Ames Research Center Cleveland New York Boston Washington Philadelphia TRACON TMA-MC Overview TMA-MC Overview Tom Davis, Chief, Terminal Area ATM Research Branch

Ames Research Center Traffic Management Advisor (TMA) Traffic Management tool to provide arrival traffic flow visualization and scheduling Assists controllers in balancing arrival demand with airport capacity while minimizing delays Develops a safe and efficient schedule for arrival traffic to maximize airport capacity Increases airport capacity, reduces arrival delays, and reduces controller workload by advising enroute sector controllers of the optimized schedule

Ames Research Center TMA Simplified System Description System control & communication Atmospheric data Arrival time prediction TMC Flow Visualization Controller advisories Flight plan data Radar Track & Speed Controller commands Operational ATC Computer Constraint Scheduling TMA Workstations

Ames Research Center TMA: Demand Prediction Estimated time of arrival (ETA) Routes –Follows AK route through the outer arc to the meter fix or –Direct to meter fix/direct to outer arc (fixed radial distance from meter fix) –Nominal path from meter fix to runway threshold Trajectory estimates (modern flight management system algorithms) –Current fuel optimal altitude, speed and descent profiles –Aircraft performance models (over 400 different model types) Input data –Flight plan –Air traffic control HOST flight plans, radar tracks and ground speed estimates –National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) winds, pressure and temperature aloft (hourly forecasts)

Ames Research Center Typical TMA Trajectory Profile Wpt 2 Wpt 3 Wpt Capture 10,000 ft 2. Accelerate to climb speed 3. Climb to Mach/CAS transition altitude with constant CAS 4. Climb to cruise altitude with constant mach 5. Accelerate to cruise speed 6. Level flight cruise at constant Mach 7. Constant Mach descent to descent CAS 8. Constant CAS descent to crossing altitude 9. Decelerate to crossing speed 9

Ames Research Center TMA: Scheduling - Constraints Airport configuration –Current and future airport configurations –Runway loading –Visual or instrument conditions Capacity and control constraints –Separation requirements Meter fix separation requirement Runway threshold (wake vortex or user defined) –Flow rates (number of aircraft/time interval) Airport Runway, meter fix, gate, TRACON –Dynamic configuration changes (blocked interval on runway or meter fix)

Ames Research Center TMA: Scheduling Algorithms Modified first-come-first-served (FCFS) –FCFS sequenced and separated at meter fix –Order of consideration at the runway Priority gate scheduling (aka “single gate free flow”) Close by airport departure scheduling (call for release) Runway allocation optimization –System delay reduction –Controller heuristics Delay/workload distribution –High/Low altitude, site adaptable –Center/TRACON dynamically adaptable

Ames Research Center TMA Flow Visualization: Controller & TMC Advisories Timelines (TGUI) - schedule, status and control information –Threshold, meter fix and departure airport ETA/STA –Configuration management and manual schedule adjustments Load Graphs (TGUI) - demand and schedule density information –Threshold and meter fix –Airport acceptance rate or user defined reference Flow control advisories to sector controllers DSR –Outer arc crossing time and countdown delay –Meter fix crossing time and countdown delay –Controller tactical swap and re-sequence

Ames Research Center TMC GUI Timeline Display

Ames Research Center TMC GUI Graphical Displays

Ames Research Center Planview GUI Display

Ames Research Center DSR Sector Controller Meter List

Ames Research Center Fort Worth Center Arrival Airspace 100 nm

Ames Research Center Measured Benefits of TMA-Single Center at ZFW/DFW Traffic Management Coordinator: – Improved efficiency via increases in airport acceptance rate – Improved forecasting of airport capacity and staffing level Sector Controllers: – Accurate and realizable metering advisories – Reduced workload from previous metering system (ASP) – Perceived reduction in metering duration from ASP Traffic Management System: – Increased capacity by ~5% – Reduced delays between 2-3 minutes / aircraft Operational status at ZFW/DFW –Operational since Oct –16 hrs/day ( ), 7 days/week

Ames Research Center What is TMA-MC? TMA-MC is an extension of the TMA Single-Center to regions where more than one facility is significantly involved in arrival traffic flow management –Incorporates system requirements and operational procedures for re-planning across multiple facilities –Enables transition to time-based metering –Scheduling information for airports and boundaries –Facilitates regional collaboration –Identifies and aids in alleviation of airspace resource congestion problems TMA-MC is a priority research project for FFP2, with a goal of providing capability in the field in the timeframe.

Ames Research Center TMA-MC: Who are the players? TMA Operational Expertise Algorithm Development Software Development Human Factors Requirements Definition NE Airspace Procedures NE Corridor Controller-in-the-loop, Real-time Simulation Benefits Analysis Controller Training Field Demonstration/Testing Technology Transfer AOZ (FFP2) Air Traffic Tech Ctr. MITRE

Ames Research Center TMA-MC Approach Focus upon a region where multi-facility issues are significant Develop an evolutionary process toward a full Multi-Center capability which closely matches and enhances the TMA-SC Evaluate TMA-MC in simulation at NASA, the FAA Technical Center and at selected field sites (e.g. ZNY, ZDC, ZOB, ZBW, and PHL) Conduct TMA-MC field site activities in two phases: –Multi-Facility Collaboration (Release 1) –Automated Flow Management Advisor (Release 2)

Ames Research Center Development Phases Release 1: Multi-facility Collaboration –Utilize TMA prediction and time-based scheduling to provide TMCs in multiple facilities with consistent, accurate arrival information –Utilize TMA graphical displays to facilitate regional collaboration to solve predicted problems –Investigate how to transition to the use of time-based metering in the complex NE environment –Investigate potential system benefits associated with collaboration Release 2: Collaboration and Metering –Utilize TMA prediction and time-based scheduling Enable free-flow of heavily saturated sectors while metering others Transition to full time-based metering in all affected facilities –Develop operational procedures for collaborative metering affecting multiple facilities Determine hierarchy for decision-making across multiple facilities Determine benefits of metering in complex environments

Ames Research Center Challenges of TMA-MC in NE Complex airspace –Multiple facilities, second-tier centers affecting flow –Narrow sectors, restricted controllability –Tower enroute –Crossing traffic flows –Metering Potential benefits –Accurate prediction: a window into the future –Enhanced collaboration –Smoother traffic flow –Reduced holding

Ames Research Center Arrival airspace comparison While the original TMA, which is an intra-Center tool, is well suited to Dallas arrival operations… Philadelphia arrivals require a new, inter- Center version of TMA… Multi-Center TMA

Ames Research Center TMA-MC System Architecture ZOB-TMA ZDC-TMA ZNY-TMA CTAS (TMA) Network ETAs, STAs ZOB HostZNY HostZDC Host ZBW-TMA ZBW Host ETMS Local ARTS ETMS ATCSCC TMA Local ARTS

Ames Research Center Human-in-the-loop simulations Conducted 4 simulation activities (January – June, 2001) –Real time –Controller-in-the-loop –TMCs & controllers from each facility –Traffic scenarios based on recorded live data –Simulated traffic flown by pseudo-pilots Objectives –Familiarize controllers with time-based metering operations –Assess feasibility of doing time-based metering into Philadelphia

Ames Research Center Highlights from simulations It’s more difficult to conform to metering times in the Philadelphia arrival airspace than it is in the Dallas/Ft. Worth arrival airspace –Greater complexity –Smaller sectors –Heavy crossing traffic –Diverse mix of traffic New requirements for Multi-Center TMA –Expanded metering horizon –Redistribution of delay to outlying sectors –Multiple metering fixes along an arrival stream

Ames Research Center Philadelphia arrival sectors New TMA-MC requirements –Offload interior sectors –Expand metering horizon Small, complex sectors Heavy crossing traffic

Ames Research Center “Conventional” metering horizon n.m. radius

Ames Research Center Expanded metering horizon for PHL Improved schedule conformance More acceptable to controllers Error begins to accumulate in trajectory computations

Ames Research Center Upstream metering reference points Upstream metering points effectively split the arrival metering problem into two phases –Reduces error buildup –Improves schedule stability and reliability

Ames Research Center Schedule - Key Milestones Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Government Fiscal Year TMA-MC Software Development Award (CTO-3) Initiate TMA-MC controller simulations TMA-MC Software Design Review (4/16/01) TMA-MC Software Implementation Plan (5/16/01) Initiate Site Surveys Complete initial TMA-MC controller simulations TMA-MC Release 1 FAATC Simulation TMA-MC Release 1 Site Installation (5/02) TMA-MC Release 1 Field Evaluation Conduct TMA-MC Release 2 controller simulations TMA-MC Release 2 FAATC Simulation TMA-MC Release 2 Site Installation (3/03) TMA-MC Release 2 Field Evaluation Technology Transfer to FAA ongoing Transition to IDU NASA/AATT Project Complete