Project results are expected to contribute to the following expected outcomes:

• Capacity: the proposed solutions are expected to provide a more stable and predictable level of capacity in all-weather operations. In addition, by providing capacity dynamically where and when it is needed and re-configuring the airspace to match the traffic flows, overall system resilience will be significantly increased;
• Operational efficiency: the proposed solutions are expected to improve operational efficiency in terms of human performance and the resilience of the staff involved (e.g., ATCOs) to new working methods generated because of new/different task allocation strategies. Trajectory management and dynamic airspace configurations will provide further improvements in vertical flight efficiency;
• Cost-efficiency: dynamic airspace configurations, capacity-on-demand, ATCO training programmes will provide scalability. ATCO productivity is expected to increase significantly;
• Safety: the proposed solutions are expected to maintain at least the same level of safety as the current ATM system.

The future ATM system will require increased agility and flexibility in providing capacity where and when it will be needed across the network, particularly for maximising the use and performance of limited resources, i.e. airspace and ATCOs. The challenge is to propose innovative potential solutions that will supply the required capacity on demand in a dynamic, agile and resilient manner, improving cost and flight efficiency while maintaining (or improving) safety. These solutions shall enable the dynamic reconfiguration of resources and the provision of new capacity-on-demand services to maintain safe, resilient, smooth and efficient air transport operations while allowing for the optimisation of trajectories even at busy periods. The proposed innovative solutions shall aim at responding to emerging business needs that can only be addressed through standardised data sharing between air traffic service providers using a highly interconnected, digital and resilient network.

The SESAR 3 JU has identified the following innovative research elements that could be used to meet the challenge described above and achieve the expected outcomes. The list is not intended to be prescriptive; proposals for work on areas other than those listed below are welcome, provided they include adequate background and justification to ensure clear traceability with the R&I needs set out in the SRIA for the capacity on demand and dynamic airspace flagship:

• Increasing the use of middle airspace. This element addresses the potential business case for increasing the use of middle airspace (approximately between 15 000 ft. and 25 000 ft.) by different type of aircraft (jet engine aircraft, aircraft with new propulsion systems, etc.). Research shall address the environmental impact of providing ATFM slots for flights in middle airspace e.g., fuel consumption, emissions, etc. and the trade-offs with other KPAs such as increased capacity (and reduced delays) (R&I need: on-demand ATSs).
• Network performance cockpit for “network minded” decision making. This research element aims at establishing a network performance cockpit for “network minded” decision making including support to enhanced connectivity both for identifying unattended business opportunities and for managing disruptive crises. How to optimize the current computer assisted slot allocation (CASA) algorithm to consider flow interactions and to implement regulations based on traffic flows with the consequent reduction of delay, and therefore, overall network performance improvement is under scope. In addition, these evolutions may include the consideration of actual aircraft performance, flight profile preferences by airlines and direct routings given by controllers in the en-route phase of flight. This new approach to set ATFCM regulations will improve the ATFCM network decision-making and will avoid unnecessary and ineffective regulations by considering optimal solutions at regional level. In support of the network performance management, research shall propose flow-monitoring dashboards (R&I need: on-demand ATS).
• Global weather and environment monitoring ATM network. The key objective is to design and start developing a single monitoring and reporting system for a green ATM, covering all aviation impacts: greenhouse emissions, noise and air pollutants and relevant safety and security threats. This research element addresses the secure integration of multiple data to monitor, collect, integrate and present weather and environment information to the different stakeholders on the ATM system including: pollution, contrails, noise, weather, vehicle status, congestion and other safety and security threats, such as volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, tsunamis, extreme weather events, conflicts, etc. The primary source of the data may include a variety of sensors: ground, air, stratosphere, space-based, etc.: research covers the challenge to integrate / fuse all this information that may have different granularity, rate, characteristics, etc. Research includes the definition of potential solutions to predict safety and security threats in negatively affecting ATM safety, manage risks as they emerge and recover from disruption caused by, for example, factors such as disease, climate change, volcanic eruptions and solar storms that affect electronic equipment. While focused on the ATM dimension, proposals shall consider potential constraints imposed by other domains as well as collateral impacts of ATM research on other domains (R&I: ATM continuity of service despite disruption).