The airborne positioning and planning system: an architecture for future avionics systems design

In this paper, the functional architecture of the airborne positioning and planning system (APAPS) is presented at an introductory level. This system is comprised of a set of basic navigation and communication functions which are organized in such a way as to (1) assist the pilot in positioning and moving his aircraft through the airspace in pursuit of the goals that he has established for the flight, and (2) provide the basis to coordinate such movement with other aircraft in the context of a revised philosophy of air traffic management. The functional architecture presented here is the result of a holistic design approach which jointly considers the needs of the pilot and the air traffic system, and makes possible a whole new array of innovative, cost-effective, and convenient methods for coordinating aircraft movement. It was also designed with the full spectrum of airspace users in mind to ensure that benefits from improved safety, flexibility, and airspace access and utilization are realized by all segments of the user community