CCS Step 2, which has been underway since the beginning of the year, presents many challenges to the delivery of key elements of the project. In parallel to the development activities, the CCS teams are also working on the creation of an operational dataset for skyguide. So, what is a dataset? Which steps have had been taken by the teams and what are the next ones?
Dataset definition and initialisation
A dataset is a coherent set of data produced within the framework of the same project, on the same object of study and/or collected at the same location. In the framework of CCS, it is a set of data collections (Coflight parameters) which are grouped by Domain/Sub-domain (Aircraft and profile, Airspace, Coordination, Operational, Technical…).
In order to build this CCS dataset, the teams started from the existing pre-operational Reims dataset so that default values for specific collections are already set. It is then adapted with local Swiss data (airspace/sectors definition, LOAs…), to meet the needs of skyguide. The objective is to deliver an initial dataset at the end of the Step 2.
Key steps in building the CCS dataset
In order to build this dataset, the dataset teams performs the following steps:
- Define the objectives to reach at the end of Step 2: Indeed, at the end of Step 2, CCS will deliver an initial dataset. It will contains enough data to run the chosen test cases on the validation platform, which are representative of Swiss operational environment.
- Define the roles and responsibilities for provider and customer: to dispatch the work for collections initialization. Who is responsible of which collections of the dataset? CCS will initiate the default values and the collections linked to the deployment of dataset (mostly technical collections).The various tuning will be adjusted during validation phases.
- Adapt the dataset:
- Update the dataset with published European data (CACD/EDA data), including a subset of Aerodromes with their associated SID and STAR. Use of GEDI tool which allows the coherence checks for these EU data and generates a report for all the collections dependencies that are to be updated in the dataset.
- Define Swiss airspace (ATSU, sectors, volumes…).This is the base of the dataset so that Coflight can compute the trajectories in Swiss area. At the end of this step, specific scenarios will be run.
- Complete the dataset with local Swiss data (coordination, SSR code, frequencies, distribution rules …), done by steps focusing on Coflight capabilities taking into account the dependencies between dataset collections. At the end of each step, specific scenarios will be run to verify the overall coherence of collections.
- Dataset Verification using DPR tool: this phase can be done at the end of each step. This consists essentially in semantics and coherence checks to verify the consistency of the produced collections. A remote DPR HMI will be provided to skyguide.
In parallel of the dataset initialization, the dataset team has defined specific scenarios to run on dedicated dataset platform, in order to validate the content of the collections. These scenarios are run at the end of each PI planning.
Then the dataset team uses the integration platform to run Tests Cases (TC) defined in Step 1 with the initial CCS pre-operational dataset. These TC are representative of skyguide environment and part of the dataset technical validation.
In addition, the team work in collaboration with the support service team that defines the customer services around the dataset: how the customer will update the dataset, use the provider tools, get and store a modified dataset.
Next steps
The dataset teams will have to continue to achieve the Step 2 objectives. First, the adaptation of the pre-operational dataset with local Swiss data following the roadmap defined with the customer and run scenarios and Test cases for technical validation. Also, the work on target architecture definition and provide the tool chain and support services to skyguide.
The CCS teams are therefore fully mobilised to meet these challenges and ensure the delivery of this first “Initial Comprehensive Dataset” for skyguide.