aircraft tracking - CCT

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Aircraft tracking - In Flight Disappearance: never again?
1-Day conference organized by
Midi-Pyrenees chapters of 3AF and SEE through their CISEC partnership,
together with CNES CCT PDS and ENAC
Toulouse, 15th October 2015
Conference objective and context
This conference aims at clarifying needs, constraints and solutions for improving the aircraft localization
means from the view point of major stakeholders: airliners, air traffic controllers, aircraft manufacturers, providers
of communication facilities.
Whereas the means of geolocation made great strides through GPS, recent disappearances in flight of civil
aircraft, such as flight AF 447 and more recently flight MH 370, have surprised general public. Indeed, this wondering
is justified if one takes, in other fields, only two examples: the terrestrial or maritime conveyers can constantly locate
their vehicles respectively on roads or on maritime routes, the parents can even follow, thanks to the capability of
smart phones, the way taken by their children going to school on their own.
In order to determine the origin of these disappearances in flight, it is necessary to quickly access the last
data of the flight to determine whether it results from technical failures or human errors, or even a deliberated
action (voluntary transponder cut-off evoked for flight MH 370). For this purpose, sophisticated and expensive
means were activated in order to find across wide areas the wreckages and then the crash recorders in the depth of
the oceans (the research duration for the AF 447 was 23 months…). Taking into account the speed of a plane, the
uncertainty of localization is obviously much larger starting from the moment when any radio contact is lost or any
radar echo disappears.
Moreover, the insufficient autonomy of the batteries (recommendation of the BEA to increase from 30 to 90
days) equipping the recorders which supply the beacons, on several occasions, was highlighted for the sea
localization using sophisticated acoustic means.
Aircraft engine manufacturers can monitor, by periodic connection through satellite data link, the status of
their engines in flight and thus optimize maintenance - its seems that has allowed collection of the very limited
information available on flight MH370 after exit of the cover zone of the primary radars and the transponder cut-off
for the secondary radars. In addition, certain airlines equip their planes so that any passenger can use his own
mobile phone or connect to Internet and read his e-mail by satellite systems. Consequently, why not generalize the
transmission of position reports, by means of this nature? It seems that there are however strong reservations
emanating from other airlines considering expenses to engage, asserting that such accidents, fortunately, are
extremely uncommon.
In a worldwide context where terrorist threats expand, and in particular against air transport, these
arguments are not easily acceptable, a maximum safety must be ensured to counter such evolution.
It is then justified to wonder what are the existing means of localization: Radio, Radar, Satellite
communications (Inmarsat, Iridium,…) and in the light of the recent events, what functions are poorly provided or
not at all? What relevant information to transmit in real time or at what rate and through what way? What are
consequently the new equipment to install on plane or to modify, with what technical and economic consequences?
International working groups to the ICAO and the IATA were set up, which made proposals right now.
This day comprises talks by experts of the aeronautical world (airframe manufacturers, airline companies,
suppliers of systems and equipment), of the space business (Satcom systems) and ATC authorities, on the current
and future means of localization -with short and medium term- so that such deficiencies in the management of air
traffic do not continue.
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Preliminary program
9.15 – 9.30 ENAC welcome
9.30 – 10.30 Current status and aircraft tracking needs from Air Traffic Control and Accident investigation
Henk Hof, Eurocontrol
Philippe Plantin de Hugues , Bureau Enquête Analyse
10.30 - 11.00 –Overview of possible aircraft tracking solutions – Session 1
Claude Pichavant, Airbus
Coffee Break
11.20 – 12.20 Overview of possible aircraft tracking solutions – Session 2
Paolo Burzigotti, ESA “IRIS project by ESA: contribution to SATCOM and ATM"
Mathieu Dabin- Thales Alenia Space – Use of COSPAS- SARSAT
Lunch
14.00 – 15.15 Aircraft tracking: debate about major needs, opportunities, constraints
Panel discussion with former speakers and Cyril Digon (Corsair)and Philippe Lemasson (SAGEM DEFENSE SECURITE)
15.15 – 15.30 Conclusion
Conference location and registration
The conference takes place at ENAC, Amphi Bellonte 7 Avenue Edouard Belin, 31055 Toulouse Cedex 04, France
Access map: see www.enac.fr/
The conference access is free of charge but registration is mandatory (including for speakers and organizers) on
http://cct.cnes.fr/content/cct-pds-global-flight-tracking
It will be possible to have lunch on site (ticket to be bought at the welcome desk).
Organization and program committee
M. Benhamed, ENAC
JP Blanquart, SEE-CISEC Airbus Defence and Space
H. Bonnin, SEE-CISEC
G Caille, SEE Retired Thales Alenia Space
F. Christophe, SEE ONERA
JC Gautherot, SEE/3AF Retired DGA-TA
S. Gay, ENAC
JM Lopez, SEE Retired CNES
C. Rodriguez, CCT-PDS CNES
D. Seguela, SEE-CISEC CNES
C Seguin, SEE/CISEC ONERA
J Sombrin, SEE Retired CNES
J. Stella, 3AF
P. Traverse, 3AF/CISEC Airbus
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Conference Overview
Henk J.Hof
Bio: Henk J. Hof is currently Head of the European ATM Master Plan Maintenance Unit and as such
responsible for managing the Master Plan update campaigns. Henk is the EUROCONTROL member and chairman of
the ICAO ATM Requirements and Performance Panel (ATMRPP) and chairman of the ICAO Ad-hoc Working Group on
Aircraft Tracking that developed the concept of operations for the Global Aeronautical Distress and Safety System
(GADSS). Henk started his professional career in 1985 as policy adviser on communication, navigation and
surveillance matters for the Dutch ATC authorities. He was a member of the Dutch delegation for the ICAO FANS I
and II Committees and of a number of ICAO panels. In 1991, Henk joined the EUROCONTROL Agency as project
manager responsible for the standardisation and implementation of the aeronautical telecommunication network
(ATN). Since 2005 he became responsible for performance driven strategic ATM Planning and for managing multidisciplinary teams on various strategic ATM subjects.
Presentation will provide an overview of the GADSS and stress the importance to work on all elements of
the GADSS. Aircraft Tracking is an important first step but more needs to happen in order to mitigate the current
short comings.
Philippe Plantin de Hugues
Bio: Philippe Plantin de Hugues, B.E.A., Special Adviser on International Affairs
Presentation: Aircraft Tracking and Location of an Aircraft in Distress On 1 June 2009 Air France flight AF447
disappeared over the South Atlantic. The search for the wreckage and the flight recorders was finally successful
nearly two years after the accident. At the time this abstract was written, the wreckage and the flight recorders
from the Boeing 777 flight MH370 that disappeared on 8 March 2014 had yet to be found. These events emphasize
the need for: flight tracking of aircraft while over oceanic or remote areas with a broadcast signals at least once
every 15 minutes, an autonomous system capable of transmitting sufficient information at least once every minute
for precise location of an aircraft when an emergency situation is detected, and potential activation from the
ground of on-board second-generation ELTs using the Galileo Return Link Service capability. There are a growing
number of large long-range aircraft that fly over oceans, connecting distant continents. Using GNSS capabilities, it is
important to improve the ability to quickly locate missing aircraft, in order to save lives and prevent accidents.
Claude Pichavant
Bio: Senior Expert – Communication & Surveillance, Airbus
In the field of Civil Airborne communications and surveillance systems, Claude has been actively involved in
the international standards for commercial aviation, representing Airbus in the various bodies such as ARINC
(Aeronautical Radio, Incorporated), EUROCAE and RTCA (Radio Technical Commission for Aeronautics); Single
European Sky ATM Research (SESAR); International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and International
Telecommunications Union (ITU) Radio Communication Sector.Claude contributed to the ATTF (Aircraft Tracking
Task Force) which was established by the IATA (International Air Transport Association) and to the 2015 ICAO HighLevel Safety Conference on the Global Flight Tracking topic
Presentation: Aircraft Tracking, the airframer view
Commercial aircraft are equipped with Communications, Navigation and Surveillance systems (CNS) which
provide essential and critical safety functions related to airworthiness and flight regularity. Most of these systems
are able to transmit information:
- Radio Communication, (VHF, HF, Satcom, ELT, ...)
- Air Traffic Control: ATC / ADS-B
To enhance aircraft tracking, the international aviation community developed performance standards to
establish a near term aircraft tracking capability using existing technologies. Long term global aeronautical distress
system and enhancement of Flight Data recovery are also addressed by the aviation stakeholders. Airbus as
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airframer will provide a landscape of the new rules/mandates and their impact on board the aircraft according to the
potential solutions.
Paolo Burzigitti
Bio: Paolo Burzigitti is the ESA’s Iris Development Manager, responsible for the definition and
implementation of the activities under ESA Iris programme. His responsibilities include the end-to-end Iris Precursor
service development and, in coordination with SESAR, the preparation for Iris Long-Term SATCOM component of the
future ATM communication infrastructure.
Presentation: ESA’s Iris Programme is looking to satellites to make aviation safer through modern
communications. Worldwide digital data links via satellite, offering much higher capacity, will become the norm for
cockpit crews, with voice communication used only for specific operations. Iris is part of a much broader push driven
by the European Commission to modernize air traffic management in support of the Single European Sky. Following
the European approach based on a stepwise implementation, Iris has defined a continuous service provision
implemented through incremental steps with increasing performance. Iris Precursor, technically ready in 2018, is the
first milestone; it will provide the technologies that will be used for air–ground communications for initial ‘4D’ flight
path control. Iris Long-term will follow as evolution of Iris Precursor, aiming at answering the long term
communication needs of European ATM Master Plan step supporting the long-term ATM services
Mathieu Dabin
Bio: Graduated in Aeronautic, Matthieu has now more than 30 years experience spent in engineering,
teaching, consulting, management activities mainly on projects in Aeronautics and Space Domains. During his last
positions, he was in charge of the definition of the software qualification program on the SBAS Satellite Based
Augmentation System EGNOS project. Then he developed, for Thales Alenia Space the aeronautical satellite
communication activities including SDLS, ASPASIA, SWIM-SUIT, NEWSKY projects, MTSAT system, NAVISAT initiative
and SESAR/IRIS projects. He is now in charge of international business development and cooperation activities within
the OEN (Observation, Exploration, Navigation) Business Line of Thales Alenia Space. Main ambition of this new
position is to promote satellite system usage in aviation world, from SBAS deployment in Africa and Middle-East to
definition of new Satcom system for Command&Control of UAV, including new features of Search & Rescue.
Matthieu has been invited in Kuala-Lumpur to participate to the ITU-ICAO expert working group following the
MH370 disappearance. He believes that the use of satellite systems in ATM is the ATM future, a … close future!
Presentation: Thales Alenia Space likes to take advantage of this Global Aircrafts Tracking day to present the
potential benefits of COSPAS-SARSAT evolution to implement position and status reporting in case of in-flight events
or anomalies.Civil Aviation benefits with COSPAS-SARSAT from a proven and global SaR (Search and Rescue) system,
being in operation for more than 30 years and saving more than 35000 lives. COSPAS-SARSAT i”s evolving towards a
new generation, MEOSAR opening the door for fast moving alerts detection and positioning.Thales Alenia Space is
currently developing new generation MEOLUT that will improve SAR performance (Global coverage, Real Time
Coverage, moving beacon localization, potential remote activation).
Cyrille Digon
Bio: Cyrille Digon has been graduated from ENAC in 1995. His 20 years of experience within Corsair
International give him a strong knowledge of aircraft operations. He started as a flight ops support engineer,
managing flight operations support, performing route studies, implementing operating procedures for various
aircraft types (B737, B747 and A330). After 5 years, he became Deputy Ground Operations Manager, giving him a
deeper knowledge of aircraft operations, covering flight and ground operations. Cyrille has spent his last 10 years as
Head of Quality and Flight Safety. This function consists in guaranteeing compliance with regulations and
maintaining a high level of safety in daily operation. It gives him an extensive knowledge of aircraft operations,
including maintenance and crew training in addition of flight and ground operations, allowing him to take part of
stragetic project.