On November 19, 2021, the six fellows of the SMEA Training Project visited the ENAV Training Centre in Forlì. The students were able to practically apply what they learned from the teaching modules “Flight test” and “Air traffic management and Aerial operation simulation” provided by ENAV teachers provided for by the training plan of the Project. The group visited the ENAV facilities, where the ENAV instructors introduced them to the training philosophy and methodologies for creating the exercises submitted to future Air Traffic Controllers (CTA) during the training phase. Afterwards, the students visited the 3D tower simulator attending an ADI-RAD (Aerodrome Radar) exercise simulating a ‘busy’ day at LIML airport (Milan-Linate), during which the operators illustrated in-depth the operational techniques and working methods. Later, a demo of a radar approach loop (APS-PBN) at LIMM airport (Milan-Malpensa) was presented.
At the end of the morning, the fellows visited the CRJ flight simulator. During this activity, thanks to the supervision of an instructor, they performed a landing at the LIEO airport (Olbia-Costa Smeralda).
In the afternoon, an overview of current and implementing systems to allow the coexistence of Air Traffic Management (ATM) systems with the UAS (Unmanned Aircraft System) world was shown.
At the end of the day, both trainees of the SMEA Training Project and instructors discussed the development of Urban Air Mobility and U-space. The discussion further developed in topics, namely Door-to-Door transport, autonomous drones, and automation of the Air Traffic Controllers tasks. Most of the previously mentioned topics are technically feasible in test case scenarios. However, public acceptance and legal responsibility issues arise in large scale applications of those technologies, which need to be solved in the years to come in the development of U-space.
