AStar

Researchers from Nasa Airspace Systems Program have tested the Airborne Spacing for Terminal Arrival Routes (AStar) software that is aimed at efficient use of airspace by pilots.

AStar provides pilots with specific speed information and guidance to enable them to steer their flights to follow a given course in airspace.

Precise spacing of aircraft and ‘follow the leader’ approach would help in avoiding path deviations.

Nasa expects AStar to improve flight efficiency and reduce environmental impacts of aircraft, especially on communities around airports.

According to Nasa, this type of approach would allow more efficient use of existing airspace and possibly reduce noise over communities surrounding airports, which could all lead to reductions in commercial flight delays.

AStar has been tested on the Boeing ecoDemonstrator 787 Test Airplane as part of company’s ecoDemonstrator Program.

During the flight tests, Nasa engineer Roy Roper operated AStar on a laptop in the test plane and shared the speed commands with pilots. The pilots used the data to follow a pilot aircraft that flew in front of the test plane.

Nasa Langley Research Center project chief engineer Will Johnson said: "Nasa has tested AStar in laboratory simulations, but this flight test on-board the ecoDemonstrator 787 gave us the chance to see how well it works in a real-life flight environment."

"Nasa has tested AStar in laboratory simulations, but this flight test on-board the ecoDemonstrator 787 gave us the chance to see how well it works in a real-life flight environment."

Nasa will begin work on the actual flight hardware after reviewing the test results. The hardware developed will be put to further testing.

The space agency has two other tests lined up on ecoDemonstrator in 2015.

The first involves using active flow control technologies on the aircraft’s tail to determine if future tail designs can be altered to reduce drag.

The second will test the effectiveness of coatings applied to the leading edge of a wing section to reduce turbulence-inducing buildup of insect residue.

According to Boeing’s website, the ecoDemonstrator Program is focused on accelerating the testing, refinement and completion of new technologies to improve aviation’s environmental performance.

Boeing said: "It also looks for opportunities to improve environmental sustainability across the airplane’s lifecycle: from design and manufacturing to in-service operations and end of service."

Image: Nasa engineer Roy Roper operating AStar software aboard the ecoDemonstrator test plane. Photo: courtesy of Boeing.