Projects

SPIN identifies a set of EUROCONTROL initiatives aimed at developing and supporting the implementation of ground-based safety nets in Europe (www.eurocontrol.int/safety-nets). The SNET (Safety Nets) are engineered functions embedded in the Controller Working Position designed to alert controllers in the imminence of the following threats

• Infringements of standard separation minima and collisions between aircraft
• CFITs (Controlled Flight Into Terrain)
• Infringements of restricted areas of the airspace.

In the light of a number of serious accidents in Europe in  2001 and 2002, the EUROCONTROL Provisional Council established a High Level Action Group for ATM Safety (AGAS) to assess European ATM safety and identify priority actions. The resulting European Safety Program (http://www.eurocontrol.int/esp) comprised amongst others the need to establish common specifications and guidance material for the following ground-based SNET: STCA (Short Term Safety Nets), MSAW (Minimum Safe Altitude Warning), APM (Aircraft Path Monitoring), APW (Area Proximity Warning). A number of initiatives were then activated since 2004 to present, including:

• A Survey of SNET Practices in 35 States of the ECAC area (2004-2005).
• The activation of a Safety Net Task Force (May 2005-March 2008) to develop specifications and guidance material for SNET, also organizing meetings at different control centres, to share case studies and experiences.
• The transformation of the SPIN Task Force into a SPIN Sub-Group (May 2008-December 2013)

Deep Blue role

Deep Blue has been involved in all the SPIN initiatives activated since 2004 to present.

SPIN Survey

In 2004 the company was appointed to organize the SPIN Survey. The survey consisted in setting up a web based questionnaire to collect information concerning the implementation and use of ground-based SNET at different sites in the ECAC Area. Questionnaire data were collected and elaborated involving Air National Service Providers and Regulation Authorities in 35 European States. The information was then complemented with on-site interviews in a restricted pool of 9 states. Deep Blue was also responsible to integrate the results in a final report, together with a specific investigation concerning airborne Safety Nets, made by the French company Egis-Avia (formerly Sofréavia). Finally a supplementary survey was performed to investigated the use of SNET in military air traffic control centers.

SPIN Task Force

The results of the SPIN Survey were taken as an input for the Term of Reference of the of the SPIN Task Force, whose mandate was that of developing common specifications and guidance material for ground based SNET. Since the first meeting in May 2005, Deep Blue was contracted to support the EUROCONTROL Secretariat of the Task Force, with the role of facilitating meetings, taking part in the production of deliverables and conducting specific case studies. The activity was performed in consortium with the British company QinetiQ, forming a team of two people with different competencies. QinetiQ provided the technical expertise pertaining to the design and implementation of SNET, while Deep Blue was responsible to tackle the safety and human factors issues addressed in the Task Force deliverables and case studies. These included a study to adapt the STCA concept to the specific needs of the Belgian military service provider (ATCC Semmerzake) and a study to improve the performances of the MSAW system in the Swiss service provider Skyguide.

SPIN Subgroup

The SPIN Subgroup is created by and reports to the Operational Requirements & Data Processing Team (ODT) and the Safety Team (SAFT) of EUROCONTROL.

Since 2008 is continuing the activity of the SPIN Task Force based on a different arrangement and with a broader scope. Together with the development of specifications and guidance material for STCA, MSAW, APM and APW, the sub-group is also dealing with the following topics:

• Defining a Coordinated, overall concept for airborne and ground-based safety nets;
• Enhancing ground-based safety nets using new surveillance technologies;
• Enhancing ground-based safety nets using down-linked aircraft parameters;
• Further enhancing existing ground-based safety nets or developing new ground-based safety nets.

As for the SPIN Task Force, Deep Blue is supporting the Subgroup Secretariat, in a team with the British company QinetiQ.