L3Harris Commercial Aviation Solutions (CAS) today announced the promising results of its first-year participation in a landmark FAA trial that demonstrates the effectiveness of its SafeRoute+ ADS-B In technology in enhancing runway safety and increasing airspace capacity by up to 25%.
The report, now available on the FAA’s public website, reveals that 90% of Interval Management (IM) operations successfully met their spacing goals within 10 seconds, compared to just 23% of non-IM flights. This achievement underscores the potential of SafeRoute+ to improve airspace efficiency, enhance predictability, and reduce delays across the national airspace system (NAS).
The trial, a collaboration between the FAA, American Airlines, and ACSS (a joint venture between L3Harris and Thales), aligns with the FAA’s ongoing efforts to modernize air traffic control through its NextGen initiative, which seeks to leverage cutting-edge technologies to increase operational efficiency, reduce delays, and improve safety across U.S. airspace.
The trial has shown that IM operations can increase airspace capacity by up to 25%, enabling more flights to be managed within the same airspace without compromising safety. Pilot feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with crews noting the system's ability to increase efficiency and precision in operations. Air traffic control feedback has also been positive with a majority of controllers citing IM’s ability to reduce their “radio workload” while increasing aircraft delivery accuracy.
“The early results from this trial are a clear demonstration of how our SafeRoute+ technology drives improvements in safety and capacity within the NAS,” said Alan Crawford, President of L3Harris CAS. “These successes reflect the ongoing commitment of our team to deliver tangible benefits that support the FAA’s mission of improving air traffic management and operational efficiency through innovation and technology enhancement.”
Key findings from the first-year benefit report include:
1. Increased consistency: 90% of IM operations met spacing goals within 10 seconds, compared to only 23% of non-IM flights.
2. Improved accuracy: AIRS evaluation demonstrated significant improvements in spacing precision, including time-based metering.
3. Enhanced capacity: IM technology can increase airspace capacity by up to 25%. Key drivers include:
- Enhanced accuracy of the existing Time-Based Flow Management (TBFM) system, reducing vectoring.
- Greater conformance to RNAV routes, resulting in more direct flight paths and less variation in flight times.
- Reduced flight time variation, enabling airlines to optimize block time and potentially add more flights.
- Increased predictability and capacity, reducing inefficiencies in the air traffic system.
Pilot feedback during the trial confirmed the system’s ability to improve operational efficiency, with pilots reporting smoother, more predictable air traffic management. The first-year benefit report also highlighted significant improvements in spacing precision, as well as the ability to optimize air traffic flow, reduce flight time variability, and potentially increase airline profitability through better scheduling flexibility.
A second benefit report covering the first year of CDTI-assisted visual separation (CAVS) and CDTI-assisted separation (CAS) is expected by February 2025, providing further insights into the trial’s long-term impacts.
L3Harris is committed to continuing its collaboration with the FAA and other partners, with a focus on further improving safety, efficiency, and scalability in airspace management.
