Safety Analysis of GNSS Parallel Runway Approach Operation at Guarulhos International Airport

Abstract

The air traffic environment is a complex system that involves several players. Between the air navigation service provider (ANPS) and the final client, many different organizations act with different purposes but are strongly interfaced. Changes and modifications in terms of technology, predefined process, or personnel are constantly needed, requiring coordination among the stakeholders. However, due to the high level of interaction between the players, any change in a complex system like the air traffic environment requires risk management. This paper demonstrates the suitability and advantages of the System-Theoretic Accident Model and Processes/Systems-Theoretic Process Analysis (STAMP/STPA) method to be applied to the risk assessment of an operational air traffic modification. The method, which had never been used on an air traffic problem in Brazil before, was applied considering the implementation of segregated simultaneous operation at the Guarulhos International Airport. The results were proven to be effective in terms of deriving useful safety requirements. From such demonstration, STAMP/STPA can be considered as a feasible alternative to the brainstorming method currently applied for risk assessment and generation of safety requirements regarding modifications in the structure of the air traffic services (ATS) in Brazil.

Safety analysis of RNP approach procedure using fusion of FRAM model and Bayesian belief network

“…The safety specifications include safety objectives, safety requirements and safety performance indicators. Rodrigues et al (2022) also study the aircraft parallel approach, evaluating the operations at Sao Paulo Guarulhos airport. Their paper presents a safety analysis of a GNSS parallel runway approach operation at Guarulhos International Airport in Brazil, using a qualitative method called system-theoretic accident model and processes/systems-theoretic process analysis (STAMP/STPA).…”

“…Their paper also provides recommendations for further safety improvements, including the use of backup navigation systems and the implementation of procedures to mitigate the risks associated with adverse weather conditions. The authors conclude that STAMP/STPA has proved to be a reliable method to assess hazards and their mitigation means (safety requirements) in the air traffic context (Rodrigues et al., 2022).…”

A Retrospective of Global Navigation Satellite System Ionospheric Irregularities Monitoring Networks in Brazil

“…The ionosphere over the Brazilian territory, especially in the regions where the Equatorial ionization anomaly occurs, has unique characteristics in relation to the rest of the planet, due to the concentration of phenomena and anomalies that occur there, making the performance of satellite positioning systems in the region worse when compared to middle latitude regions like the United States and Europe, for example (Abdu 2019). For this reason, the application of GNSS-based technologies requires a thorough assessment of the effects of the ionosphere, to support a wide variety of studies with different levels of criticality, including aviation applications (Rodrigues et al 2022). This assessment can be performed using theoretical and semi-empirical ionospheric models; however, the most important contribution comes from ionospheric measurements from different sounders, being the GNSS receivers of utmost importance due to its global coverage and availability.…”