1/14 Development and Evaluation of Prototype Flight Deck Systems for Distributed Air-Ground Traffic Management ASAS Thematic Network - Workshop 3 Toulouse, France April 19-21, 2004 Richard Barhydt NASA Langley Research Center             

2/14 Richard Barhydt Distributed Air / Ground Traffic Management Distributed Air / Ground Traffic Management Distributed Air/Ground Traffic Management (DAG-TM)  Long range focus designed to significantly improve system capacity while maintaining or improving safety.  Autonomous aircraft flying under “Autonomous Flight Rules” (AFR) responsible for maintaining separation from all other traffic (AFR and IFR), while meeting traffic flow management constraints.  Air traffic service provider continues to provide traffic separation between IFR aircraft and assigns constraints to all aircraft for flow management. –Distributing separation responsibilities to AFR aircraft enables controllers to focus more on overall traffic flow management. –Constraints (waypoint speed, altitude, or time) presumed to be assigned at TRACON entry point where all AFR traffic transitions to IFR.

3/14 Richard Barhydt Distributed Air / Ground Traffic Management Distributed Air / Ground Traffic Management Potential Incentives for DAG-TM Equipage  Removal of “flow control” ground-hold restrictions due to weather or ATC “saturation” (AFR flow control done through arrival time management).  Priority arrival slots at capacity-constrained airports.  User flexibility to select desired route and altitude.  Capabilities travel with airplane. –Less dependence on local ground system infrastructure. –Presumes ADS-B out or TIS-B.

4/14 Richard Barhydt Distributed Air / Ground Traffic Management Distributed Air / Ground Traffic Management En Route Operations Research Platform  Air Traffic Operations Lab at NASA Langley used as research platform for airborne concept, procedures and prototype systems development and evaluation.  Personal Computer (PC)-based aircraft workstations leverage existing systems and projected capabilities. –Simulated ADS-B used to exchange state and intent information between pilot stations and ground system.  Considers real-world limitations (message format, probability of reception vs. range, update interval).  Based heavily on industry standards (ADS-B MASPS, RTCA/DO-242A). –Modeled ARINC 429 data buses used for information exchange within aircraft simulation. –Autonomous Operations Planner (AOP) provides separation assurance services to flight crew - integrates with existing aircraft systems, displays, and controls.

5/14 Richard Barhydt Distributed Air / Ground Traffic Management Distributed Air / Ground Traffic Management AOP Design Features  Provides conflict detection, prevention, and resolution services. –Considers traffic conflicts and airspace hazards (special use airspace and hazardous weather areas), aircraft performance limitations, flow management constraints.  AOP incorporates human factors design principles: –Commands linked directly to DAG-TM pilot procedures:  Recognize and resolve conflicts with all other aircraft.  Avoid maneuvers that create near-term conflicts. –Information consistent with existing flight deck systems and aircraft control states:  Color conventions for status information, alerts, and warnings.  Resolutions correspond to current aircraft flight mode (Mode Control Panel or Flight Management Computer). –Status information on nearby traffic can be turned on/off.

6/14 Richard Barhydt Distributed Air / Ground Traffic Management Distributed Air / Ground Traffic Management AOP Design Features  Considers real-world complexities associated with trajectory generation and intent information management: –Uses command trajectory as basis for ASAS functions.  Predicted path that aircraft will fly assuming pilot does not change automation modes or settings.  Recommended by various forums (FAA/Eurocontrol Intent TIM, RTCA ADS-B MASPS). –Considers aircraft dynamics, winds, and integrates target states from multiple aircraft systems:  Flight Management Computer (FMC)  Control Display Unit (CDU)  Mode Control Panel (MCP)  Flight Control Computer (FCC)

7/14 Richard Barhydt Distributed Air / Ground Traffic Management Distributed Air / Ground Traffic Management B-777 Style Navigation Display with Conflict Resolution Uploaded to FMC Loss of Separation Region Ownship Intruder

8/14 Richard Barhydt Distributed Air / Ground Traffic Management Distributed Air / Ground Traffic Management DAG-TM Concept (Terminal Area)  Concept Goals: –Increase runway throughput while maintaining or improving safety. –Leverage existing navigational procedures and aircraft systems, displays, and controls. –Conduct operations without adversely affecting flight crew or controller workload. –Effectively integrate aircraft with mixed equipage capabilities.

9/14 Richard Barhydt Distributed Air / Ground Traffic Management Distributed Air / Ground Traffic Management DAG-TM Terminal Area Operations  Runway throughput improved by reducing threshold crossing delay time between aircraft (consistent with safety).  Airborne Merging and Spacing tool for Terminal Arrivals (AMSTAR) designed to reduce delay time by improving threshold crossing accuracy and precision: –Accuracy: time intervals closer to optimum spacing. –Precision: successive intervals have better consistency. –Provides speed commands needed to achieve desired threshold crossing time behind preceding aircraft.

10/14 Richard Barhydt Distributed Air / Ground Traffic Management Distributed Air / Ground Traffic Management Compensates for dissimilar final approach speeds between aircraft pairs. Includes wake vortex minima requirements. Compensates for wind changes encountered during approach. Speeds based on a nominal speed profile consistent with current day operations. Emphasizes low pilot workload and system stability. –Speed changes given in 5 knot increments. –Speed commands kept within 10% of nominal speed profile. Provides smooth transition to desired final approach speed. Provides any necessary alerting. AMSTAR Design Features

11/14 Richard Barhydt Distributed Air / Ground Traffic Management Distributed Air / Ground Traffic Management Nominal Speed Profile Existing Procedure with Downwind Extension

12/14 Richard Barhydt Distributed Air / Ground Traffic Management Distributed Air / Ground Traffic Management Flight Crew Actions Pilot engages PDS guidance Pilot selects lead aircraft and enters spacing data through CDU 90

13/14 Richard Barhydt Distributed Air / Ground Traffic Management Distributed Air / Ground Traffic Management Airborne Spacing Flight Evaluation  High fidelity simulator study: –Pilots achieved desired spacing interval (mean values):  Within 5 sec when following speed guidance with MCP or manual throttles.  Within 1 sec when coupled to autothrottle.  Standard deviation within 2 sec.  Flight test at Chicago O’Hare with Langley B-757 research aircraft: –Widely varying winds (35+ knot tailwind to headwind changes on final). –Mean spacing performance within 1 sec of desired interval. –Standard deviation ~ 8 sec.

14/14 Richard Barhydt Distributed Air / Ground Traffic Management Distributed Air / Ground Traffic Management Upcoming Studies  En Route and Arrival Operations: –Joint Experiment with NASA Ames Research Center.  Air/ground coordination with subject pilots and controllers.  Will address concept scalability and mixed operations.  Overflight and descent scenarios (with required time of arrival at TRACON entry point.)  Terminal Area Operations: –Batch studies (effects of ADS-B range, wind prediction accuracy, different aircraft types in stream). –Human-in-the-loop study (adaptability to different airports/airspace, pilot workload, controller feedback).