XML Modelling of Flight Paths and Aeronautical Data

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XML Modeling of Flight Path & Aeronautical Data Todd Lewis and Alessandro Lenares President & CEO Data Integration Specialist

Overview

!  Intro to Aeronautical Data !  Problem 1: Mandatory Frequency Zones !  Problem 2: Integrate RNP Flight Paths

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What is Aeronautical Information?

!  Physical ground-based infrastructure: !  Runways, Taxiways, Helipads, and Aprons !  Navigation Aids and Communications Facilities !  Obstacles (hazards), such as antennas, buildings, stacks

!  Procedural information: !  Flight paths and reporting points !  Airspace Descriptions !  Communication frequencies and call-signs

!  Dynamic changes to use or condition of facilities or procedures, or notification of changes to obstacles

Airside Operations & Navigation

Airspace Descriptions

Aeronautical Data is Temporal

EuroControl Aeronautical DB

!  A transaction is modeled as a set of changes grouped into “Private” and “Public” slots

!  Three levels of checks are performed: !  Private Slot (A) – conformance to XML Schema !  Public Slot (B) – conformance to business rules !  Commit (C) – referential integrity checks

!  Effective Date – Date when the slots become effective and the values updated become valid for use

Aeronautical Data Format

Aeronautical data is: ! stored in a DB according to the Aeronautical Information Conceptual Model (AICM), an entity-relationship model. ! exchanged among systems using the Aeronautical Information Exchange Model (AIXM), that specifies encoding rules and is based on XML.

AIXM Primary ID

!  The Primary ID is a natural key, composed of the feature’s mandatory attributes and foreign keys

!  Advantage: Enables exchange of data independent of system implementation

!  Disadvantage: System is expected to manage referential integrity issues and propagate changes to natural key across all related records

<Fqy> <FqyUid> <SerUid> <codeType>CTAF</codeType> <noSeq>1</noSeq> </SerUid> <valFreqTrans>123.2</valFreqTrans> </FqyUid> <valFreqRec>123.2</valFreqRec> <uomFreq>MHZ</uomFreq> <codeType>STD</codeType> </Fqy>

1: Mandatory Frequency Zone

!  Problem Definition: !  Airports without control towers may have mandatory

frequency zones assigned where aircraft have to announce their intent for transit, approach or departure on published frequencies

!  Airspace descriptions were not published in the aeronautical database

!  Each airspace required a service entry containing communication frequency and hours of operation

!  Mandatory Frequency Zones may operate or overlap Control Zones when towers are not operable

Mandatory Frequency Zone

Cla

ss D

Class E

Class A

Airport Tower

Mandatory Frequency Area

18,000 ft

Problem Breakdown

!  The approach we used: !  Profile the data (1,400 airspaces) !  Document each use case (23) !  For each use case or combination, generate (or

link to): !  Airspace !  Airspace Composites (where airspaces intersect) !  Unit !  Service, frequency, and call-sign features !  Service in Airspace (relationship)

Problem Breakdown (cont’d)

!  Develop FME Workspaces to generate one or more AIXM update messages

!  Combine each AIXM update message to generate a Public Slot containing many Private Slots

!  Submit AIXM file to EuroControl to generate a new Public Slot in the database !  Test load into system and run system check reports

to identify data element collisions and other errors !  Data Collection Staff validate and commit the

data

Service in AICM Model Mapping Service To Airspace

FME Workflow

Prepare Data for Use Case 1

Prepare Data for Use Case 2

Create airspace, service, frequency,

callsign, relationships

Update Timesheets

Results of Use Case 1 and 2

2: Integrate RNP Flight Paths

!  Problem Definition: !  Aircraft operators are designing new fuel-optimized

paths for landing !  Need to incorporate flight paths (436) designed by third

parties into aeronautical database !  Data is provided in ARINC 424, an industry standard for

aircraft flight management systems !  Identify data changes and automatically generate an

AIXM update message to inject into the database

Add New Procedure Types

Problem Breakdown

!  The approach we used: !  Profile the data (436 airspaces) !  Document each use case (2 – new/changed) !  Convert ARINC424 to AIXM Update Message !  In FME, generate new (or changed):

!  Standard Instrument Departure !  Instrument Approach Procedure !  Procedure Legs !  Designated Points

Problem Breakdown (cont’d)

!  Develop FME Workspaces to generate one AIXM update message

!  Submit AIXM file to EuroControl to generate a new Public Slot in the database !  Test load into system and run system check reports

to identify data element collisions and other errors !  Data Collection Staff validate and commit the

data

IAP in AICM Model

SID in AICM Model

FME Workspace

Read input, write as AIXM Update

Reference higher-resolution waypoint in DB

Write new waypoints

Verify changed waypoints are

within DB tolerance Waypoint changes outside of tolerance

Conclusion

!  FME loves XML… !  Understands the object-relational nature built into

complex XML models !  Enables profile of XML-based data formats into

special input and output types !  Power of geo-processing can be brought to bear in

translation !  We can validate XML-based messages against a

schema (XMLValidator) – and better yet, against geography-based business rules

Thank You!

!  Questions?

!  For more information: !  Todd Lewis, todd.lewis@spatialdna.com OR !  Alessandro Lenares, alessandro.lenares@spatialdna.com !  Spatial DNA Informatics Inc.

!  www.spatialdna.com !  Twitter: @SpatialDNA

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