Federal AviationAdministration

Aeronautical Mobile Airport Communications System

(AeroMACS) Status Briefing

Presentation to WG-M/18Montreal, Canada

Presented by: Brent Phillips; FAA Date: July 18, 2011

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Background• Future Communications Study (AP-17),

ICAO Aeronautical Communications Panel, Recommendation #1:

– Develop a new system based on the IEEE 802.16e standard operating in the C-band and supporting the airport surface environment.

• NextGen Implementation Plan (FY09, FY10 & FY11) to improve collaborative Air Traffic Management includes “New ATM Requirements: Future Communications”

– Concepts of use, preliminary requirements, and architecture for C-band airport surface wireless communication system

– Test bed infrastructure to enable validation of aviation profile

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AMACS-002rev1

CY 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25

Communication Roadmap (1 of 4)

LDRCLRCL

BWM

DMN

NADIN PSN

FTI-1

ANICS

NADIN MSN

SWIM

Tele

com

Supp

ortin

gA

ctiv

ities

SWIM-Core Services

ASTI

NMR

FID74

FID129

CRDR217 JARD

496

IID497

Note: Fixed User Ground Communications as a component o f a Mobile User Communications Network

NASA R&D onairport vehicles

(with ADS-B out)surface location

Inventory NavigationTime and Frequency

Requirements and Assess GPS Outage Impact

345

Approved

FTI-2

XX

X

X

XX214

215

SWIM Segmt. 3SWIM Segmt. 2SWIM Segmt. 1

X25 Service DiscontinuedUsers transferred to FTI IP

102

130

AirportWireless

CommunicationSystem

FID498

216

Airport WirelessCommunications

System (R&D Effort)344

Common Shortlist

Continental

B-AMCP34/TIA-902LDL AMACS

B-AMCP34/TIA-902

LDLAMACS

Continental

Oceanic /Remote

Inmarsat SBBCustom Satellite

Inmarsat SBBCustom Satellite

Oceanic /Remote

Airport IEEE 802.16e IEEE 802.16e Airport

EuropeUnitedStates

CustomSatellite

AMACS-001rev1

C-band Datalink Recommendations

• Develop airport surface system based on IEEE 802.16e standard

– [A1.1] Identify the portions of the IEEE standard best suited for airport surface wireless communications, identify and develop any missing functionality and propose an aviation specific standard to appropriate standardisation bodies;

– [A1.2] Evaluate and validate the performance of the aviation specific standard to support wireless mobile communications networks operating in the relevant airport surface environments through trials and test bed development;

– [A1.3] Propose a channelization methodology for allocation of safety and regularity of flight services in the band to accommodate a range of airport classes, configurations and operational requirements;

– [A0.4] Complete business analysis in relation to the FCI components and implementation from the perspective of the ground infrastructure and the airlines.

A I R T R A F F I C O R G A N I Z A T I O N

2007 World Radiocommunications Conference Decision

• The WRC-07 approved adding an AM(R)S allocation for 5091-5150 MHz to the International Table of Frequency Allocations

– Removed prior limitation in so-called MLS Extension Band for “support of navigation/surveillance functions”

• AM(R)S designation for safety and regularity of flight applications

• No interference allowed with other occupants in the band: non-GEO satellite feeder links and aeronautical telemetry

– Protected allocation enables ICAO to develop international standards for airport mobile (i.e., wheels in contact) surface wireless communications networks that include fixed assets

• Ideal for airport surface wireless network with short range (~10 km or less sector coverage) and high data throughput (10s of Mb/s)

• The WRC-12 will consider adding an AM(R)S allocation in the 5000-5030 MHz band

A I R T R A F F I C O R G A N I Z A T I O N

Potential AeroMACS Service Categories in U.S.

55

A ir Traffic C ontro lA dvisory Services

M obile

Surface C N SServices

Fixed

Air Traffic

A O C ServicesA A C ServicesA dvisory Services

M obile

TB D

Fixed

Airline

Port A uthority O psSafety Services

M obile

Port A uthority O psSecurity Services

Fixed

Airport

Potential AeroMACS Services

• ARINC, SITA, Airlines, Others? • Port Authority, Commercial?• FAA, FTI, Others?

AeroMACS Service Examples and Provision Options

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Air Traffic ServicesService Examples Air traffic control commands beyond Data Comm Segment 3

Surface communications, navigation, and surveillance (CNS) fixed assetsProvision Options Government-owned (licensed)/Government-operated (GO/GO)

Government-owned (licensed)/Commercially-operated (GO/CO) Non-competed service extension via FAA Telecommunications Infrastructure

(FTI) Open commercial competition by FAA

Airline ServicesService Examples Airline Operational Control (AOC)

Airline Administrative Communications (AAC) Advisory information System Wide Information Management (SWIM) Aeronautical Information Management (AIM) Meteorological (MET) data services

Provision Options Commercially-owned (licensed)/Commercially-operated (CO/CO) Non-competed service extension via exiting AOC service providers Airline service provision internally Open commercial competition by airlines

Airport Operator/Port Authority ServicesService Examples Security video

Routine and emergency operations De-icing/snow removal

Provision Options Local Government-owned (licensed)/Commercially-operated (GO/CO) Commercially-owned (licensed)/Commercially-operated (CO/CO) Open commercial competition by Operator/Port Authority

C-Band Research Description – FY09

• Develop ConUse, requirements, and architecture for the C-Band airport surface wireless communications system

• Conduct supporting system analyses (e.g. high-level safety, interference, wireless security, risk assessment) 

• Develop detailed system designs based on IEEE 802.16 standards

• Establish an operational capability in NextGen CNS Test Bed to characterize the performance and conduct services demos/trials

• Develop test and demo plans and execute those plans to establish baseline performance as point of departure for proposed aeronautical services modifications

• Develop initial recommendations for joint RTCA/EUROCAE standards activities and provide support to new RTCA SC, and propose methods to validate standards in follow-on tasks

AeroMACS NASA-CLE CNS Test Bed

• ITT’s AeroMACS prototype implements features required to support mobile and stationary wideband communications for safety and regularity of flight services in an operational airport environment

• Full prototype network has been installed, including user verification and security with Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting (AAA) server function

• AeroMACS hardware and network installation completed in October 2009 with two multi-sector base stations providing wide area coverage and redundancy (one on Glenn property, one on CLE) and eight subscriber stations (two on Glenn, six on CLE)

• AeroMACS operational capability established in March 2010

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NASA-Cleveland Test Bed AeroMACS Network Layout

9

AZ = 55° °

AZ = 200°

AZ = 295° AZ = 45°

AZ = 185°

Cleveland-Hopkins International Airport

NASA GlennResearch Center

SubscriberStations

Base Stations

CoreServer

10

Two-Sector Base Station Located at NASA Glenn Hangar Building 4

BTS 1-1 ODU BTS 1-2 ODU

GPS ODU GPS ODU

11 GHz Backhaul ODU

11

Three-Sector Base Station Located at CLE Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting (ARFF) Building

ARFF Building and Observation Deck

GPS ODUs

BS ODUs (3)

11 GHz Data Backhaulto B110

Subscriber Station Installation Example on Sensis MLAT Equipment at NASA Glenn Building 500

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ITT AeroMACSSubscriber Station

ODU

ITT AeroMACSSubscriber Station

Electronics Enclosure

Sensis Multilateration

MLAT Remote UnitEquipment

AeroMACS FY10 Evaluations• Measure data throughput and packet integrity for the following

conditions:– 5 and 10 MHz channel bandwidths– Stationary and mobile subscriber stations at speeds of at least 40 knots– Line-Of-Sight (LOS) and Non-LOS (N-LOS) propagation links– Presence of adjacent channel activity

• Mobility tests with hand-off transition between base station coverage sectors and between base stations

• Determine minimum transmit power required to maintain a minimum level of link performance:– Single subscriber station antenna– MIMO antenna diversity

• Characterize link performance when transferring sensor data from MLAT sensors in test bed– Mixture of data traffic streams– Traffic priority setting with Quality of Service (QoS) settings

Funded Research Activities in FY11

• Evaluate selected ATC mobile applications on the aeronautical mobile airport communications system (AeroMACS)

• Investigate and resolve remaining issues affecting the final AeroMACS profile inputs to the MOPS process

Evaluate and recommend mobile Source Station (SS) MIMO antenna configurations for mobile SSs

Optimize AeroMACS system-level performance (QoS, data throughput, latency, error rate) within ITU limitations on radiated power

Resolve channel BW and center frequency spacing plans to satisfy US and European objectives while preserving Spectrum Office flexibility and compatibility with WiMAX Forum practices

Validate that the proposed AeroMACS complies with interference requirements for the US proposed allocation at World Radiocommunications Conference in 2012.

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RTCA SC-223

• RTCA Program Management Council approved SC-223 in July 2009 for Airport Surface Wireless Communications standard development

– Aeronautical Mobile Airport Communications System (AeroMACS) profile is based on IEEE 802.16-2009 standard

– Working in close collaboration with EUROCAE WG-82 to develop joint profile and MOPS documents.

– Engaged industry participation from their perspectives:Honeywell (Co-Lead) and Rockwell Collins, avionics providers

ITT (Co-Lead) and Harris, service providers

Boeing, aircraft manufacturer

– Draft AeroMACS profile complete. Document through Final Recommendations and Comments (FRAC). Presented to PMC 28 Sept. for formal approval.

– Minimum Operational Performance Standard (MOPS) process began in February 2011.

– Next Meeting:

– August 2011 at RTCA Washington D.C.

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Approach for Technical Parameter Profile• System profile define AeroMACS

operation in the unique airport surface environment

• Profile based on IEEE 802.16-2009 broadband mobility standard

• Leverages commercial mobile Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX) for profiles, hardware, software, and network architecture

• Testing, analyses, and demos will validate that application needs are met

• RTCA SC-223 is developing FAA profile recommendations; EUROCAE WG-82 is developing common profile for EUROCONTROL in parallel

Profile Area Key Parameter Selections

RF/Radio parameters Frequency band Channel BWs Channel center

frequencies

5091 to 5150 MHz 5, 10 MHzCenter frequencies at 5 MHz increments

Power class Max DL TX power Max UL TX power

Unchanged from IEEE 802.16e

Duplex Mode TDD/FDD TDD

Physical Layer M-ary QAM range Coding options MIMO

Performance profiles – Min. performance defined in 802.16e and sensitivity values scaled for frequency

MAC Layer ARQ Security protocols Mobile protocols QoS options

Unchanged from IEEE 802.16e

Pending Action Plan 30: FCI

• AP-30 Future Communications Infrastructure

– On 30 July 2009, the FAA-Eurocontrol Coordinating Committee (CCOM) approved the AP-30

• “Eurocontrol/Jacky Pouzet and FAA/Brent Phillips to develop a work programme for the agreed new Action Plan to cover Communication Infrastructure that will focus on WiMAX at terminal areas. TOR and AWP2010 to be proposed at CCOM 11.”

– Conduct the research and technology development for the FCI based on the ICAO endorsed findings and recommendations of AP-17: Future Communications Study (FCS)

– FAA/Steve Bradford endorsed NASA’s co-signatory role on AP-30 as on AP-17

• FAA-NASA to focus on airport surface AeroWiMAX

• FAA to allow Eurocontrol to lead on L-band enroute

• NASA-funded research on SatCom FCI for FAA is preferred

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C-Band Research Description – FY12

• Assess requirements for data service segregation and reliable delivery of ATC and AOC AeroMACS applications identified by the RCTA SC-223 Ad Hoc User Services and Applications Survey working group.

• Investigate secure and reliable methods for Private Key Management and synchronization across all AAA AeroMACS sites, including the responsibility for generating initial PKM certificates and dissemination across the AeroMACS system

• Support the development of the AeroMACS Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPS) document in ICAO ACP Working Group S through validation and analysis.

Task Name J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N

2009 2010 2011D

• Technology Investigation Phase III Report (May 2007)• U.S/Eurocontrol FCS Final Recommendations (Nov 2007)• ICAO Endorses FCS Recommendations (Apr. 2008)

• NextGen I&I Project Level Agreements • NASA TestBed Development• AeroMACS Validation Testing • RTCA SC-223 PMC Approval • RTCA SC-223/EUROCAE WG-82 Joint Working Groups • AeroMACS Profile Development• AeroMACS MOPS Development • AeroMACS Vol I Report: Concepts of Use, Initial System

Reqts, Architecture and Design Considerations• AeroMACS Vol II Report: Test Bed Performance

Evaluationand AeroMACS Recommendations • AeroMACS Profile Validation Activities

AeroMACS Activities Schedule & Milestones