How the DYNCAT project is shaping the environmentally-friendly future of approach profiles

Landing an aircraft is a delicate balance between safety, efficiency, and environmental impact. Today, many approach decisions are based on static estimates, leading to conservative choices that can increase fuel burn and noise pollution. The DYNCAT project aims to change that by introducing dynamic, real-time trajectory optimisation.

DYNCAT: a smarter, greener approach to landing

By integrating real-time air and ground data into the pilot’s decision-making process, DYNCAT enables smoother, more fuel-efficient, and quieter landings, making it a key innovation for sustainable aviation.

The challenge of the DYNCAT project is therefore to propose improvements to existing on-board and ground procedures, to identify potential technological and regulatory developments and to optimise the systems for low-noise and low-emission approaches. By drawing on extensive operational flight data, associated air traffic control instructions, meteorological data and noise measurements, the DYNCAT concept will benefit from the knowledge, experience and results of a solution already tested on board a DLR Airbus A320 during a series of 90 approaches to Zurich airport. The results were extremely positive, both in terms of noise levels and fuel savings. Thales’ mission, as part of this wider DYNCAT project, is now to exploit the concept and prototype such a function in future flight management systems (FMS), so that it becomes an integral part of the aircraft’s flight control systems.

Integrating innovation into Thales’ next-generation flight systems

Work is currently underway to integrate this innovative feature into the next-generation PureFlyt™ flight management system. In addition to integrating the feature into the wider avionics environment available to the pilot, Thales’ work aims to further develop the feature, validate and measure the associated benefits, and refine the usability and human factors aspects.

Toward smarter, more sustainable final approaches

The final product is expected to have a major impact on the environmental performance of aircraft during their final approach, as DYNCAT will enable a major shift from static to dynamic computing, drawing on real-time air and ground data as well as existing information to provide optimal and predictable approach flight profiles. As a valuable piloting tool, DYNCAT will consistently help pilots make the right decisions at the right time, without excessive energy loss, fuel consumption or emitting unnecessarily high noise levels.

Several key milestones now remain to be achieved, both internally for Thales and in collaboration with the other members of the DYNCAT consortium, and we will continue to monitor progress over the coming months.