FASTNet (“Future dAta Services and applicaTions for airports and Network”) is part of the Fast-Track SESAR3 Industrial Research Programme and brings together key airport stakeholders, with the aim of enhancing collaborative data exchange at local airport level, towards improving the communication links between airports and the European Air Traffic Management Network. FASTNet is structured around two solutions:
• FASTNet solution 1 introduces the collaboration and coordination between airports directly, in the tactical phase of operations, ensuring an optimal traffic demand and capacity balancing prior to coordination with the Network Manager. The aim is to ensure that airport pairs (origin-destination airports) play an active role in the overall Air Traffic Flow and Capacity Management (ATFCM) process.
• FASTNet Solution 2 reinforces the information sharing between airports and the Network manager in the strategic and pre-tactical phase of operations. The aim is to ensure that the right information is shared as early as possible between the key stakeholders to ensure that tactical operations have been planned in an optimal way.
The outcomes of the FASTNet project are linked to 4 demonstrations across the two Solutions.
For airports, the proposed solutions are expected to enhance the stability and predictability of operations from strategic planning up to the tactical phase. This will be achieved through the consolidation of Airport Operations Plan (AOP) information. The use of additional information provided by Airport, Airspace Users and Network, supported by artificial intelligence/machine learning, will allow better planning predictions for all operational actors. The participation of airports in the Network Demand and Capacity Balancing (DCB) process will as well be reinforced through the use of machine learning in the derivation of important local data to be shared with the Network Manager, such as improved taxi time values, which accurately take into account local information, such as stand and runway usage, as well as weather conditions.
At the level of the European ATM Network, the enhanced traffic predictability provided through the FASTNet project will lead to reduced, as well as more stable, ATFM measures by ensuring that sector count predictions are better aligned to the real traffic flows. The time horizon at which pertinent data and information is shared bi-directionally between airports and the Network Manager will be extended into the pre-tactical and strategic phases of operations (more than 7 days before the day of operations), using existing B2B services and data sharing protocols, ensuring that all actors are able to plan their operations and resource allocation based on the most accurate information available.
