NASA Ames Research Center. 1 ... Planning Tools for Flow Based Trajectory Management (FBTM) .... Arrow next to the aircraft call sign- opens basic route trial.
Next Generation Air Traffic Management Operations
DASC October 16-20, 2011 Connie Brasil Paul Lee, Matthew Mainini, Jeffrey Homola & Hwasoo Lee San Jose State University Research Foundation
Thomas Prevot & Nancy Smith NASA Ames Research Center 1
Talk Overview Introduction: Air Traffic Flow Management concept Background NASA Ames Airspace Operations Lab (AOL) Human-in-the-Loop (HITL) overview
Flow Based Trajectory Modification Tools AOL Planning Stations Situation Assessment Tools Trajectory Planning and Coordination Tools Results Tool Usage Overview Usefulness and Usability Discussion Conclusion 2
Introduction Air traffic to increase twofold in coming decades FAA Aerospace Forecast Fiscal Years 2011-2031
Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) Single European Sky ATM Research (SESAR) Managed vs Controlled airspace operations
Air Traffic Flow Management (ATFM) Aided by Enhanced Automation and Decision Support Tools Aircraft ADS-B Performance-based Navigation Data Comm
NASA Ames Airspace Operations Laboratory (AOL) Ground-based Automation and Decision Support Tools 3
Background AOL Simulation Environment
Air Traffic Planning Stations
Multi Aircraft Control System (MACS)
High fidelity ground based software platform Rapid prototype test bed for adaptable air traffic control environments. Interactive trajectory assessment and modification tools
Air Traffic Control Radar Stations Pseudo Pilot Stations
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Background: HITL Overview HITL Overview 2009 Multi-Sector Planning (MSP2) HITL
Introduces new ATFM position to facility team Planning Tools for Flow Based Trajectory Management (FBTM)
Traffic load and complexity Trajectory planning and coordination Full Data Comm operational environment
2010 Multi-Sector Planning (MSP3) HITL
Incorporated FBTM tool set into Area Supervisor and TMC stations Advanced DSTs for a Mixed-Equipage environment
Planning station enhanced with equipage sensitive color-coding of data tags and aircraft symbols Waypoint-based trajectory planning, amendment and communication mechanisms for voice clearances Upgraded equipage sensitive aircraft filters and traffic complexity computations
2010 Flexible Airspace Management (FAM) HITL
Demonstrate the benefits and feasibility of dynamic airspace configuration Incorporates FBTM tools with newly designed airspace reconfiguration tools Full Air-to-Ground Data Comm with new Ground-to-Ground Data Comm procedures 5
FBTM Defined Flow Based Trajectory Management Tools FAA and NASA AOL
Simulated Defined Enhanced Operational Environments for NextGen
Process for planning and coordinating aircraft trajectory
changes to meet local area traffic flow management objectives. Purpose of Paper Review situational and planning tools used with trajectory
assessment and modifications Demonstrate Usefulness and Usability Show Feasibility and Benefits
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FBTM Tools Trajectory Assessment and Modification Built into planning stations of all ATFM participants 14 Operationally Current TMCs and/or Supervisors
5-TMCs 5-Area Supervisors 4-MSPs (both Area Supervisor and TMC experience)
Situation assessment Planning and plan coordination Linked for common understanding in order to assess
available options for the management, communication and execution of proposed plans 7
FBTM Tools AOL ATFM Planning Station
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FBTM Tools Assessment and Modification Assessment Tools Load Display Control Window Load Table Window Load Graph Window Aircraft (AC) Filters Modification Tools “trial plans” for single or multi-aircraft trajectories
Altitude Route Both Altitude and Route
Conflict avoidance, Weather avoidance or Airspace congestion
Coordination Tools Air-to-ground Data Comm Ground-to-ground Data Comm 9
Situation Assessment Tools New traffic load, sector complexity and aircraft
filtering tools Support the planners traffic assessment in large congested airspace Traffic Volumes
Congestion Points Weather Impacts
Increased MAP values with enhanced DSTs Today MAP max = ~18 NextGen potential max= 22 to 26+ 10
Situation Assessment Tools (cont.) AC Filter Gain awareness of current and predicted traffic subsets Highlight particular aircraft sets
TO or FROM specific airports VIA routes or waypoints FL- specific altitude stratums GEO specific areas DRAW-dynamically drawn objects WX- forecasted weather areas LOAD- traffic load and complexity tables/graphs Color Code optional ETC…. 11
Situation Assessment Tools (cont.) Load Tables and Graphs Traffic Loads Tables/Graphs
Specific Sector Specific Time (15 min. intervals)
Complexity Factors Unequipped Transitioning aircraft Conflict predictions Weather penetrations Sector shape and size
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Trajectory Planning and Coordination Display System
Replacement (DSR) Interactive Trial Planning
Tool
Single or Multi-aircraft Altitude, Route, or Both
AC Filter Options Data Comm Air-to-ground Ground-to-ground Weather Information 13
Trajectory Planning and Coordination Trial Plan Options
Multiple Aircraft Trial Plan- FF
Single or Multi-Aircraft Typed Commands into DSR CRD
FF- selects aircraft for group trial planning
TT- opens basic route trial plan
TA- opens an altitude trial plan
TR- opens a more specified route trial plan
Interactive Flight Data Block (FDB)
Arrow next to the aircraft call sign- opens basic route trial plan, similar to TT command Same arrow (but magenta-colored)- to review a suggested trial plan from another planner or a trial plan already sent to others Altitude line of the FDB- opens an altitude trial plan, similar to the TA command Conflict number to start a automated trial plan resolution to solve for the predicted traffic conflict Weather number to start a trial plan to solve for the predicted weather penetration
FDB Trial Plan Plan Portal Portal FDB Trial ♦AAL423 6 350C ♦AAL423 5 628 350C456 15 628 456 15 14
Trajectory Planning and Coordination Trajectory Plan Coordination via Data Comm Ground-to-Air Data Comm
Uplink the trajectory modification directly to the aircraft
Ground-to-Ground Data Comm
Coordinate the clearance with the radar controllers who have track control of those aircraft, upon approval, they can uplink it to the aircraft directly Send a modified Coordination Plan to other team members
Voice Communications
Available at all times Required for Mixed-equipage 15
Results Collaborative Use of FBTM Tools High level combined tool usage summary Combined Usefulness and Usability ratings from post-
simulation questionnaires Scenarios were designed to exceed high peak and complexity values Obligated to use the tools Bring traffic loads under control Limited disruption of user preferred routings Goal is to increase aircraft throughput without
increasing workload 16
Results Usage Data: Load and Complexity Tables/Graphs Load and Complexity Tables 64.5%
Necessary for traffic assessment and planning
Graphs 35.5%
Reference for how long peak periods would last
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Results Usage Data: AC Filter AC Filter Total of 3,427 Filter Options LOAD and TO used most Questionnaire Feedback
Easily used in conjunction with Load tables/graphs Liked the idea of the many filter options
AC Filter Type
MSPs and FAM HITL Totals
Selected/Deselected: LOAD
501/272
Selected/Deselected: TO
1222/881
Selected/Deselected: FROM
8/8
Selected/Deselected: FL
36/36
Selected/Deselected: GEO
61/56
Selected/Deselected: VIA
5/5
Selected/Deselected: WX
95/70
Deselected: All
AC Filter Totals
171
3427
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Results Usage Data: Total Trial Plans Combined Trial Plan Total of 6,244 trial plans initiated
44% sent via Data Comm for approval 46% developed but cancelled 10% suggested trial plans opened from other planners
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Results Usage Data: Data Comm Coordination Data Comm Usage Uplink Clearance (66 times) Coordinated Clearances
(1,620 times) Coordinated Plans (1,555 times)
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Results Usefulness and Usability Data for All FBTM Tools
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Discussion FAA NextGen Implementation Plan Increased Automation and DST technologies Trajectory Based Operations (TBO)
High-altitude cruise En-route operations DSTs Automation to manage flight path trajectories Full performance based navigation User preferences
Collaborative Air Traffic Management (CATM) Improving system-wide traffic flow management Collaborative Advanced Automation Airspace capacity solutions User preferred routing options Dynamic airspace boundaries 22
Discussion (cont.) Flow Based Trajectory Management Tools Core NextGen Components
Situation Awareness Tools Trajectory Modification Tools Coordination Tools
Tool Commonality
Quickly identify problem areas Informed coordinated decisions Common understanding of constraints and goals
Flexible Air Traffic Operations
User Preferred Routings Replacing or augmenting traffic load counts with complexity parameters Airspace design and procedures
Reduces airspace complexity Increased aircraft throughput Maintained normal workload levels 23
Conclusion
NextGen solutions have to be integrated Move from controlled airspace to managed airspace Leverage and expand on current technologies Implement new automated DSTs Ground systems that can work with advanced aircraft technologies ADS-B Performance-based trajectory navigation Data Comm
Support a more advanced, efficient, safe and flexible air
traffic control system 24
Closing the Generation Gap… Opening the Next Generation of Air Traffic Control
Questions?? Thanks for listening, enjoy the rest of your day! 25
Extra Slides
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Results Usage Data: Total Trial Plans by Type of Usage Trial Plan Usage Type Typing TT or clicking on the FDB
trial plan portal arrow (50%, 3,130 times) Multi-aircraft trial plan feature (FF) was used for 34% of all trial plans, 539 times, encompassing 2,119 aircraft (34%, n=539, 2,119 aircraft) Typing TA of clicking on Altitude portion of the FDB (9%, 577 times) Typing TR for specific route trial planning (7%, 406 times) 27
