Technical excellence in system consulting and engineering with detailed attention to needs, working methods, transition and interoperability.
For this project we supported DSNA with the following activities:
Defining and validating operational needs
- Developing the 4-FLIGHT operational concept, detailing operational needs for control working positions or technical operations (systems settings, maintenance or supervision, quality of service) with Aix, Reims and Paris area control centres (ACC)
- Definition and operational validation of the 4-FLIGHT system, contribution to ACC technical staff training and to operational procedures development (operations manual for maintenance)
- Detailing 4-FLIGHT operational needs related to Defence control centres, 4-FLIGHT system integration in the CAUTRA system, and migration of On Line Data Interchange (OLDI) for operational French sites
- Designing the change management process
- Preparation, data collection and delivery reports for several operational evaluations on the 4-FLIGHT programme in Paris, Aix and Reims ACCs
- Definition of working methods on the 4-FLIGHT system, training sessions, and taking Human Factors into account in the 4-FLIGHT safety studies
- Design review for Short-Term Conflict Alert (STCA) for 4-FLIGHT.
System definition and integration
Egis contributed to the definition and integration studies of 4-FLIGHT, with particular attention to transition and interoperability with the existing CAUTRA system in en-route control centres. Through these activities we could identify the necessary adaptations (modifications, configuration) of both CAUTRA components and the 4-FLIGHT system, as well as potential system restrictions leading to changes in air traffic controllers’ working methods, in coordination with operational staff.
Before 4-FLIGHT is deployed at the five ACCs, air traffic management in France will rely on two systems: partially 4-FLIGHT and the current CAUTRA system. To make this work, CAUTRA also requires technological developments and adaptations.
We assisted with:
- Supporting the definition of the versions of 4-FLIGHT to meet the operational needs identified at Aix, Reims and Athis-Mons ACCs
- Defining the logical system architecture, including system specification and contribution to safety cases
- A set of integration studies that covered flight plans, surveillance and safety nets data, dynamic environment data, arrival and departure management (AMAN/DMAN), integration with radar sources and meteorological data sources, technical supervision, system operation and maintenance, integration with French central systems (aeronautical data provider, archives, fees, etc.)
- Transition study from the legacy CAUTRA system to the 4-FLIGHT integrated system through identification of successive transition steps, including operational tests called programmed operational uses (UOPs) at the ACC centres. 4-FLIGHT was first used as a stand-alone system, without being interfaced with CAUTRA and then progressively tested in a “target” system architecture with the system gradually used for longer periods of time and increasing traffic volumes
- Building a reference database of the new 4-FLIGHT system integrated within CAUTRA.
Operational readiness and validation
The operational readiness scope covered a wide spectrum of components.
We assisted with:
- Defining test environments (simulation tools, test architecture)
- Defining test cases and associated scenarios
- Implementing test architectures and effectively running tests
- Integrating 4-FLIGHT into its final environment within the deployment architecture of ACCs, ensuring interoperability with existing software
- Assisting ACCs with conducting the programmed operational uses (UOPs)
- Defining the versions of 4-FLIGHT to meet the operational needs identified at Aix, Reims and Athis-Mons ACCs
- Training and raising awareness of air traffic controllers in Aix, Paris and Reims about the complete configuration of a complex system. Training was adapted to:
- Standard users who discover a new system because of constraints inherent to their activities and who work on a limited range of tasks
- Advanced users who are familiar with some of the details of the system they work on, expect specific functionalities and settings to be developed and know the system’s limitations
- Monitoring progress of 4-FLIGHT operational configuration work with each of the stakeholders involved in data and system settings (supplier, ACC operators and technical/functional experts).
