Avionics and operations Flashcards
University
Shortcomings of ANS
ANS = Aircraft navigation system
En route:
1. Mixture of direct tracks, fixed airways or organized tracks
2. Indirect routes
3. Lack of uniformity in procedures
4. Lack of ATC support for advanced on-board systems
Terminal Area & Approach
1. Complexity due to aircraft variation
2. Seperation requirements cause inefficiencies
3. Lack of automation
4. SID/STARs fixed - Indirect routings
5. Noise abatement policies
The current system is incapable of making optimum use of ATC system capacity, available airspace, and aircraft capabilities
AFS and AMS + Communications shortcomings
Aeronautical Fixed Service
ground-ground communication between ATS units
Aeronautical Mobile Service
Air-ground comms bw A/C and ATS units
Air-Air comms bw A/C
Shortcomings:
1. Voice limited
2. Radio wave propagation limitations constrain VHF comms to line-of-sight coverage.
Navigation shortcomings
- Coverage limited due to line-of-sight systems constraining to land and coastal areas.
- Air routes based on navigation aides causing choke points
- Unable to keep up with future air traffic growth
Surveillance shortcomings
- No radar surveillance coverage possible over oceanic /mountaneous areas meaning only procedural ATC support, with little ATFM support
FANS (what are the CNS goals?)
Future Air Navigation System
Communication:
- Network centric data exchange, VHF datalinks, SSR mode S, satellites
Navigation
- GNSS as sole means for navigation
- Trajectory-Based Operations, 4D flight plans, RNP requirements
- Performance-based operations
Surveillance:
- Broadcasting nav. information over ADS-B and SSR mode S
- Shift of ATC tasks toward the flight deck (ACAS and ASAS)
- More automated ATC
VDL
VHF (Very high Frequency) Data Link
SWIM
System Wide Information Management
Jnformation managed and shared between all stakeholders
DownLink:
1. Aircraft flight identification
2. Aircraft navigation state
3. Intended flight plan
UpLink:
1. ATC messages
2. Weather information
3. ATIS (Automatic Terminal Information Service)
GNSS
Global Navigation Satellite System
Needs augmentation
1. on-board (GNSS receiver monitors integrity of navigation signals from GNSS satellites)
2. Local/Regional ground-based reference stations monitor the health of GNSS satellites and determine the range error at its location, which is then transmitted to aircraft (DGPS)
RNP
Required Navigation Performance
Specification of navigation system accuracy required to operate in specified piece of airspace.
ATS provider and Aircraft operator responsible
4D Trajectories
Each aircraft needs to be at a certain location at a specific time. Increasing airspace capacity.
ADS
Automatic Dependent Surveillance
ADS is an on-board avionics function that automatically transmits via digital data link, aircraft position data from the ONS (on-board navigation system) it provides real-time surveillance information to ATS units and other entities in the ATN. It allows surveillance in oceanic and other areas which lack radar or line-of-sight coverage.
- Time of day
- AIrcraft ID
- Position in 3D
- Velocity/Heading
- AIrcraft intent
- Meteorological data
ADS-B
Broadcasts ADS information.
Over continental/coastal: VHF data links (VOR or SSR mode S)
Over remote areas: Satellites
Facilitates ASAS
ASAS, ACAS, and TCAS
Airborne Seperation Assistance System
-Keep aircraft seperated
Airborne Collision Avoidance System
- Airborne system that prevents midair collisions as backup of ATC by alerting flight crew of potential collisions, entirely on board the aircraft. One example is the TCAS
Traffic Collision Avoidance System
-when seperation violation occurs gives warning in form of TA (Traffic Advisory) and RA (Resolution advisory)
Main problems:
1. Lack of precision; only vertical resolutions, not lateral
2. Nuisance warnings due to lack of resolution .
Remember: Use SSR to communicate
FIR definition + organization
Flight Information Region
Airspace around the world is divided into FIRs, which are then subdivided into sectors where each sector has a team of ATC responsible for flow of air traffic.
Organization:
Controlled airspace: ATC, FIS, AL
Uncontrolled airspace: FIS,AL
ATS
Air Traffic Services
ATS = ATM + FIS + AL
Purpose of Air Traffic Services is to enable aircraft operators to meet planned times of departure and arrival and adhere to flight profiles without compromising safety
ATM
Air Traffic Management
ATM = ATC + ASM + ATFCM
ATC
Air Traffic Control
Maintain safe distance between aircraft and obstacles
ASM
Air Space Management
Maximize utilization of available airspace by triage
ATFCM
Air Traffic Flow & Capacity Management
Ensure optimum flow of air traffic when demands exceed capacity of ATC service
FIS
Flight Information Service
Collect, handle, and disseminate flight-related information to assist pilot
Example: ATIS
AL
Alerting Service
Initiate search and rescue for aircraft in distress
ATIS
Automatic Terminal Information Service
Repeated message (VHF) containing information about
- Runway in use
- Transition level (QNE to QNH)
- Weather
- QNH
- Operational issues
Airspace organization
CTR, TMA, CTA, UTA
CTR: Control zone
- Local ATC
TMA: Terminal Control Area
- CTRA - CTA connection
CTA: Control Area
- General ATC, within FIR
UTA: Upper Control Area
- Across FIRs
STAR
Standard Terminal Arrival Route
Defines route flown between ATS route and approach fix. Connects CTA with CTR through TMA
- Noise abatement
- Communication minimisation
- Seperating in and outgoing traffic
- Terrain clearance
ACC
Area Control Center
Controls traffic within CTA
APP
Approach / Departure Control
Provides connection between ACC (CTA) and TWR (CTR)
Incoming traffic from CTA to airport CTR follow STAR’s and outgoing follow SID’s
TWR
Controls air traffic in CTR
- VFR Traffic
- Taxiing
- Traffic ready for departure
- In and outgoing traffic
-Airport surface Detection Equipment (ASDE)
SID
Standard Instrument Departure
Defines route flown between ATS routes (Connects CTR with CTA, through TMA)
- Noise abatement
- Communication minimisation
- Seperating in and outgoing traffic
- Terrain clearance
Radio-transceivers (Voice) types
VHF (Very high frequency)
-limited to Line-of-Sight
HF (High Frequency)
-over-the-horizon
AFTN
Aeronautical Fixed Telecommunications Network
Communication between Air Traffic Services (Flight Plan)
ACARS
Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System
-Between aircraft and airline
Transmitted via VHF radio. Allows airline operator to communicate with aircraft in fleet.
CPDLC
Controller Pilot Data Link Communications.
-Digital messages between Between air traffic controllers and pilots, avoiding need for VDL
Navigation means
-Land routes: VOR/DME
-Long range: INS/GPS
-Main trend: RNAV
RNAV
Area/Random Navigation
Area navigation is a method of navigation which permits the aircraft to navigate along any desired path within coverage of station navigation aides, within limits of self-contained aides, or a combination
Surveillance Means
Continental and Coastal:
-Primary and Secondary surveillance radar
Oceanic and Remote:
-Procedural voice reporting. Pilots must report position to ATC
Primary and Secondary surveillance radar
(PR) Primary Surveillance Radar:
Purpose: slant range, azimuth, radial velocity
-Pulses of radio-frequency energy transmitted and signals scattered back by the surface of an aircraft are received
(SSR) Secondary Surveillance Radar:
Purpose: pressure altitude
-Signal transmitted by this radar initiates transmission of a reply signal from transponder of an aircraft.
Primary Radar + SSR mode A/C provides ATC info about: aircraft position, heading, slant range, altitude, radial velocity, identification
Primary radar limitations
Range resolution: determined by pulse width, ability to distinguish two objects on the same bearing. Objects should be spaced more than half the pulse width
Bearing resolution: Minimum angular seperation at which two objects can be seperated at the same range. Objects should be spaced more than range x beam width.
Minimum range: Pulse width
Maximum range: Pulse repeat time
Maximum range: Rotational velocity
SSR modes
SSR mode A: 8 milliseconds: replies aircraft identification code
SSR mode C: 21 milliseconds: replies aircraft pressure altitude
SSR mode S: Selective, discrete addressing of aircraft unique adress assigned to each aircraft.
SSR side lobes
Weak P2 omnidirectional antenna pulse is given out, if its found to be as strong as P1 and P3 then you are talking to a side lobe.
SSR limitations
- Over-interrogation
Too many interrogating SSRs for one aircraft. - Fruiting
Solved by jitter. Aircraft considers answer to different interrogation as its own - Garbling
Two AC at same time and distance reply to same interrogation, response is garbled
Why Satellite Navigation
- Line of sight coverage over vast areas
- Remote areas reach
- Radio signals penetrate ionosphere overcoming HF radio disadvantages
- Motion of satellites increase chance of good GDOP anywhere on earth
GPS broadcasting Signals
L1 and L2 high frequency carrier signals
PRN (Pseudo Random Noise) Code
-Calculate part of pseudo range by matching received PRN code with database reference to find phase
-Identify which satellite is sending signals
Navigation message
-Position,Velocity,Orbital parameters, Atmospheric model
-HOW (Hand Over Word) contains time the data has been sent by the satellite
First NM –> PRN
GPS Errors
- Satellite clock
(General relativity (Mass) ) or (Special relativity (Velocity) ) - Atmospheric delays
- Solve by atmospheric models or dual frequency - Receiver clocks
-NM and PRN - Multi-path
-filter weak signals - GDOP
-spread out is better