VITACY validates remote delivery of key air traffic management functions

In a step towards redefining how air traffic services are delivered, the SESAR JU VITACY project marked a key milestone in June with the successful validation of its first exercise. The focus: demonstrating how arrival management (AMAN) and time-based separation (TBS) functionalities can be delivered remotely within a virtual centre architecture. Hosted on 19 June at Indra's facilities in Torrejón, this validation tested the technological foundations of a virtual centre triangle Architecture, an innovative concept that unbundles ATM services traditionally provided by a single data service provider. Instead, specific functions such as AMAN and TBS are delegated to newly defined, remote ATM data service providers.

Led by Indra, Exercise 1 validated two key elements of this architecture:

• Remote AMAN ADSP (Exercise 1.1)
• Remote TBS ADSP (Exercise 1.2)

The exercise simulated real-world conditions in Madrid's operational environment, with two scenarios explored:

• A high-complexity configuration featuring dual runway arrivals (32L and 32R)
• A medium-complexity night scenario with single-runway operations (32L)

The validation showcased the seamless application of the AMAN and TBS virtual centre concept in both settings, demonstrating how disaggregated, cloud-based services can support future air traffic management with greater resilience and flexibility.

Coinciding with the validation, Indra San Fernando welcomed a wide group of European aviation stakeholders including SESAR JU, EUROCONTROL, NATS, ENAIRE, ENAV, Naviair, EUROCAE, CRIDA, ESSP and DLR for the 10th Virtual Centre Flagship Meeting. Discussions centred on Strategic Deployment Objectives 6 and 8 of the ATM Master Plan, with a strong emphasis on harmonising regulatory and standardisation efforts.

The week concluded with an open day on 20 June at the iTEC SkyNex room, where project partners and SESAR JU representatives were given an exclusive look at the validation results. The event included a live demonstration and a guided tour of the SESAR labs in Torrejón, highlighting the collaborative work and technical progress made by the Indra team.

VITACY's milestone marks a significant advance towards operational validation, bringing Europe closer to a scalable, service-oriented ATM infrastructure that underpins the vision of the Digital European Sky.