eATM Portal

AOP16 — Guidance assistance through airfield ground lighting

Guidance assistance through airfield ground lighting (AGL) is intended for controllers, flight crews and vehicle drivers. It corresponds to the A-SMGCS Guidance function foreseen in ICAO’s A-SMGCS Manual (Doc. 9830). It links aerodrome lighting infrastructure with the taxi route management system (Routing & Planning), thus providing an unambiguous route for the taxiing aircraft/vehicle to follow.

To achieve this, taxiway centre line lights are automatically and progressively activated (switched on to green), either in segments of several lights or individually, along the route cleared by the controller. If this cleared route includes a limit and if a physical stop bar exists at this point, this stop bar is also automatically activated (switched on to red) when the mobile nears it. The solution strongly relies on the surface movement surveillance system to provide accurate aircraft position data.

Taxi clearances given to aircraft and vehicles are input in the system by the controllers and, the flight crew or vehicle driver is instructed to follow the greens up to a given clearance limit.

The automation might also include the management of priorities at intersections, based on pre-defined criteria (e.g. aerodrome rules, speed or target times). However, controllers are able to override the guidance decisions, which shows activated lights on the HMI.

Implementation of the objective AOP13 (Automated Assistance to Controller for Surface Movement Planning and Routing) is a pre-requisite for this objective.

NOTE FOR MILITARY AUTHORITIES: It is the responsibility of each military authority to review this Objective IN ITS ENTIRETY and address each of the SLoAs that the military authority considers RELEVANT for itself. This has to be done on top and above of the review of "MIL" SLoAs which identify actions EXCLUSIVE to military authorities.

Edition
2022
Stakeholders
Air Navigation Service Provider / Airport Operator / Airspace Users / International Organisations and Regional Bodies
Type
SESAR
Scope
Local/Airport
Status
Active

Context

Related Elements

Applicability Area(s) and Timescales

Applicability Area:
(Subject to local need)
Timescales From By Applicable to
IOC used for Analytics functioning only - not for implementation planning 31-05-2019 - Applicability Area
FOC used for Analytics functioning only - not for implementation planning - 01-01-2030 Applicability Area

Links to SESAR Solutions

Links to PCP ATM Sub-Functionalities

ICAO Block Modules: No associated data

References

Applicable legislation
None
Applicable ICAO Annexes and other references
None
Deployment Programme 2022
-
Operating Environments
Airport

Expected Performance Benefits

Safety
Increase of situational awareness from pilots perspectives. Reduction of unplanned / unwanted taxi route deviations. Significantly lower runway incursion risk
Capacity
Reduction of controller workload (radio communication / instructions) will have a positive impact on the capacity of the airport’s ground movement system in particular at the aerodromes with multiple complex taxiways system and large manoeuvring area
Operational efficiency
Significant reduction in taxi time in both good and low visibility conditions. The reduction is strongly dependent of local conditions and will therefore differ per airport. The variability of taxi times (for the same combination of used parking position and runway) might be reduced
Cost efficiency
Identified by local business cases
Environment
Fewer speed changes as also reduce the number of stops along routes between runway and parking position (and vice versa). This reduces the fuel burn for taxiing both in good and low visibility conditions, although the benefits have been shown to be larger during low visibility
Security
Not identified
  Code Title From By Related Enablers
 
ASP01 Upgrade CWP/HMI to display and manage lights and routes
 
ASP02 Develop and implement procedures for taxi guidance by AGL (controllers and pilots/drivers)
 
ASP03 Develop safety assessment of the changes imposed by taxi guidance by AGL
 
ASP04 Train all relevant staff in the taxi guidance by AGL
 
ASP05 Upgrade A-SMGCS to send taxi instructions as commands to the AGL system
 
APO01 Upgrade AGL system to enable the selective switching of the lamps
 
APO02 Upgrade A-SMGCS to send taxi instructions as commands to the AGL system
 
APO03 Develop and implement procedures for use of taxi guidance by AGL (Vehicle Driver)
 
APO04 Train all relevant staff in the taxi guidance by AGL
 
USE01 Develop and implement procedures for use of taxi guidance by AGL (Flight Crew)
 
USE02 Train all relevant staff in the taxi guidance by AGL (Flight Crew)
 
INT01 Develop the procedures and phraseology for taxi guidance by AGL
 
INT02 Integrate taxi guidance by AGL in MASPS for the A-SMGCS
Code Dates
 
1999 99
2000 00
2001 01
2002 02
2003 03
2004 04
2005 05
2006 06
2007 07
2008 08
2009 09
2010 10
2011 11
2012 12
2013 13
2014 14
2015 15
2016 16
2017 17
2018 18
2019 19
2020 20
2021 21
2022 22
2023 23
2024 24
2025 25
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
AOP16
 
20190531_20300101
ASP01
ASP02
ASP03
ASP04
ASP05
APO01
APO02
APO03
APO04
USE01
USE02
INT01
INT02

Supporting Material

Title Related SLoAs

EUROCAE - ED-87E - MASPS for A-SMGCS including Airport Safety Support Service Routing Service and Guidance Service - April 2022 / 04/2022

https://www.eurocae.net/news/posts/2022/may/ed-87e-masps-for-a-smgcs-including-airport-safety-support-service-routing-service-and-guidance-service/

ASP01, ASP02, ASP03, ASP04

EUROCONTROL - SPEC-171 - EUROCONTROL Specification for Advanced-Surface Movement Guidance and Control System (A-SMGCS) Services - Edition 2.0 / 04/2020

https://www.eurocontrol.int/publication/eurocontrol-specification-smgcs-services

APO02, APO03, APO04, ASP01, ASP02, ASP03, ASP04, ASP05, USE01, USE02

ICAO - Deliverable of SLoA INT01, ICAO PANS ATM Amendment.

-

APO03, APO04, ASP02, ASP03, ASP04, INT01, USE02

SJU - SESAR Solution 47: Data Pack for Guidance assistance through airfield ground lighting

https://www.sesarju.eu/sesar-solutions/guidance-assistance-through-airfield-ground-lighting

APO02, APO03, APO04, ASP01, ASP02, ASP03, ASP04, ASP05, INT01, INT02, USE01, USE02

Consultation & Approval

Working Arrangement in charge
Airport Operations Team (AOT)
Outline description approved in
-
Latest objective review at expert level
-
Commitment Decision Body
Provisional Council (PC)
Objective approved/endorsed in
05/0219
Latest change to objective approved/endorsed in
-