COTTON (Capacity Optimisation in TrajecTory-based OperatioNs) project addresses the research topic ER3-03-2016 ‘Optimised ATM Network Services: TBO’, and in particular the challenge of exploring how the uncertainties associated with the agreed trajectory will impact the quality of the predictions – both volume and complexity of traffic demand – and the effectiveness of Demand and Capacity Balancing (DCB) processes regarding airspace management. To achieve this goal, COTTON identifies three main objectives:
- Improve the use of trajectory-based complexity assessment to support Capacity Management (CM) including uncertainty.
- Identify and promote the benefits of Trajectory-Based Operations (TBO) to develop innovative DCB models based on Dynamic Airspace Configuration (DAC) and Flight Centric ATC (FCA) solutions
- Explore DAC and FCA solutions integration.
To achieve its objectives, COTTON has assessed the suitability of the available complexity metrics to support DAC, FCA, and integrated DAC/FCA CM process. From the result of this assessment, COTTON has selected three candidate complexity metrics, namely Solution Space, Cognitive Complexity and Geometrical Complexity. It has evolved their mathematical formulation; and developed complexity-based methods to assess capacity in DAC and FCA.
COTTON proposes a complementary use of these three enhanced complexity metrics to build COTTON Complexity Assessment, which is flexible enough to support each CM sub-process; with the due granularity to address the specificities of DAC and FCA airspaces; and effective at each planning phase. The development and integration of COTTON Complexity Assessment within the CM processes constitutes COTTON Enhanced Capacity Management, whose potential benefits are assessed in COTTON validation.
The impact of COTTON proposed solutions on the most relevant Key Performance Areas (KPAs) has been evaluated by means of three Fast Time Simulations to test not only DAC and FCA solutions in isolation but also potential alternatives for their safe integration.
