Boeing, the Air Traffic Alliance, Airservices Australia and Qantas are launching a six-month trial in which arrival clearance instructions will be provided via datalink at Melbourne and Sydney airports.
The trial, to start in March, will involve roughly 100 flights operated by Qantas Airbus A330s and Boeing 747-400s at the two major Australian airports. Airservices Australia air traffic controllers will send the approaching aircraft arrival clearance instructions via datalink, rather than multiple voice communications. The data will be uploaded to the aircraft's flight management system and will guide the aircraft on a steady descent to the airport along the most efficient path, from the beginning of descent, about 225km (120nm) from the airport, to landing.
The process will allow engines to remain just above idle, rather than the alternating increases and decreases in power associated with the current stepped approach. The trial is expected to demonstrate more-efficient aircraft arrivals, fuel savings, reduced emissions and noise, and increased safety, in addition to reducing flightcrew and air traffic controller workload, says Boeing, the project's co-ordinator.
Airservices Australia's Australian Advanced Air Traffic System is the only air traffic control system capable of supporting such a trial in domestic airspace, say the partners.
The trial will provide technical data to support broader research into four-dimensional operations and defining optimal flightpaths, they add.
Source: Flight International
