About us
The Episode 3 project work falls into three main areas, the project-wide validation strategy, the set of validation exercises based on this strategy and the development of validation tools. This scope is presented in the Description Of Work. The project is being undertaken by a consortium of 25 partners comprising ANSPs, industry, research establishments and universities.
More details regarding the consortium.
About the SESAR project
The SESAR project is seen by the European Commission as a vital step in creating a more efficient and effective ATM system and a means to triple airspace capacity, improve safety by a factor of 10, reduce the impact of ATM on the environment by 10% while reducing costs to the user by 50%. The ATM community, led by the EC and EUROCONTROL, has initiated a research programme through the SESAR JU to advance the concepts and technologies proposed in the SESAR PD. Episode 3 was initiated as the SESAR PD was drawing to a close and, as such, is providing a bridge between the PD studies and the JU technical programme.
Refer to the SESAR's web site for more details regarding the SESAR project.
About the Episode 3 project
Our scope
With a view to supporting SESAR Development Phase activities whilst ensuring preparation for partners SESAR JU activities, Episode 3 is focused on providing:
- Detail on key concept elements in SESAR (concept detailing);
- Initial operability through focussed prototyping exercises and performance assessment of those key concepts (operability and performance studies);
- Initial supporting technical needs impact assessment (technical impact);
- Analysis of the available tools and gaps for SESAR concept validation (validation tools), and
- Reporting on the validation methodology used in assessing the concept (validation methodology assessment).
Our objectives
The aim of Episode 3 is to explore key aspects of the SESAR concept to provide advice to the SESAR JU on research methodologies appropriate for SESAR and to highlight areas of the concept where there is significant technical or operational debate.
Episode 3 takes an integrated approach to SESAR validation, focusing on the value it can provide to the SESAR development phase. Episode 3 has been focused to propose a consistent work programme ending in summer 2009, to avoid the complexity of managing a SESAR validation programme in parallel with SESAR JU activities.
Episode 3 brings together key multi-discipline stakeholders in the European ATM system including many organisations participating in SESAR and covering all aspects of the system from strategic and tactical planning through to air traffic control and airport operations.
The Episode 3 assessment of the SESAR concept focuses on the 2020 time frame, looking at improvements implemented within Implementation Package 2 (IP2). Technology assessments are however focusing on a shorter term time frame, (Capability Level 2 of IP2).
The Episode 3 recommendations address:
- the strategy for integrated validation,
- the documentation to support industrialisation,
- safety and environmental issues, and
- the fine tuning of the performance framework to support ECAC-wide assessments.
