Italian Aerospace Research Research Articles

Enabling SAT single pilot operations: tactical separation system design advancements in the COAST project

PurposeThis paper aims to describe the advancements of the activities that have been carried out, in the Cost-Optimized Avionics SysTem (COAST) project, to complete the design and in-flight demonstration of the Tactical Separation System (TSS), which is an automatic support system to the pilot’s decision-making, onboard on small air transport (SAT) vehicles under single pilot operations, in the separation management.Design/methodology/approachIn the framework of the Clean Sky 2 funded project COAST, some enabling technologies for single pilot operations in the EASA CS-23 category vehicles are designed and demonstrated in flight. Among the relevant flight management technologies addressed in the project, the specific one devoted to the real-time support to pilot’s decision-making in maintaining the vehicle self-separation is the TSS, designed by the Italian Aerospace Research Centre.FindingsThe TSS design started in the year 2016 and has been completed in the year 2021 after successful in-flight demonstration in the dedicated flight test campaign. The system has been validated by means of several simulation campaigns and finally demonstrated its effectiveness in providing its intended functionalities (situational awareness, conflict detection, conflict resolution) to the pilot in real flight trials, involving the presence of real conflicting aircraft.Originality/valueThe TSS contributes enabling the implementation of single pilot operations in CS-23 category vehicles, thanks to the possibility to support the pilot with provision of consolidated traffic picture, detection of conflicting surrounding traffic and suggestion of suitable conflict resolution manoeuvre real-time during the flight, through dedicated human–machine interface designed on purpose. The TSS supports the new separation modes that are envisaged in the future SESAR ATM target concept, with particular reference to the possible delegation of the separation responsibility to the pilot.

The History of A.I.D.A.A.: The Italian Association of Aeronautics and Astronautics (1920–2020)

This paper illustrates the historical and technical evolution of the Italian aerospace sector through the activities of A.I.D.A.A., the Italian Association of Aeronautics and Astronautics in the period from 1920 to 2020. A.I.D.A.A. celebrates 100 years of life since the founding of its first historical nucleus, A.I.D.A., the Italian Association of Aerotechnics, in 1920, a long period, a century which has seen great changes, both political and social, and two World Wars. These changes have involved all sectors, civilian and military, including the aerospace sector. To facilitate the analysis, this period has been divided into three stages: the first from 1920 to 1951 with the foundation of A.I.D.A., the Italian Association of Aerotechnics, the second from 1951 to 1969 with the constitution of A.I.R., the Italian Rockets Association, affiliated with A.I.D.A. and the third from 1969 to 2020 with the current name A.I.D.A.A., the Italian Association of Aeronautics and Astronautics and the astronautical sector. The main activities carried forward by A.I.D.A.A. are illustrated, in particular the National and International Congresses which best represent the Association since they express not only the quality and level of Italian scientific aerospace research but they also indicate the lines along which research will develop in the near future.