flight’s path and/or fuel consumption.
- Increase capacity whilst maintaining safety, by means of an increase in awareness of the current and short timeframe future occupancy of the sectors.
- Reduce workload on Voice communication between controllers and pilots.
- Improve digitalisation and automation by the integration of the downlinked EPP directly into the controller’s CWP.