Trajectory-Based Operations (TBO) - Joint Planning and ...

Trajectory-Based Operations (TBO)
Study Team Report
18.15 Benefit of Imposing a 4DT Gate-to-Gate
The surface aspects of TBO assume that time is important and can be met with sufficient precision as
to increase airport throughput. The challenges may outweigh the benefits, and surface TBO raises
some research and performance issues:
• Surface TBO is primarily an issue over the precision of timing. Is this a flow issue or a
separation issue?
• How good does the takeoff time have to be and what factors are driving the precision?
• Should the focus be on preferred performances in surface movement and leveraging surface
movement learning 29 to make surface movement more predictable?
• Is it necessary to use TBO for runway exit and taxi-in, especially after using surface movement
learning to help reduce runway occupancy times?
• How should surface TBO be used for intersection de-confliction and runway crossings?
• What human-machine interface (HMI) is needed to provide guidance cues on progress toward
meeting takeoff time and expediting runway exiting for both the pilot and the ANSP?
• What HMI is needed to support sequencing and de-confliction of surface movement traffic for
the ANSP?
The benefits of the surface segment of gate-to-gate are less queue delay, sequencing of departures for
optimal throughput, environmental gains by reducing emissions at the airport, fuel savings for the
users, improvements in deicing, and prioritizing flights for the airspace requirements.
Recommendation TBO-28
The TBO Study Team recommends a more detailed analysis of precision time performance on the
airport surface in terms of safety, efficiency, capacity, and environmental benefits.
18.16 HMI Considerations for Surface Movement
The TBO Study Team recognizes that surface movement is a visual activity, even in low visibility. The
mix of electronic information on displays and out-the-window current operations can lead to headsdown
time that may not be appropriate for surface movement. The current implementation of
electronic flight bags in various positions and configurations for surface moving maps is starting down
the path of more heads-down time. Will surface TBO drive a forward field of view requirement? What
credit will be given for equipage for forward view?
Recommendation TBO-29
Research on the concept of surface TBO needs to address the interface between the pilot and the
automation in terms of placement, content, visual cues, techniques for identifying time progress,
braking to exit, and other techniques to reduce runway occupancy times.
29
Surface movement learning refers to the process of using surface surveillance to learn aircraft
behaviors like taxi time by operator, aircraft type, and gate, as well as preferred exits (wet, dry, day,
night) from the runway, queue length optimization, taxi-out variability, etc. This information is then
applied in surface movement automation.
Joint Planning and Development Office
103