CDTI Merging & Spacing, In-trail Procedures

The Astronautics Cockpit Display of Traffic Information (CDTI) displays ADS-B traffic information (ID, speed, altitude, vector) along the aircraft flight path, increasing the situational awareness of the pilot. The pilot has access to two new tools, Merging & Spacing and In-Trail procedures, that allow the pilot to reduce fuel consumption by optimizing the aircraft route horizontally and vertically and to reduce pilot workload by relying on data, not voice interaction with air traffic control and other traffic.

Merging & Spacing

  • Spacing of aircraft
  • Merging with preceding aircraft
  • Data connection to ATC
  • Selectable Relative/Absolute orientation to traffic
  • Selectable vector timing
  • Reduces fuel burn by allowing the aircraft to line up on the runway farther away, thus avoiding low level routing by ATC
  • Improves the routing efficiency by allowing the pilot to merge without waiting for ATC vectors
  • Improves passengers comfort by avoiding crossing the turbulent wake of preceding aircraft
  • Improves operational efficiency by allowing the pilot to decide when to alter altitude without waiting for ATC permission

In-trail Procedures

  • Climb-through and descend-through maneuver between equipped aircraft
  • Crew initiated ITP when required criteria are met
  • Calculated distance-based longitudinal separation minimum for the aircraft maneuvers
  • Improves flight efficiency by allowing the pilot to fly the most direct vertical profile
  • Reduces fuel burn by allowing the pilot to more frequently fly at the optimum altitudes
  • Improves operational efficiency by allowing the pilot to decide when to alter his altitude without waiting for ATC permission