scholarly journals Development of a new method for ATFCM based on trajectory-based operations

2017 ◽  
Vol 233 (1) ◽  
pp. 261-284 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dany Gatsinzi ◽  
Francisco J Saez Nieto ◽  
Irfan Madani
Keyword(s):  
Traffic Control ◽  
Hot Spot ◽  
Control Variable ◽  
Air Traffic ◽  
New Method ◽  
Limiting Factor ◽  
Time Of Arrival ◽  
Closure Rate ◽  
Control Intervention ◽  
The Times

This paper discusses a possibility to evolve the current Air Traffic Flow and Capacity Management towards a more proactive approach. This new method focuses on reducing the expected probability of air traffic control intervention based on “hot spot” identification and mitigation at strategic level by applying subliminal changes on the times of arrival at the crossing or merging points (junctions). The concept is fully aligned with the trajectory-based operation principles. The approach assumes that the changes on the times of arrival only demand small speed changes from the involved aircraft. In this study, the hot spots are defined as clusters of aircraft expected to arrive to the junctions. Two aircraft are said to be in the same cluster if their proximity and closure rate are below a given threshold. Some exercises are proposed and solved by applying this method. The obtained results show its ability to remove the potential conflicts by applying simple linear programming. This approach seeks to change the current capacity limiting factor, established by the number of aircraft occupying simultaneously each sector, to another parameter where the level of traffic complexity, flowing towards junctions, is identified and mitigated at strategic level. The speed changes, used as the control variable and computed before or during the flight, are designed to provide an adjustment on aircraft’s required time of arrival at the junctions in order to have a de-randomised and well-behaved (conflict free) traffic. This will enable improvements in airspace capacity/ safety binomial. It is recognised that this measure alone is unable to produce a conflict free airspace, and then other collaborative and coordinated actions, such as adjusting and swapping departing times at the departing airports (before the aircraft are taking off), offsetting some flights from nominal route, and allowing multi-agent separation management (while they are in flight) should be applied together with this method.

Design of a conflict-detection air traffic control tool for the implementation of continuous climb operations: A case study at Palma TMA

2019 ◽  
Vol 233 (13) ◽  
pp. 4839-4852 ◽  
Author(s):  
Javier A Pérez-Castán ◽  
Fernando Gómez Comendador ◽  
Álvaro Rodríguez-Sanz ◽  
Rocío Barragán ◽  
Rosa M Arnaldo-Valdés
Keyword(s):  
Traffic Control ◽  
Air Traffic Control ◽  
Conflict Detection ◽  
Air Traffic ◽  
Traffic Flows ◽  
Control Intervention ◽  
Static Approach ◽  
Operational Concept ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Control Tool

Continuous climb operation is an operational concept that allows airlines to perform an optimal departing trajectory avoiding air traffic control segregation requirements. This concept implies the design and integration of air traffic flows for the sake of safety performance. This paper designs a new conflict-detection air traffic control tool based on the blocking-area concept, characterises the conflict probability between air traffic flows and assesses the impact of continuous climb operation integration in a terminal manoeuvring area. In this paper, a conflict is set out by the infringement of vertical and longitudinal separation minima and coincides with the probability of air traffic control tool usage. Moreover, this research discusses two different approaches for the conflict-detection air traffic control tool: a static approach considering nominal continuous climb operations and landing trajectories, and a dynamic approach that assesses 105 continuous climb operations and landing trajectories. Finally, the air traffic control tool is implemented using Palma TMA data and proves that out of 11 intersections (between departing and landing routes), solely 4 generate vertical separation infringements. The conflict probability between continuous climb operations and arrivals is less than 10−5. Except for one intersection, that is roughly 10−2, similar to current air traffic control intervention designed levels. Therefore, results conclude the viability of the conflict-detection air traffic control tool and continuous climb operations integration.

The Control of Inbound Flights

1991 ◽  
Vol 44 (1) ◽  
pp. 85-96 ◽  
Author(s):  
André Benoît ◽  
Sip Swierstra
Keyword(s):  
Traffic Control ◽  
Initial Conditions ◽  
Automatic Generation ◽  
Air Traffic ◽  
Time Of Arrival ◽  
Air Traffic Controller ◽  
Basic Principles ◽  
Traffic Control System ◽  
Extended Area ◽  
The One

This paper describes the basic principles of a method developed to guide aircraft accurately down to the runway in a time-of-arrival constrained environment. The method is designed to be used in a ‘zone of convergence’ context or in any similar advanced air traffic control system characterized by the integration of control phases over an extended area on the one hand and true ‘computer assistance’ to the air traffic controller on the other; that is, assistance provided at the decision-making level through the automatic generation of guidance advisories.The method includes two closely-coupled basic components; namely, a ‘predictor’, which computes a trajectory once initial conditions and plans are known, and a ‘profile manager’, which adapts the plans to meet the time constraints and generates the guidance directives on the basis of present position, actual surveillance information, aircraft operation and route constraints.

Agency policy preferences, congressional letter-marking and the allocation of distributive policy benefits

2015 ◽  
Vol 36 (4) ◽  
pp. 547-571 ◽  
Author(s):  
Russell W. Mills ◽  
Nicole Kalaf-Hughes ◽  
Jason A. MacDonald
Keyword(s):  
Traffic Control ◽  
Air Traffic Control ◽  
National Interest ◽  
Air Traffic ◽  
New Method ◽  
Policy Preferences ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Agency Policy ◽  
Distributive Benefits

AbstractWhen allocating distributive benefits, bureaucrats must balance their own policy preferences with requests from members of Congress. The elimination of earmarking may provide agency personnel with greater discretion in the allocation of distributive benefits. Using a novel data set of congressional letters written in support of their community’s air traffic control towers, we estimate a model that explores the Federal Aviation Administration’s decision to issue national interest exemptions to continue operations at towers slated for closure as a result of budget sequestration. Our analysis suggests that members of Congress do not enjoy the influence they possessed under earmarking when using a new method, letter-marking, to influence how agencies distribute benefits.

Air Traffic Surveillance — Building Capacity and Enhancing Safety

2002 ◽  
Vol 35 (9) ◽  
pp. 266-270
Author(s):  
Andrew Rose
Keyword(s):  
Traffic Control ◽  
Traffic Management ◽  
Primary Objective ◽  
Air Traffic ◽  
Limiting Factor ◽  
Traffic Surveillance ◽  
Safety Issues ◽  
Potential Safety ◽  
Near Term ◽  
Traffic Management System

Surveillance of aircraft is a key requirement of any effective air traffic control system. Classical methods of surveillance, both ground-to-air and air-to-air, have their limitations depending upon the environment in which they are used. These limitations primarily manifest themselves in terms of cost and capacity, with surveillance capability already being a limiting factor in the growth of air traffic in certain regions. Various methods and applications are being developed to overcome surveillance limitations on air traffic growth, the primary objective of which is to enable increased traffic flows whilst enhancing the existing levels of safety. Developments underway in various regions of the world are considering both near-term and longer-term enhancements to surveillance capability as part of a more effective air traffic management system. One prime focus of these developments is a shift away from classical ‘active’ surveillance to a ‘passive’ surveillance based system where the aircraft is responsible for providing the necessary surveillance data rather than the interrogating system. Such an approach can provide significant enhancements in terms of cost and capacity but also brings potential safety risks that need to be effectively managed, particularly during the transition. The objective of this paper is to outline the benefits that such a transition could provide whilst highlighting some of the key safety issues and how they could be addressed. The paper concludes with a vision of a future air traffic surveillance system and a safe transition towards it.

Navigation System Requirements for Supersonic Transport

1965 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 101-113
Author(s):  
W. L. Polhemus
Keyword(s):  
Control System ◽  
Traffic Control ◽  
Navigation System ◽  
Air Traffic Control ◽  
Air Traffic ◽  
Sonic Boom ◽  
Time Of Arrival ◽  
Supersonic Transport ◽  
Traffic Control System ◽  
System Requirements

This paper, based on an earlier one presented at the Eastbourne Convention in May 1964, discusses certain aspects of S.S.T. performance and its bearing on the design of the air navigation system and on the air traffic control system. The requirement is established for a navigation system capable of directing the S.S.T. at minimum economic penalty and within the limits imposed by air traffic control and sonic boom considerations. The system should also be able to determine estimated time of arrival, fuel remaining, and altitude for any randomly chosen point along the flight path; to derive the time of arrival at a particular altitude and, for a selected time of arrival at a chosen position and altitude, give the deceleration and other necessary command information.

Workload Perception of Air Traffic Control Officers and Pilots During Continuous Descent Operations Approach Procedures

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 2-11
Author(s):  
Marina Efthymiou ◽  
Frank Fichert ◽  
Olaf Lantzsch
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Consumption ◽  
Traffic Control ◽  
Air Traffic Control ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Air Traffic ◽  
Reduce Fuel Consumption ◽  
Total Load ◽  
Open Path

Abstract. The paper examines the workload perceived by air traffic control officers (ATCOs) and pilots during continuous descent operations (CDOs), applying closed- and open-path procedures. CDOs reduce fuel consumption and noise emissions. Therefore, they are supported by airports as well as airlines. However, their use often depends on pilots asking for CDOs and controllers giving approval and directions. An adapted NASA Total Load Index (TLX) was used to measure the workload perception of ATCOs and pilots when applying CDOs at selected European airports. The main finding is that ATCOs’ workload increased when giving both closed- and open-path CDOs, which may have a negative impact on their willingness to apply CDOs. The main problem reported by pilots was insufficient distance-to-go information provided by ATCOs. The workload change is important when considering the use of CDOs.

How to Evaluate Remote Tower Metrics in Connection With Weather Observations

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 100-111 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maik Friedrich ◽  
Christoph Möhlenbrink
Keyword(s):  
Traffic Control ◽  
Air Traffic Control ◽  
Influential Factors ◽  
Air Traffic ◽  
Weather Event ◽  
Evaluation Of Performance ◽  
Weather Events ◽  
Weather Observations ◽  
Validation Experiment ◽  
Remote Controller

Abstract. Owing to the different approaches for remote tower operation, a standardized set of indicators is needed to evaluate the technical implementations at a task performance level. One of the most influential factors for air traffic control is weather. This article describes the influence of weather metrics on remote tower operations and how to validate them against each other. Weather metrics are essential to the evaluation of different remote controller working positions. Therefore, weather metrics were identified as part of a validation at the Erfurt-Weimar Airport. Air traffic control officers observed weather events at the tower control working position and the remote control working position. The eight participating air traffic control officers answered time-synchronized questionnaires at both workplaces. The questionnaires addressed operationally relevant weather events in the aerodrome. The validation experiment targeted the air traffic control officer’s ability to categorize and judge the same weather event at different workplaces. The results show the potential of standardized indicators for the evaluation of performance and the importance of weather metrics in relation to other evaluation metrics.

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