Validation of a major airport safety system: A-SMGCS

Citation

(2007), "Validation of a major airport safety system: A-SMGCS", Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, Vol. 79 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/aeat.2007.12779aab.023

Validation of a major airport safety system: A-SMGCS

Validation of a major airport safety system: A-SMGCS

EUROCONTOL has now completed an extensive validation of the advanced surface movement guidance and control system (A-SMGCS), and reports that it leads to significant improvements in the efficiency of airport surface movements reducing accident rates by up to 50 per cent.

A-SMGCS was first developed as a concept in the late 1980s as a response to the increase in airport traffic and runway incursions. It includes four main functions: surveillance (including position and identification of traffic), conflict detection, efficient routing and guidance. EUROCONTROL's A-SMGCS project concentrates on providing improved situational awareness to controllers and helping them to detect runway incursions and other potentially dangerous situations. The validation of A-SMGCS has involved operational trials at five airports (Paris CDG, London Heathrow, Frankfurt, Vienna and Zurich) combined with real- time simulations. The trials are reported to have shown that A-SMCGS could enable a 50 per cent reduction in accident rates in particular by helping controllers detect runway incursions and prevent collisions.

Following on from the trials, EUROCONTROL will presented concepts and procedures for A-SMGCS to the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) at the end of 2006. These were supported by a Generic Safety Case, a Human Factors Case and a Cost Benefit Assessment.

“We are very pleased that the results of the trials have been so positive” said Paul Adamson, A-SMGCS Project Manager “It means that we can now make clear proposals to ICAO for how to move forward with implementing this technology which will have clear safety benefits”.

At the end of October 2006, EUROCONTROL hosted a workshop where the concepts, procedures and benefits of A-SMGCS were presented to an audience of operational staff from ATC, airport operators and airlines. The event focused on the benefits of A-SMGCS implementation and looked at future developments which may include fully integrated safety nets for controllers, pilots and vehicle drivers. The workshop also included one day dedicated to runway safety, in particular the contents of the European Action Plan for the Prevention of Runway Incursions, as well as an industry exhibition that gave attendees the opportunity to learn about A-SMGCS and runway safety-related systems.

The Workshop took place at the EUROCONTROL Institute of Air Navigation Services, in Luxembourg and attendance was free of charge.