Javier A. Pérez Castán

Universidad Politécnica de Madrid | UPM · Departamento de Infraestructura, Sistemas Aeroespaciales y Aeropuertos

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) specifies that in the design phase of instrument flight procedures, an additional clearance may be added to an obstacle when flights are over mountainous terrain. This clearance increase can be up to 100 per cent of the minimum obstacle clearance (MOC). Airspace and instrument flight procedure de...

A major challenge for the Air Traffic Management system is the need to boost airspace capacity, which is near saturation in some situations. Separation minima are one of the factors related to airspace capacity, and the SESAR program promotes research into advanced separation modes. Ad Hoc separation, a novel separation mode, involves applying diff...

The current aim in response to the anticipated growth in air traffic demand is to expand airspace capacity. However, this poses a challenge, as many airspace volumes are nearing saturation. An influential factor in determining airspace capacity is separation minima, which have remained unchanged for more than two decades. It seems that technologica...

The demand for air mobility services will depend on the safety of these operations but also on the transportation time savings in congested urban areas. An adequate air space structure is therefore essential to achieve both objectives. Corridors, the most extended solution proposed nowadays, can meet the safety requirements necessary for air taxi o...

The expected growth of air traffic in the coming decades demands an increase in airspace capacity, which is already close to saturation in many scenarios. One of the limiting factors of this capacity is the separation minima. At present, the separation standards that apply in a given volume of airspace are fixed, and their values were determined de...

Citation: Pérez Sanz, L.; Martínez García-Gasco, C.; Pérez Maroto, M.; Pérez-Castán, J.A.; Serrano-Mira, L.; Gómez Comendador, V.F. Performance-Based Navigation Approach Procedures with Barometric Vertical Guidance: How to Select the Air Temperature for Approach Procedure Design. Aerospace 2023, 10, 337. https:// Abstract: In performance-based navi...

The required minimum separation distance between aircraft is believed to be one of the limiting factors on airspace capacity. In recent decades, aircraft separation rules have been modified by progressively shortening the required minimum separation distance. Following this trend in the coming years, a further reduction in the minimum separation di...

Designing and developing artificial intelligence (AI)-based systems that can be trusted justifiably is one of the main issues aviation must face in the coming years. European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has developed a user guide that could be potentially transformed as means of compliance for future AI-based regulation. Designers and devel...

Safety is paramount goal of air traffic control (ATC). One of the main concerns in everyday ATC operations is prevention of conflicts, i.e. losses of separation in the given airspace. The objective of the research is to find out main characteristics of different aircraft encounters leading to conflicts and collisions. For that purpose a set of metr...

A Mid-Air Collision (MAC) is a fatal event with tragic consequences. To reduce the risk of a MAC, it is imperative to understand the precursors that trigger it. A primary precursor to a MAC is a loss of separation (LOS) or a separation infringement. This study develops a model to identify the factors contributing to a LOS between aircraft pairs. A...

The integration of Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS) in non-segregated airspace is one of the most demanding challenges that the aviation community must face in the years ahead. This article develops the flight-plan processing from a risk-based methodology. The risk-based methodology is underpinned by an in-depth safety analysis throughout th...

This article evaluates Machine Learning (ML) classification techniques applied to air-traffic conflict detection. The methodology develops a static approach in which the conflict prediction is performed when an aircraft pierces into the airspace. Conflict detection does not evaluate separation infringements but a Situation of Interest (SI). An airc...

Given the ongoing interest in the application of Machine Learning (ML) techniques, the development of new Air Traffic Control (ATC) tools is paramount for the improvement of the management of the air transport system. This article develops an ATC tool based on ML techniques for conflict detection. The methodology develops a data-driven approach tha...

Purpose Airports are limited in terms of capacity. Particularly, runways can only accommodate a certain number of movements (arrivals and departures) while ensuring safety and determined operational requirements. In such a constrained operating environment, any reduction in system capacity results in major delays with significant costs for airlines...

Purpose This paper aims to analyse remotely piloted aircraft system (RPAS) integration in non-segregated terminal airspace. This work aims to identify the potential airspace volumes where a free operation of RPAS can be developed by analysing the airspace design of the terminal airspace. Design/methodology/approach The methodology considers five c...

Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS) is a capital issue for the majority of aviation actors nowadays. The integration of RPAS is an extremely demanding task that must be tackled by multiple standpoints: economic, social, technological or environmental among others. U-space is the answer from Europe to design the operation of multiple and differe...

Airports are limited in terms of capacity. Particularly, runways can only accommodate a certain number of movements (arrivals and departures) while ensuring safety and determined operational requirements. In such a constrained operating environment, any reduction in system capacity results in major delays with significant costs for airlines and pas...

Passengers go through different handling processes inside airport terminal buildings. The quality of these processes is usually measured by the time passengers require and by the level of comfort experienced by them. We present an analysis of behavioural patterns in queues at check-in desks and security controls, which are two of the most critical...

The integration of Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS) in non-segregated airspace is one of the forthcoming challenges in aviation. This paper develops a decision framework to determine the airways where RPAS should fly. The methodology defines three types of indicators: (1) static indicators based on the geometry of the airspace; (2) dynamic i...

This research assesses the impact of the integration of Continuous Climb operations (CCOs) on Air Traffic Control (ATC) workload. The methodology encompasses different modules: CCO, standard departing and arriving trajectories extracted from an external database, an ad-hoc algorithm for detecting and solving conflicts, and an ATC-workload model wit...

This paper presents the development of a multilevel optimization framework for the design and selection of departure routes, and the distribution of aircraft movements among these routes, while taking the sequence and separation requirements for aircraft on runways and along selected routes into account. The main aim of the framework is to minimize...

Purpose The current air traffic management (ATM) operational approach is changing; “time” is now integrated as an additional fourth dimension on trajectories. This notion will impose on aircraft the compliance of accurate arrival times over designated checkpoints (CPs), called time windows (TWs). This paper aims to clarify the basic requirements an...

Purpose – The current air traffic management (ATM) operational approach is changing; “time” is now integrated as an additional fourth dimension on trajectories. This notion will impose on aircraft the compliance of accurate arrival times over designated checkpoints (CPs), called time windows (TWs). This paper aims to clarify the basic requirements...

One of the most complex challenges for the future of aviation is to ensure a safe integration of the expected air traffic demand. Air traffic is expected to almost double its current value in 20 years, which cannot be managed without the development and implementation of a safe air traffic management (ATM) system. In ATM, risk assessment is a cruci...

Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) are new airspace users that require to be safely integrated into the non-segregated airspace. Currently, their integration is planned for the horizon 2025, but there is a lot of pressure by RPAS operators to fly as soon as possible. This research focuses on the development of a risk-based framework for the i...

Purpose This paper aims to assess the implications in safety levels by the integration of remotely piloted aircraft system (RPAS). The goal is to calculate the number of RPAS that can jointly operate with conventional aircraft regarding conflict risk, without exceeding current safety levels. Design/methodology/approach This approach benchmarks a c...

Many civilian applications of commercial unmanned aircraft are being planned to operate in the years ahead. Several countries have developed their own framework to design the operation of unmanned aircraft and the different services that demand safe operation. This paper focuses on the European framework denoted as U-space which concludes with the...

The expected growth of air traffic in the following decades demands the implementation of new operational concepts to avoid current limitations of the air traffic management system. This paper focuses on the strategic conflict management for four-dimensional trajectories (4DT) in free-route airspace. 4DT has been proposed as the future operational...

The current Air Traffic Management (ATM) functional approach is changing: ‘time’ is now integrated as an additional fourth dimension on trajectories. This notion will impose on aircraft the compliance of accurately arrival times over designated checkpoints, called Time Windows (TWs). In this context, we review the operational concept of 4D-trajecto...

The forthcoming integration of Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS) is one of the cmost omplex challenges for aviation. Europe draws to allow operating RPAS and conventional aircraft in non-segregated airspace by 2025, but this demanding perspective entails a thorough analysis of the different aspects involved. The RPAS integration in non-segreg...

The integration of remotely piloted aircraft system in non-segregated airspace requires a significant effort and new methodologies to underway this challenge. This paper develops a methodology to assess the impact of remotely piloted aircraft system integration by applying safety metrics in tactical planning. This methodology builds five modules to...

This research assesses the impact on Air Traffic Control (ATC) workload by the integration of Continuous Climb operations (CCOs) in a high-density Terminal Manoeuvre Area (TMA). The methodology encompasses different modules: CCO, standard departing and arriving trajectories are extracted from an external database, an ad-hoc algorithm detects confli...

The forthcoming integration of Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS) is one of the cmost omplex challenges for aviation. Europe draws to allow operating RPAS and conventional aircraft in non-segregated airspace by 2025, but this demanding perspective entails a thorough analysis of the different aspects involved. The RPAS integration in non-segreg...

System Safety Assessment is an integral part of the design and operation of aviation and Air Traffic Management (ATM) systems. The aim of the System Safety Assessment is to identify, quantify and mitigate any and all risks; and to ensure that the system complies with the safety levels established by the regulatory authority. This paper presents an...

Remotely-piloted aircraft systems (RPASs) present interesting and complex challenges for air traffic management. One of the most critical aspects of the integration of RPASs in non-segregated airspace is safety assessments. This paper lays out a methodology for estimating the minimum protection distance (MPD) that is required to avoid potential con...

Continuous climb operation is an operational concept that allows airlines to perform an optimal departing trajectory avoiding air traffic control segregation requirements. This concept implies the design and integration of air traffic flows for the sake of safety performance. This paper designs a new conflict-detection air traffic control tool base...

Air transport planning takes new technologies, strategies, and procedures into consideration when optimizing both trajectory and air traffic management. Continuous Climb operations (CCO) are new optimal departing trajectories that minimize fuel consumption, emissions, and noise levels within the vicinity of airports. In contrast with previous resea...

The occurrence of Losses Of Separation between aircraft in an airspace that could lead to Mid Air Collisions (MAC) is of major concern to Air Traffic Management. This paper uses an innovative approach to develop Safety Performance Functions to predict the occurrence of losses of separation. This will improve the safety conditions under which airlin...

The efficient and safe introduction of Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS) in non-segregated airspace re-quires a thorough assessment of all operational elements. In this paper, we dealt with the safety problem thatarises from the integration of RPAS jointly with conventional aircraft in non-segregated airspace. The authorspropose a framework and...

Continuous Climb Operations (CCO) enable aircraft to execute optimal departing trajectories. However, current airspace design may not allow the integration of CCO due to incompatibility with air traffic flow. This paper lays out a new conflict risk model and assesses the impact of CCO in complex airspace. In this document, conflict risk is defined...

Air traffic networks are highly dependent on airport arrival processes, which are common triggers for capacity constraints and delay propagation. Arrival Manager tools aim to improve arrival flows at airports. To do so they need reliable, accurate assessments of potential congestion and delay issues. This paper sets out a methodology for predicting...

La introducción segura y eficiente de los Sistemas de Aeronaves Pilotados en Remoto (RPAS) en un espacio aéreo no segregado requiere un análisis en profundidad de todos los aspectos operacionales involucrados. Este artículo analiza el impacto que tiene la integración de RPAS junto a aeronaves convencionales sobre la seguridad operacional. La metodo...

Purpose The use of the 4D trajectory operational concept in the future air traffic management (ATM) system will require the aircraft to meet very accurately an arrival time over a designated checkpoint. To do this, time intervals known as time windows (TW) are defined. The purpose of this paper is to develop a methodology to characterise these TWs...

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to focus on the development of conflict-resolution algorithms between Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS) and conventional aircraft. The goal of the conflict-resolution algorithm is to estimate the minimum protection distance (MPD) which is required to avoid a potential conflict. Design/methodology/approac...

The full benefits of Continuous Climb Operations (CCO) are realised when CCO are performed without interruption. However, CCO require safe departures that necessarily implies a reduction in capacity at high density traffic airports. This paper quantifies the capacity impact due to the integration of CCO (conflict-free with other departures and arri...

The aim of this paper is to describe the experience of the implementation of an educational project based on the model "challenge-based learning". This collaborative project focuses on the interrelations of demand, predictability and safety in air transport. Specifically, it involves three subjects of the Master's Degree in Air Transport Systems at...

This paper develops a functional analysis of the aircraft flow through the airport operational framework, focusing on the airspace-airside integrated system. In this analysis, we use a dynamic spatial boundary associated with the Extended Terminal Maneuvering Area (E-TMA) concept, so inbound and outbound timestamps can be considered. Aircraft opera...

La introducción segura y eficiente de los Sistemas de Aeronaves Pilotados en Remoto (RPAS) en un espacio aéreo no segregado requiere un análisis en profundidad de todos los aspectos operacionales involucrados. En este artículo, los autores abordan el problema de seguridad operaciones debido a la integración de RPAS junto a aeronaves convencionales....

The current Air Traffic Management (ATM) functional approach is changing. Both SESAR (Single European Sky ATM Research) and NEXTGEN (Next Generation Air Transportation System) support the four-dimension (4D) trajectory implementation within their operational concepts. Apart from the three classical spatial dimensions, ‘time’ is now integrated as an...

Systematic integration of Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS) in non-segregated airspace is one of the major challenges that Air Traffic Management (ATM) must tackle. This integration is extremely complex and has to be done methodologically taking into account the different stakeholders to ensure safety. Thus, this paper focus on the developmen...

Single European Sky ATM Research (SESAR) and NextGen are the future of air traffic management development in Europe and the US, respectively. However, few works have assessed and analyzed similarities and differences between both concepts and their interoperability. This study focuses on analyzing the ongoing actions in the formulation and implemen...

Continuous climb operations are the following step to optimise departure trajectories with the goals of minimizing fuel consumption and pollutants and noise emissions in the airports neighbourhood, although due to intrinsic nature of these procedures, the integration of these procedures need to develop a new framework for airline operators and air...

El objetivo de esta investigación es el de analizar las distintas metodologías utilizadas actualmente en la evaluación medioambiental de las operaciones aeronáuticas, particularizando su estudio en las operaciones de ascenso continuo y su integración en una optimización multiobjetivo

Typically air traffic controller manages departure traffic gradually in the airport airspace neighborhoods, providing clearances for the access to higher altitudes determined by conditions of traffic flow mix. This air traffic management implies the realization of several level-offs at each departure which suppose an increase of the fuel consumptio...

Aligned with SESAR objectives of Traffic Synchronisation and 4D Trajectory Management, this paper presents different approaches to optimised algorithms in AMAN's, taking into account various innovative criteria. Analysing KPI's commonly used in TMA's, the different algorithms are tested in order to detect the strengths and weakness of each algorith...

This paper presents a comparison between the most relevant on-going activities in the creation and implementation of the Arrival Traffic Synchronisation Concept of Operations worldwide, by analysing and breaking down the requirements and approaches underlying the problem of 'tactical establishment and maintenance of a safe, orderly and efficient fl...