1. Air Traffic Management
Calie Giangi

2. Agenda Introduction to ATC Generic Elements Airspace ATC Structure
Purpose
Basic Services
Generic Elements
Airspace
ATC Structure
ATC Operations
Future of ATC

3. Air Traffic Control (ATC)
Also known as air traffic management (ATM)
The purpose of ATC is to ensure the safe and efficient flow of air traffic

4. Four Basic Services
Separation assurance – ATC controllers are responsible for keeping aircrafts separated from each other, as well as from other hazards such as terrain or wake vortices
Flight information – provide weather and airport condition updates
Search and rescue – notifying and alerting proper agencies about an aircraft in need
Congestion management – organizing traffic flows into congested airports and airspace

5. Generic Elements of ATC System

6. Generic Elements of ATC System
Communications System
Commands/clearances are issued to aircrafts
Voice radio channels
Network of ground stations
Range is limited to 100 nautical miles
XM/Sirius are used to send non-aircraft-specific data

7. Generic Elements of ATC System
Navigation Systems
ATC controllers ensure aircrafts fly a cleared route
En route
Long-range coverage
VHF omnidirectional range system (VOR system)
Limited to line of sight communication
Stations located at/near airports or on high ground
Approach
Higher precision required
Runway classification: non-instrument (visual) vs. instrument

8. Generic Elements of ATC System
Surveillance Systems
ATC controller observes and monitors traffic situations
Position reporting – crew communicates its position
Radar – currently used for most domestic systems
Primary Radars – measure range by the round-trip time of an interrogation pulse reflected off of the aircraft
Secondary Radars – aircraft is equipped with a transponder which receives and transmits an interrogation pulse along with an ID code for the responding aircraft (ATC Radar Beacon System)
Direction (antenna) and altitude (ATCRBS) are also measured

9. Generic Elements of ATC System
Flight and Weather Information Systems
Flight plans are managed in a central flight data processing system, distributed to various ATC facilities
Increasing number of computer-based decision support tools are being developed to help controllers optimize the flow of traffic
Current conditions provided to pilots and ATC controllers
Extensive weather information systems generate and distribute
general and airport-specific forecasts and observations
winds aloft forecasts
hazardous weather alerts
pilot reports (PIREPS)

10. Airspace Controlled Uncontrolled Military operations
Traffic is supervised and managed by ATC
Uncontrolled
Aircrafts not directly managed by ATC
Military operations
Airspace is reserved for military
Civilian aircrafts are prohibited from entering or require permission from military authorities before using it

11. ATC Structure Ground Control Tower Control Terminal Airspace Control
Manages aircraft and other vehicles on airport surface as they taxi to/from the runway
Tower Control
Manages take off and landing
Radius of about 5 miles from the airport and ft high
Terminal Airspace Control
Manages descent, initial approach, and departure phases
En route/Center Control
Manages traffic above and between terminal airspace
Oceanic/International Airspace
Managed by International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)

12. ATC Operations Human-centered contract process
Controllers and flight crews negotiate for access to airport or airspace resources
ATC controller observes traffic situation through surveillance system
Controller issues commands to aircraft
Standard Operating Procedures
Altitude (east vs. west)
Holding patterns to delay aircraft in air when high traffic makes it difficult to move to the next sector
Priority for and equity of service (usually FCFS)
Emergencies/Equipment failures

13. Future of ATC Systems Not much room for growth in US
Early plans include
Increased use of satellite navigation systems
Surveillance systems based on ADS-B
Use of time as a control parameter in trajectory-based clearances
Broad information sharing through system-wide information management
Moving controllers to a more supervisory role and shifting some ATC functions to the cockpit