Wake vortex detection, prediction and decision support tools in SESAR program

At airports, surface operation on the runway is the limiting factor for the overall throughput; specifically the fixed and overly conservative ICAO wake turbulence separation minima. The wake turbulence hazardous flows can dissipate quicker because of decay due to air turbulence or be transported out of the way on oncoming traffic by cross-wind, yet wake turbulence separation minima do not take into account wind conditions. Indeed, for safety reasons, most airports assume a worst-case scenario and use conservative separations; the interval between aircraft taking off or landing therefore often amounts to several minutes. However, with the aid of accurate wind data and precise measurements of wake vortex by radar sensors, more efficient intervals can be set, particularly when weather conditions are stable. Depending on traffic volume, these adjustments can generate capacity gains, which have major commercial benefits. This paper presents the developments of a wake turbulence system supporting increased throughput as part of the European ATM research program SESAR. This wake turbulence system is designed to, punctually or permanently, reduce landing and departure wake turbulence separations, thus increasing the runway throughput in such a way that arrival demand peaks and departure delays are safety absorbed. This global objective is by deploying radar sensors to deliver real-time position and strength information of the wake vortices and to assess wind conditions including ambient air turbulence via Eddy Dissipation Rate (EDR). To further address the optimization of throughput, two extensions for the use of wake turbulence system are considered for the terminal area and the runway rollout. These extensions connect the ground system with the aircraft to maximize benefits. The first application is the optimization of aircraft sequence via point-merge procedure, which is part of interval management operational improvement. The second application relates to the optimization of runway exit based on assessment of runway condition and aircraft-based braking capability to select the best runway exit for both the aircraft objectives and the runway throughput.