A-SMGCS stands for Advanced Surface Movement Guidance and Control Systems and is a modular system with the aim to maintain the declared surface movement rate at an airport under all weather conditions within the aerodrome visibility operational level while maintaining the required level of safety.
Eurocontrol defined four different implementation levels (I to IV) for such a system and separated system functionality into the four categories surveillance, control, routing, and guidance. Implementation is expected to follow a stepwise approach addressing each of these categories in more or less the order above.
Currently the European Commission funded projects EMMA and EMMA2 look into the details of possible implementations at three different airports for A-SMGCS levels I/II and III/IV respectively. The airports involved are Prague, Milan-Malpensa, and Toulouse. Additionally, there are surveillance measurement campaigns at Paris Charles-de-Gaulle Airport.
NLR is part of both projects and also carries out additional work for Eurocontrol investigating advanced procedures for the use of A-SMGCS Level I (airport surveillance enhanced by multilateration) during low visibility conditions.
