Qantas trials new technology

[Wirraway]

AAP

Qantas trials new technology
FEBRUARY 11, 2004

QANTAS will trial a new aircraft arrival system which is set to save fuel and reduce noise and pollution.

The six-month trial starts next month and involves sending instructions to the cockpit of approaching planes into Sydney and Melbourne via data link.
The trial will be conducted in conjunction with Boeing and Airservices Australia.

The new technology differs in that it allows the pilot access to a limitless range of flight path options, ensuring the most efficient landing.

This will eliminate the need for the usual multiple voice communications from the air control tower and give pilots more options than the few set paths previously stored in the aircraft's computer.

Qantas head of flight operations Captain Chris Manning said the new procedures, developed by Boeing and implemented by Europe's Air Traffic Alliance, would allow higher approaches for arriving aircraft.

Mr Manning said this would reduce noise and enable pilots to use lower power settings, resulting in minimising fuel burn and lowering emissions.

Airservices Australia chief executive Bernie Smith said the trial heralded a new era of partnering between the aviation industry's major players to achieve long term sustainability.

"This concept can work for the whole industry by increasing safety, saving fuel, reducing emissions, further minimising noise and potentially reducing flight crew and air-traffic control workloads," Mr Smith said.

The trial will initially involve about 100 flights with Boeing 747-400 and Airbus A330 aircraft with Qantas crew and air traffic controllers constantly evaluating each arrival, Mr Manning said.

AAP

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[404 Titan]

Sounds like receiving a clearance via PDC to me. There is nothing new in receiving a clearance via PDC except they are only given for departure clearances. There has never been a technical reason why they couldn’t give an arrival clearance by PDC. Someone has probably said why don’t we just do this. The rest of the garb has got me though. Are they planning to do away with the Stars and have everyone coming in Wily Nily? I don’t think so. This sounds like political garbage coming into an election year to me. They are trying to sway the swinging voter in the noise sensitive hot seats around Sydney and Melbourne Airports if you ask me, and it a pretty pathetic attemp at that. :yuk: :mad:

[Buster Hyman]

Well, here am I thinking this was going to be about Customer Service!!!:rolleyes: :} :ouch:

[Wirraway]

Fri "The Australian"

Qantas trials landing system
By Steve Creedy, Technology
February 13, 2004

THE jargon-filled patter between pilots and air traffic controllers may become a thing of the past if tests by Qantas of new computer technology prove successful.

Next month the airline will begin world-first trials of a landing system that allows air traffic control to beam data directly to an aircraft flight computer.

The new system - which promises welcome noise relief to people living near airports as well as reduced aircraft emissions - will eliminate the need for multiple vocal exchanges between controllers and pilots.

Proponents say it will also reduce airline costs and improve safety by reducing workloads for flight crew and air traffic controllers.

Australia was chosen to demonstrate the concept because it has the only air traffic control system advanced enough to support it.

About 100 Qantas Boeing 747-400 and Airbus A330 flights into Sydney and Melbourne will initially take part in the test for six months.

The trial - which is being co-ordinated by US aircraft manufacturer Boeing and also involves Airservices Australia and Europe's Air Traffic Alliance - breaks new ground in international co-operation and will be keenly watched by overseas airlines and air traffic control providers.

Instructions downloaded from the air traffic control system via a datalink will be transferred into flight management computers. The instructions will include flight paths that allow pilots to make a low-powered descent, with engines running just above idle, for the last 28-30 minutes of a flight. This is quieter and cheaper than the current system of descending in steps involving noisy power increases and decreases.

Higher approaches by arriving aircraft are also expected to reduce noise, according to Qantas chief pilot Chris Manning.

"Currently, pilots access flight paths that are stored in the aircraft's computer, but the options available are limited because the computer is only able to store limited data for each destination," Mr Manning said.

"Using technology in this new way - dynamically uplinking data from the ground-based air traffic control system rather than relying on stored data - allows pilots access to a limitless range of flight path options to ensure the most efficient arrival path possible."

Qantas flight crews and Airservices air traffic controllers will constantly evaluate each flight during arrival and will be able to immediately switch to routine operations if necessary.

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[Grivation]

Don't tell me they've finally designed a star that will actually END at a runway!

[*Lancer*]

Reduce noise and emissions!?!? How did they figure that out? Descending at idle until touchdown :ugh: