CNS/ATM : Cool Neat Stuff – All

Takes Money

By Mario Pierobon

In part one of our look at the status of CNS/ATM modernization efforts,

Mario Pierobon explores the evolution of the diverse components that
come together to make flying safer, more efficient and less impactful to
the environment and to learn about what is coming next.
16 Aerospace Tech Review | www.aerospacetechreview.com | Autumn 2021
 www.aerospacetechreview.com/avionics

I
n the domain of air traffic
management (ATM), communication,
navigation, and surveillance
(CNS) infrastructure provides
the foundation for the provision
of air navigation services.
CNS infrastructure includes various
on-board, ground-based, and space-
based components, that are subject to
technological evolution, very much like
the whole ATM concept is subject to
evolution. In this first part of a multi-
part story on CNS technology we shall
concentrate on how the traditional
CNS infrastructure has developed since
the early days, where the technology
is headed, and the main drivers of the
changes in CNS technology.
Aerospace Tech Review | www.aerospacetechreview.com | Autumn 2021 17
ATM Modernization
Indeed, CNS infrastructure has developed
significantly since the early days of
aviation. “For oceanic flights, we have
moved from CNS being driven by flight
engineers who would perform navigation
manually using paper charts and report
the position of the aircraft through voice

CNS systems enable airspace capacity and efficiency,
and they can also contribute to environmental
sustainability.
contact with high frequency radios, to
augmented GPS systems built into aircraft
automatically reporting their position and
routes using satellite communications.
This digitalization has taken 20 years to
develop to a point that it is now mandated
across the most important routes around
the globe.” says Ghislain Nicolle, vice
president of air traffic services at Inmarsat.
According to Christine Berg, head of the
Single European Sky Unit at the Directorate
General for Mobility and Transport of
European Commission, the various CNS
systems enable airspace capacity and
efficiency, and they can also contribute to
environmental
sustainability.
“We should
keep in mind
that the CNS
infrastructure
does not
deliver
operational
benefits
directly; it is a Christine Berg, European Commission
technical enabler for providing operational
benefits to ATM and airspace users,” she
says. “CNS infrastructure, including both
deployment of new CNS systems and
rationalization of some legacy CNS systems,
must evolve to achieve the long-term
objective of ATM modernization — the
Digital European Sky — as defined in the
European ATM Master Plan in our case.”
In practical terms, the evolution of
CNS systems means that there will be
progressively more integrated, secure and
performance-based CNS services making
use of more satellite-based solutions,
as well as an improved exchange of

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18 Aerospace Tech Review | www.aerospacetechreview.com | Autumn 2021

information between aircraft and the ground,
according to Berg. “A unique opportunity
has emerged, because of the economic
impact of the COVID-19 crisis, to accelerate
the rationalization of CNS infrastructure,
benefitting from the decisions of some
airlines to no longer operate certain aircraft
types,” she points out.
In the context of the Single European
Sky (SES) regulatory framework, CNS
infrastructure should be managed,
modernized, and operated to support the
achievement of Union-wide performance, in
terms of reduced environmental impact, cost-
efficiency, network capacity and safety for all
citizens,” according to Berg. It should enable
the implementation of cross-border and
pan-European service delivery models, and
respect security and defence requirements,”
she says.
Inmarsat is currently working in partnership
with the European Space Agency (ESA) on
the Iris program to develop a solution of
air traffic management over the continental
airspace, points out Nicolle. “Iris will deliver
new communications capabilities enabling
both enhanced air traffic services as well
as better communications with the airline’s
operation center,” he says. “This will not only
improve airspace usage to accommodate
future growth but will also allow airlines to fly
shorter and more efficient routes, minimize
flights delays, save fuel and reduce the
carbon footprint of their operations. It really
is a great example of the vast benefits the
new area of digitized aviation can bring to
aviation travel.”
Evolution of Communication
Technology
Historically, the need to improve CNS
emerged as a result of congested skies,
expanding aircraft operations and airspace
security concerns, observes Coleen
Hawrysko, CANSO’s Operations Program
manager. “From
the advent of
two-way radio
communications
and radio
navigation
beacon systems
in the first
part of the
20th century,
pilots now Coleen Hawrysko, CANSO
communicate with air traffic control and
their operation centres utilizing any of
several systems – very high frequency
(VHF), ultra-high frequency (UHF), and high
frequency (HF) voice communications, as
well as digital communications utilizing
data link and satellite voice,” says

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Aerospace Tech Review | www.aerospacetechreview.com | Autumn 2021 19

 NOW 2025 2030 2035 Objective infrastructure
Backbone + MON
IP
Backbone iSWIM SWIM, SOA
SWIM
IP IP Backbone
Backbone IPv6 mobility, sec
Trajectory negociation,
clearance exchange

HF & VHF 25 & 8.33 kHz VHF 8.33kHz & MON 25kHz & HF MON VHF 8.33 & 25 kHz (climax)
Performance based CS
HF
HF data Multi-link phase out

Performance based CNS

VDL2 VDL2

SATCOM C,B SATCOM B SATCOM A/B

Multi-link

AeroMACS
SATCOM A
AeroMACS
LDACS A-PNT LDACS
LDACS
Performance based Navigation
DME MON DME/VOR + MON DME MON A-PNT
Aircraft positioning, derived

VOR or others
data and identification

GPS L1 DFMC
ABAS/SBAS ABAS/SBAS GNSS
DFMC
Performance based Surveillance
ADS-B
ADS-B/ADS-B SAT ADS-B

Mode S
Mode A/C/S Clustering clustered Initial MON Mode S

MLAT MLAT MON

Composite Initial MON MLAT Composite

PSR MON PSR MON MSPSR

Video Mode S
MLAT
M/LAT MSPSR
ADS-B Initial MON MLAT SMR
guidance for airport access
Aircraft positioning, and

SMR MON SMR

EVS SVS/CVS GNSS DFMC

Performance based Navigation
GPS L1
ABAS ABAS DFMC E, S, CVS
GNSS
GPS L1 DFMC
SBAS SBAS DFMC

GBAS GPS L1 CAT I/II/III GBAS DFMC CAT I/II/III

ILS MON ILS CAT I MON ILS CAT II/III MON ILS

MON: Minimum Operational Network

CNS infrastructure has developed significantly in Hawrysko. is then

the past 20 years. This roadmap for the backbone
infrastruction shows where the future lies. Image The transition from voice to digital downlinked
courtesy of the European ATM Master Plan (2020 message had already begun with the through the
edition)/Copyright: SESAR Joint Undertaking.
introduction of controller pilot datalink extended
communication (CPDLC), emphasizes projected
Ruben Flohr, expert in ATM architecture profile (EPP)
and systems engineering at SESAR Joint to confirm to
Undertaking. “In the long term, a further the air traffic
shift is expected that will enable the controller
transformation from single voice-based (ATCO) that
ATC instructions to trajectory-based the flight Ruben Flohr, SESAR JU

operations (TBO) that build on closed-loop
control whereby a ‘complex’ clearance is
uplinked over datalink composed of geo-
positions, time, altitude, speed and heading
instructions,” he says. “The updated flight
path, incorporating the complex clearance,
management system (FMS) has accepted
the complex clearance. This will increase
the predictability of the flight’s trajectory
both for the pilot and the ATCO, and hence
enable more fuel and climate efficient
conflict avoidance.”

20 Aerospace Tech Review | www.aerospacetechreview.com | Autumn 2021

CNS technology contributes to the safe operation of flights, as well as a significant impact efficiency while supporting the growth of air travel.
Drive Towards GNSS
In the very early days of aviation, a pilot
navigated by looking out of the cockpit
window, following a coastline, a river,
roads and recognizing landmarks like
lighthouses and church towers, observes
Flohr. “The early navigation from the
outside view only, was clearly fully
dependent on visibility, and to mitigate
this dependency, beacons were installed.
Different technologies arose, like the VHF
omnidirectional radio range (VOR) to
enable the aircraft to measure its angle
from such a beacon, and the distance
measuring equipment (DME) to enable the
aircraft to measure its distance from such a
beacon. On-board systems would combine
multiple beacons to determine the aircraft
position. Complementary to the beacons,
the inertial navigation system (INS) was
introduced,” he says.
Since the 1980s a new mode of navigation
became available which was based on
a position signal from space: the global
positioning system (GPS) provided by the
United States. “GPS was the first example of
a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS),
and it was later complemented by other
satellite constellation systems, launched
by Europe (GALILEO), Russia (GLONASS),
and China (BEIDOU),” says Flohr. “Up until
now, most western GNSS-based air traffic
navigation systems have been solely based
on GPS. SESAR research is ongoing to
also integrate the other constellations for
navigation, either as crosscheck or as fallback
to increase reliability and integrity, and hence
increasing safety levels.”
Technological Upgrade of
Surveillance
From ‘line of sight’ and manual position
reporting to the development of radio
detection and ranging (RADAR) developed
post-World War I and other terrestrial
based systems, surveillance systems
have evolved now to the provision of
enhanced surveillance utilizing satellite
technologies, observes Hawrysko. “Due
to increasing costs involving maintenance
and sustainability, many legacy RADAR
systems are being decommissioned in
favour of automatic dependent surveillance
– broadcast, or ADS-B. As technology
rapidly evolves, enhanced voice
communications utilizing satellites is also
on the near horizon,” says Hawrysko.
Indeed, the shift towards space-based
ADS-B is ongoing, and already operational in
some oceanic regions, affirms Flohr. “As far
as terrestrial surveillance is concerned, there
is still debate about the safety case related
to completely trading primary radar for
secondary dependent surveillance only,” he
says. “In particular, in the light of resilience
the need for back-up solutions is still
relevant, for example jamming of the GNSS
signal in regions of war is quite common.”
Drivers of Change
According to Nicolle, CNS technology is
not only needed for the safe operation
of the flight, but it can also have a truly
significant impact to fly aircraft more
efficiently while supporting the growth
of air travel. “CNS technology allows
Aerospace Tech Review | www.aerospacetechreview.com | Autumn 2021 21

The ultimate goal of upgrading CNS is to offer
the most flexible routing capabilities without
compromising the safety of flights.
22 Aerospace Tech Review | www.aerospacetechreview.com | Autumn 2021
airlines to offer better routes by,
e.g., taking advantage of tailwinds to
reduce flight time – offering a more
comfortable flight for the passenger,
while at the same time supporting
the growth of capacity of the overall
system as needed over the busiest
routes,” he says.
The most important driver to
change in CNS technology is to
support future operational concepts,
according to Flohr. “Some of these
concepts, along with the expected
traffic growth, require improved
technical performance levels (in terms
of latency, data capacity, accuracy, etc.)
that the current CNS technologies are
not able to meet,” he says. “Another
overall trend is the transition from a
technology-based to a performance-
based CNS framework, in which the
technical performance indicators
for CNS systems (e.g., availability,
integrity, and continuity) are defined
for specific operational needs and
types of airspace, without any system
pr technology prescription.”
The ultimate goal is to offer the most
possible flexible routing capabilities
without compromising on the safety
of flights, according to Nicolle. “This
is what we are currently seeing over
the North Atlantic airspace with the
deployment of the oceanic track system
(OTS). For busiest airspaces such as
Europe and China which are rapidly
becoming saturated in certain areas,
there is a higher demand for satellite
communications which Iris is going to
fulfil to allow for effective and secured
voice and data communications,” he
says.
Airspace safety and efficiency
have always been important to CNS
technology enhancements, affirms
Hawrysko. “As airspace becomes
increasingly congested, the need
for immediate air traffic control/
pilot communications has never been
greater. Navigational and surveillance
accuracy are key contributors to a safe
and efficient air traffic management.
Our industry is working diligently
to improve voice communication
capabilities in remote and deep ocean
airspace,” says Hawrysko.
Berg believes there is a set of
main guiding principles that should
be considered when changing CNS
technologies. “First of all, change
must be driven by the needs of civil
and military stakeholders, including
those of new entrants, e.g., drones.
The services provided by CNS
systems must ensure safe and secure
operations and the evolution of
CNS technologies must follow an
integrated (iCNS) and primarily a
performance-based approach,” she
says. “In addition, airborne, ground
and space components must be
interoperable, including at global
level; this also means compliance with
ICAO standards and coordination with
relevant international partners. CNS
systems must be able to use spectrum
more efficiently and the provision of
iCNS services should shift from local to
cross-border and pan-European CNS
operated infrastructure. Ultimately
such transition should foster not
only the modernization but also the
rationalization and decommissioning of
legacy civil CNS infrastructure.”
Summing Up
The modernization of the ATM system
is an ongoing effort, and it includes
the technological upgrade of CNS
infrastructure in a performance-based
mode. The second part of this multi-
part story will concentrate on the
resilience aspects of CNS infrastructure,
its interoperability, and the inclusion of
new entrants in the airspace.
 AUTUMN 2021

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CNS/ATM UPDATE BIG DATA SOFTWARE INGENUITY ADTS HYDROGEN

We’ve come so far but IMPLEMENTATIONS The first helicopter to fly on Air data test sets are Will hydrogen be the key
Does it live up to the hype
CNS/ATM modernization Are there ways to ease Mars is a design marvel that tried and true. But small to sustainable aviation.
of enabling predictive
is a moving target. the pain and make them had to overcome complex improvements have made Some visionaries think so.
maintenance?
go smoother? challenges to succeed. them better.

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