DLR tests fuel‑saving, quieter approach procedures in EU project
The German Aerospace Center (DLR) conducted tests of new approach procedures with more than 70 pilots performing almost 1,000 simulated approaches under varying traffic conditions as part of the EU‑funded DYN‑MARS project.1
A modified flight management system automatically recalculated the vertical flight profile based on short‑term speed instructions from air traffic control, enabling aircraft to descend for as long as possible with idle thrust, while expected route changes were sent to the cockpit via CPDLC; the tests demonstrated that energy‑optimized descents and digitally transmitted routes are feasible even in high‑traffic environments.1