Spotlight on safety

This issue highlights some of the work Helios has been doing in software development, technology assessments, cost-benefit analysis and communications support. The focus of many of these projects has been on improving safety. This is hardly surprising given the acknowledged need for new systems to support growing demand in all forms of travel. Another subject close to our hearts is Galileo, the European satellite system (see news on the Fidelity project in HOT AIR!). In a recent communication, the EC reinforced Europe's need for Galileo, but also outlined the problems being faced across the programme. Back in 2000, it was decided that a Public Private Partnership offered the best means of financing full deployment based upon a number of key assumptions. It is now apparent that many of these assumptions regarding design risk and liability have not materialised. The EC now recommends that the public sector should finance all capital costs, leaving a concessionaire responsible for long term operations. We wait to see at the end of this month whether the European Parliament and Council will follow this recommendation or not. Finally, we are delighted to announce that ON AIR! is going electronic! Our regular readers will soon see this issue appear in their inbox. If you would like to join them and receive future copies by email, do get in touch at info@helios-tech.co.uk.
Mike Shorthose, Managing Director

CONTENTS
ATM SYSTEM SAFETY

Software success
IP FOR AVIATION

New solutions for 2020+

MARITIME AIS

New technology assessed

SAFETY NETS

STCA and ACAS

HOT AIR!

Our news section

OFF AIR!

Puzzle competition

ATM system safety

SUMMER 2007

Software success

Features of the SESAR Safety Screening Tool

Built in Excel Designed for projection in a workshop environment Incorporates a Question Navigator enabling easy navigation and overview Recording of answers Graphical display of automatically calculated results Advanced question structure: hierarchy, mapping and automatic routing All data stored in easy-to-understand spreadsheets

new interactive Safety Screening Tool developed by Helios and NLR as part of the SESAR work package

Safety Regulation has been welcomed by users. The tool aims to improve safety considerations in early systems design. It does this by identifying those changes that have the potential for major effects on safety (positive or negative). It then prioritises these for more detailed safety assessment studies. The tool helps users screen projects based on 17 safety fundamentals drawn from three different perspectives on safety: 1. System safety performance 2. Safety management aspects high-level discussion of safety issues raised by ATM system changes and is suitable for the concept planning stage. Says EUROCONTROL project manager Oliver Straeter: It should help foster a proactive and shared understanding of safety, and avoid cost-intensive recovery or delays in project delivery. Helios was responsible for software development and NLR for content and project management. Adds Straeter: This tool is currently in active use and has been warmly received. It is user-friendly and robust. We are delighted with the results, and are planning further developments in 2007.

News and Information from Helios

3. Operational safety aspects The screening method is able to generate rapid,

News and Information from Helios

The SESAR Safety Screening Tool was developed for EUROCONTROL as a contribution to the SESAR Definition Phase, which is a project of EUROCONTROL co-funded by the EC TEN-T programme. For more details about the tool contact Andrew Burrage at Helios (andrew.burrage@ helios-tech.co.uk) or Oliver Straeter at EUROCONTOL
(oliver.straeter@eurocontrol.int). Or visit

www.eurocontrol.int/safesky.

Andrew Burrage Andrew has been working at Helios since February 2006 where he has worked on numerous software and analysis projects. For the SESAR Safety Screening Tool he was solely responsible for the software development on the tool. Previously Andrew worked on the validation of the later stages of the CAPT surveillance software tool (see ON AIR! Autumn 2006). He is also the main developer on an internal web-based account tracking package and a key team member in Helios study into mitigation of Interrogator Code (IC) conflict.

IP for aviation
New solutions for 2020+

issues brought about by the mobility of aircraft and the need to communicate with different ground stations and networks. ICAO studies had previously concluded positively on the feasibility of IP for providing aeronautical air-ground network connectivity for safety-related ATC services. As well as exploring the existing mobility solutions identified by ICAO, including the use of routing protocols and Mobile IPv6, the Helios team identified two technically feasible solutions that had not previously been considered: a solution based on moving IPsec tunnels, and a so-called Link Layer mobility solution. These have since been

ollowing earlier studies investigating the use of Internet Protocols (IP) for future air-ground data link

accepted by ICAO as candidate solutions. IP is already being used in several non safety-critical ground-ground ATS applications. The aim of this work was to build on the recommendations of the ICAO study and to identify the technical solutions best suited to aviation. Says Helios project manager Dr Andrew Ives: The reason for looking at IP for aviation is that it potentially allows benefits from the latest developments in industry. But using IP also presents a host of technical challenges related to security and mobility - as well as avionics certification issues - that need to be resolved. IP is being considered to support future, more advanced ATC applications such as trajectory-based negotiation, and is intended for operation over new air-ground data link technologies expected to be deployed in 2020 or beyond. In the meantime, the ATM community is implementing the Aeronautical Telecommunication Network (ATN) for ATS air-ground data link communications. The six-month study was carried out by a consortium comprising Ericsson, SITA, Sofravia, LFV, Rockwell Collins and DLR. For further information please contact Dr Andrew Ives at andrew.ives@helios-tech.co.uk. Alternatively, visit the EUROCONTROL website to access the study deliverables: www.eurocontrol.int/communications/public/news/news_ 141106.html.

applications, a new study led by Helios has identified two previously unexplored solutions. EUROCONTROL commissioned the study to assess the feasibility of using IP to support the next generation of ATS and AOC applications, focusing on technical and security

Options considered
Routing protocols A translation of the existing ATN approach into the IPS where routers throughout the network distribute the required IP address. Mobile IPv6 A standard defined in IETF to enable seamless roaming. All communication is routed through one Home Agent as the aircraft travels. IPsec tunnels Involves the setting up of an IPsec tunnel as a link between an aircraft and the desired ground system. An aircraft moving to an area with a different network sets up a new IPsec tunnel and then dismantles the previous one. Link Layer mobility Based on 3GPP protocols as used for mobile phones. Provides seamless mobility within a network and involves service providers exchanging IP addresses at network boundaries.

News and Information from Helios

Beaming buoys
New RF technology assessed T
oday mariners typically use radar to locate aids to buoys and lighthouses as a fallback. Now a new radio frequency broadcast technology is being assessed that has the potential to provide more accurate position information, positive identification of the aid to navigation and other useful data such as sea conditions. Called AIS (maritime Automatic Identification System), the technology is being evaluated by the General Lighthouse Authorities whose role it is to provide Aids to Navigation (AtoN) to mariners and Helios has recently completed a study for them which defined the AIS service availability requirements and made system design recommendations. The study was carried out in four steps: 1. Define the AIS AtoN service and propose a definition for the service availability. 2. Identify the system architecture for the provision of the AIS AtoN service. 3. Carry out a Failure Mode and Effect Analysis (FMEA) to identify the different failure modes. 4. Carry out a Fault Tree Analysis (FTA) using the FMEA output to calculate the overall failure rate. This process enabled the General Lighthouse Authorities to identify the critical areas of the system architecture and service provision that may need to be addressed prior to implementation. Furthermore, the FTA will enable them to specify performance requirements on separate parts of the AIS AtoN system to ensure that a target level of availability is achieved. For more information on this project, contact adam.parkinson@helios-tech.co.uk.
New arrivals - We welcome Dr Branka Subotic and Nick Clyburn to the team. Branka is an expert in safety and human factors in ATM and recently completed the final stage of her PhD in controller recovery from equipment failures in ATC. She joins the Operations and Safety team working on safety cases and future concept development and adds Serbian to the 9 other languages spoken by our multinational team! Nick joins us from Strike Command, where he has been working as an internal management consultant for the RAF. As well as bringing new skills to the company, he also reinforces our growing operations team with his background in air traffic control. Surveillance training success - Our June 07 public training courses focussing on secondary surveillance technologies (Mode S, ADS-B and Multilateration) sold out with record attendances. We are now planning a training week on navigation technologies and another on communications technologies all for engineers and technicians. To register for latest information contact info@helios-is.com. Fidelity news - The Fidelity project continues on track. Helios is the project manager for a pan-European consortium which is delivering the Time Service Provider (TSP) for Galileo. The customer is the GNSS Supervisory Authority (GSA). The development of this vital component of the European GNSS is continuing right on schedule. In May Helios ran the successful Development Key Point 1 (DKP 1) meeting. This looked at all aspects of the implementation of the TSP facility and also the planning for future developments. The GSA is very satisfied and Fidelity are now bang on target for achieving the next major milestone at DKP 2 in July. Fragmentation explained, defragmentation explored - This is the theme of our conference taking place on 27-28 November 2007 in central London. Key industry decision makers are speaking. This is THE topic on everyones agenda today in driving forward ATM policy and system evolution in Europe. Put the dates in your diaries now and if you would like to pre-register, contact info@helios-is.com. Testing the wind? - Helios and NATS have recently won a contract from the EUROCONTROL Experimental Centre to develop validation plans for Wake Turbulence concepts such as Time Based Spacing and Crosswind Departures. The work will comply with the European Operational Concept Validation Methodology. This reflects the strengths of the involved parties, and builds on Helios' operational concept development expertise in areas such as Airborne Surveillance, Continuous Descent Arrivals, and 4D trajectories.

navigation, with traditional visual identification of

FTA and FMEA explained

Failure Mode and Effect Analysis (FMEA) and Fault Tree Analysis (FTA) are two common techniques used for carrying out safety assessments. FMEA is a systematic method of identifying the failure modes of a system and determining the effects on the next higher level of the design. FTA is a top-down system evaluation procedure in which a model for a particular undesired event is formed and then evaluated.

News and Information from Helios

Safety nets for ATC

Spotlight on STCA and ACAS R
ecent aviation accidents have highlighted the need to strengthen ATC safety nets and Helios has been

by 36 renowned experts in this area of safety. The workshop report, more information on safety nets and the work done by EUROCONTROL in this area can be found at www.eurocontrol.int/safety-nets. Or contact kevin.tucker@helios-tech.co.uk.

Safety nets in brief

STCA and ACAS are well-established safety nets that both exclusively serve the purpose of preventing collisions between aircraft during airborne phases of flight. STCA (Short Term Conflict Alert) alerts the air traffic controller who then immediately assesses the situation, determines the best course of action and gives appropriate instructions to the pilots concerned. ACAS (Automatic Collision Avoidance System) on the other hand provides Resolution Advisories directly to the pilots concerned when the risk of collision becomes imminent.

supporting EUROCONTROLs Safety Nets team in analysing the issues and communicating the actions. In 2004 and 2005 EUROCONTROL undertook comprehensive surveys to assess the status of current practices in ground based safety nets. The next step was to develop specifications and guidance materials to support standardisation, with a specific priority for STCA (Short Term Conflict Alert). During 2006 Helios assessed the economic impact of standardising STCA throughout Europe. Helios also developed a spreadsheet model that enabled individual Air Navigation Service Providers to assess the cost for their organisation to obtain standardised STCA. While this was going on, other members of Helios worked with the Safety Nets team to raise the profile of the activities, developing presentations, posters, graphics and helping prepare stakeholder workshops. Now in 2007 Helios is just starting working with the team on their next challenge: to raise the levels of awareness and understanding between controllers, pilots, safety and management staff about safety nets, and how they interact with each other. Says EUROCONTROLs Ben Bakker: The average pilot doesnt know much about STCA and may believe or assume that STCA and ACAS are coordinated. They are not. This is part of our work to raise awareness and understanding of the issues involved across the aviation community. STCA and ACAS interaction will be the focus of further studies during 2007-2010. The subject was addressed in some detail at a workshop held by EUROCONTROL and the Swiss Federal Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communication (DETEC), which was attended
Helios is a technical and business consultancy working in airports, air traffic management and navigation markets. We help our customers solve problems and implement technical and operational solutions that will improve corporate performance. Our team has a range of expertise covering research, planning, simulations, feasibility studies, cost benefit analysis, procurement support and safety studies. Our knowledge covers all of the technologies that support air traffic management, as well as satellite navigation and advanced communication systems.

The lost buoy!

Two motorboats leave a pier simultaneously, the HMS Tinker downstream and HMS Bell upstream, with the same motive force. As they leave, a life buoy falls off HMS Tinker and floats downstream. An hour later both ships are ordered to reverse course. Which boat arrives at the buoy first or do they arrive at the same time? Please provide a brief explanation with your answer. The answer will be published in the next edition of ON AIR!. Please send your solutions to laurette.royer@heliostech.co.uk. All entries must be received by 30 September 2007. As usual, we will give a bottle of champagne to the first correct answer drawn at random after this date. Good luck to everyone! And the winner is The correct answer to the puzzle in the Spring edition of ON AIR! was 8:25am. The car was scheduled to reach the station at 8:30am. When it met the engineer, it saved 10 minutes (5 to get to the station and 5 to come back to the meeting point). Therefore the engineer met the car at 8:25am. Well done to Nigel Eite of the UK CAA who wins the champagne.
For further information, contact Mike Shorthose by email: mike.shorthose@helios-tech.co.uk, telephone: +44 1276 452811 or visit our website www.helios-tech.co.uk. This newsletter has been written for the interest of our clients and colleagues. We believe the facts are correct at the time of printing, but cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions. Please send change-of-address details to info@helios-tech.co.uk. Helios Technology Limited, Chamberlain House, High Street, Bagshot, Surrey, GU19 5AE, UK.