[RCED-98-246] National Airspace System: FAA Has Implemented Some Free Flight Initiatives, but Challenges Remain , Part 3/4
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NEAR-TERM RECOMMENDATIONS,
1995-97
--------------------------------------------------------- Appendix I:1
1. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), in cooperation with
users, must develop new procedures which use airplane Random
Navigation/Area Navigation (RNAV) capabilities to reduce congestion
over waypoints. Such procedures should be expedited for the top 50
airports.
2. Institute a process to quickly develop the standards, criteria,
procedures, and training programs necessary to expand implementation
procedures for use of area navigation equipment capabilities,
including vertical guidance, to increase capacity and operating
efficiency in terminal areas.
3. Review existing air traffic control (ATC) procedures to identify
changes for increased use of RNAV routes below Flight Level 180.
4. The planned expansion of the National Route Program (NRP) should
be continued.
5. Where appropriate, decrease 200 nautical mile radius restriction
for NRP filing.
6. Develop mechanisms to provide predeparture feedback to the flight
planners on potential impacts of requested flight plans, changes to
requested flight plans, and systems constraints causing those
changes.
7. Implement rationing-by-schedule during ground delay programs.
8. Establish more flexible ground delay program procedures and
supporting decision support systems (DSS).
9. Establish a coordinated effort among military, FAA, and National
Airspace System (NAS) users to define the information and
capabilities necessary to improve civil use of Special Use Airspaces
(SUA) when not being utilized by DOD.
10. An operational trial in one or more SUA should be conducted to
demonstrate how improved information exchange on the status of SUA
can improve civil use of SUAs when not being utilized by DOD.
11. Develop and implement real-time SUA notification between DOD and
FAA, and between FAA and flight planners. A program plan is needed
in the near term.
12. Streamline the FAA certification process to reduce time and
costs for approval and fielding of new and emerging technologies.
13a. In collaboration with NAS users, the FAA should make a decision
on the initial air/ground data link to be implemented for domestic
ATC communications, navigation, and surveillance.
13b. The FAA should collaborate with the airspace users in the
continued development of oceanic data link (i.e., Satellite Voice and
Data Communications [SATCOM], High Frequency [HF] data link).
14. Improve telecommunication mechanisms to enhance the free flow of
information between users and the Traffic Flow Management (TFM)
system on a machine to machine basis.
15. Incorporate airline schedule updates (e.g., company delays and
cancellations) in FAA decision support systems and decision
processes.
16. Enhance, if possible, or replace the current Air Traffic
Management (ATM) monitor/alert function, including, but not limited
to, a means of measuring controller workload and complexity.
17. Expedite the deployment of digital Automatic Terminal
Information Service (ATIS), automated taxi clearance and expanded use
of a standard taxi clearance as appended to the Pre-Departure
Clearance (PDC). Expedite expansion of PDC to additional 27 sites.
Evaluate expansion beyond the planned 57.
18. FAA should initiate the development of the standards for a
cockpit situational awareness display of traffic information.
19. Deploy a ground-based conflict probe in the near term to
accelerate the selection and development of a conflict probe with
automated planning aids to assist controllers in the identification
and resolution of conflicts.
20a. Expedite the implementation of the technologies and
capabilities (e.g., Center TRACON Automation System [CTAS]) necessary
for improved transition to, from, and operations in the terminal
airspace, including the ability to sequence and schedule aircraft
arriving on unstructured routes.
20b. Move mature elements of CTAS forward out of research and
development (R&D) into implementation ensuring adherence to free
flight principles.
21. In cooperation with airspace users, investigate the technical
feasibility, safety, cost, and benefits of using Global Positioning
System (GPS) Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) as an en route
vertical reference, e.g., for Reduced Vertical Separation Minima
(RVSM).
22. The FAA should support the Meteorological Data Collection and
Reporting System (MDCRS) to enhance the quality and quantity of
real-time aircraft-reported weather information.
23. Develop the capability--starting with existing capabilities--to
generate more accurate forecasts on convective weather for use in
flight and operational planning.
24. Develop methodology and tools to measure and predict dynamic
density.
25. Develop, evaluate, and implement TFM capability for a
cooperative exchange of information amongst the users and the FAA
that will enable user involvement in the FAA's TFM decision making
process.
25a. Building on existing activities, such as Traffic Flow
Management-Architecture and Requirements Team (TFM-ART) and
FAA-Airline Data Exchange (FADE), and related programs, the FAA and
users must determine the details of an improved user-TFM interaction.
25b. In concert with the users, FAA must aggressively pursue the
testing and implementation of development programs, and/or more
flexible procedures, aimed at supporting the cooperative exchange of
real-time data and information between the users and TFM system.
Start now by developing TFM scenarios with the users that substitute
controlled time of arrival (CTA) instead of the currently employed
departure clearance time. Evaluate this soon at one airport.
26. FAA and users should establish procedures for aircraft to
aircraft separation when separation responsibility may be transferred
to the aircraft by the air traffic service provider on a case by case
basis.
27. Implement precision missed approaches and precision simultaneous
approaches and departures.
28. Investigate the possibility of increasing runway acceptance by
permitting two aircraft to occupy the runway at the same time.
29. Additional expansion of the NRP below Flight Level 290 should be
explored. Accelerate modeling and analysis efforts needed to
facilitate the continued expansion of the NRP.
30. Issue an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking regarding
implementation of domestic reduced vertical separation minima (RVSM)
above Flight Level 290.
31. The FAA should determine the requirements for reduced en route
horizontal separation standards, including surveillance performance.
32. Begin rulemaking to remove the 250 knots below 10,000 feet
restriction in Class B airspace.
33. The FAA should study human perceptions and responses associated
with the time and distance buffers that separate aircraft (protected
and alert zones). FAA must determine that proposed changes in
separation rules and maneuver limits do not increase perceived
hazards, statistical risks, and experienced discomfort. FAA must
show that the proposed changes will make the present system more
efficient, safe, or economical before implementation.
34. Real-time human-in-the-loop simulations should be conducted to
systematically study controller and pilot behaviors, interactions,
and effects within NAS environments that represent dynamic densities
and sector configurations anticipated for free flight.
35. Reemphasize the role of the Airport Improvement Program in
increasing airport capacity.
MIDTERM RECOMMENDATIONS,
1998-2000
--------------------------------------------------------- Appendix I:2
MT1. Increase FAA Air-Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC) decision
support capabilities as soon as possible to include the total U.S.
navigational database.
MT2. Accelerate and expand programs to support GPS/WAAS as a primary
navigation system (e.g., airport surveys, update FAA orders,
precision approaches at majority of airports in the contiguous United
States, Hawaii, Southern Alaska, and the Caribbean).
MT3. Ensure that requirements for Standard Terminal Automation
Replacement System (STARS) for Terminal Radar Approach Controls
(TRACONs) and Display System Replacement (DSR) for ARTCCs be modified
to include a provision, i.e., a "hook" for receiving, processing, and
displaying Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) signals
and data link.
MT4. Develop and implement technology for the dissemination of
weather products and flight information to the cockpit. Development
of FIS application standards should be done in coordination with
cockpit traffic display standards.
MT5. FAA must develop and deploy dynamic/adaptive sectors as a means
to facilitate free flight operations.
MT6. Initiate the development of, and implement, ADS to support user
preferred trajectories in non radar areas; includes ground
infrastructure (communications and automation) and user equipage.
FAR-TERM RECOMMENDATIONS, 2001
AND BEYOND
--------------------------------------------------------- Appendix I:3
FT1. Expand the number of airports to receive surface surveillance
capability.
FT2. The FAA should define a surveillance architecture and
infrastructure for en route and terminal airspace incorporating both
dependent and independent surveillance elements. The architecture
must meet the requirements for reduced separation standards, improved
coverage, and lower-cost maintenance determined by other related
studies and investigations, and should facilitate enhancing both
near-term surveillance capabilities and those required for mature
free flight.
FT3. Determine Local Area Augmentation System (LAAS) capability to
enable increased availability of Category I, II, III approaches and
implement LAAS, as appropriate.
STATUS OF SELECTED RTCA
RECOMMENDATIONS RELATED TO FREE
FLIGHT PHASE 1, AS OF JULY 1998
========================================================== Appendix II
RECOMMENDATION INITIATIVE STATUS\a
----------------------------- ---------------------------- ------------------
----------
4. The planned expansion of a. FAA Notice 7110.147, Completed. Effecti
ve 2/26/
the National Route Program National Route Program, 97 Notice will be
(NRP) should be continued. dated 12/20/95, has been incorporated into
FAA Order
revised to create a more 7210.3 chapter 18.
aggressive expansion form.
b. Conduct ATC system impact Completed by MITRE
-CAASD.
analysis and modeling.
c. NRP expansion to FL 290. Completed 10/96.
d. Conduct postexpansion Database for track
ing issues
workload analysis to concerning NRP dev
eloped.
identify issues and lessons Ongoing historical
data
learned from planned collection.
expansion to FL 290.
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----------
RECOMMENDATION INITIATIVE STATUS\a
----------------------------- ---------------------------- ------------------
----------
5. Where appropriate, a. Examine feasibility of MITRE Corporation
did some
decrease 200-nautical-mile- reducing the 200-nautical- initial analysis o
n
radius restriction for NRP mile radius using existing reduction of 200-n
autical-
filing. modeling and analysis mile restriction i
n
capabilities. Analysis increments of 50 n
autical
should address issues such miles. The results
were not
as workload and redesign of especially useful
because
national airspace. Initial the modeling was d
esigned to
simulation analysis set a baseline and
did not
completed. Additional reflect realistic
simulation and Human in the expectations of in
creased
Loop (HITL) analyses are airline participat
ion.
planned. Further considerat
ion
indicated this was
not a
realistic approach
because
(1) the ingress/eg
ress
mileage would vary
greatly
from airport to ai
rport and
(2) programming of
airline
databases to accou
nt for
airport variations
would be
cumbersome and tim
e
consuming.
b. Develop procedures for Development of the
DP/STAR
use of Instrument Departure goal to allow user
s to file
Procedures (DP) and Standard Instrument Departu
re
Terminal Arrival Routes Procedures transit
ions to
(STAR) for filing a Standard join an NRP route,
and exit
Instrument Departure (SID) an NRP route via t
he
to the NRP to a STAR at transition of a St
andard
destination. Terminal Arrival R
oute.
c. Begin testing and A notification und
er the
evaluation of DP/STAR provisions of the
collective
egress/ingress program at bargaining agreeme
nt was
airport city pairs as agreed issued to NATCA on
2/10/97.
upon by FAA and industry
working groups.
d.Implement DP/STAR egress/ On 4/1/98, a commi
ttee
ingress program nationally. consisting of Nati
onal Air
Identify and disseminate Traffic Controller
s
ingress/egress points inside Association (NATCA
), ATO-
or outside 200-nautical- 100/200, and the A
irline
mile radius (those that do Transport Associat
ion
not have DPs/STARs). convened to outlin
e the DP/
STAR project and t
o provide
national oversight
. The
National Business
Aircraft
Association and Re
gional
Aircraft Associati
on were
invited to attend
and will
continue to be inv
ited to
participate on the
committee.
Regions and facili
ties will
be tasked to revie
w DP/STAR
transitions to are
a airports
to evaluate applic
ability to
the DP/STAR goal.
Procedures for imp
lementing
the DP/STAR progra
m have
been developed and
agreed
upon by FAA and in
dustry
work group members
.
Initial list of se
lect
cities has been de
veloped
consisting of 24 D
Ps and 11
STARs.
Coordination with
NATCA on
implementation of
initial
cities list comple
ted 3/25/
98.
Initial list of DP
s/STARs
changed. New list
includes
Denver, Albuquerqu
e,
Minneapolis/St. Pa
ul, and
Salt Lake City. A
total of
14 DPs with 73 tra
nsitions,
and 19 STARS with
40
transitions approv
ed for
implementation.
All transitions of
each DP/
STAR may not be av
ailable/
published because
of
facility procedura
l
constraints.
Advisory Circular
90-91B
and FAA Notice 721
0.468
defining program
requirements publi
shed 4/
15/98.
Workgroup met 7/8/
98-7/9/
98 to develop and
agree upon
next airports for
implementation lat
er in
1998.
Program name chang
ed to
"Departure Procedu
re/
Standard Terminal
Arrival
Route Transition t
o the
National Route Pro
gram."
Airports that do n
ot have
DP/STAR routes are
not
likely to be the p
rimary
departure/destinat
ion points
of the users. Afte
r the DP/
STAR program is im
plemented
at most major site
s,
attention can be g
iven to
address those airp
orts and
determine a reason
able
distance expectati
on for
users to join a pu
blished
route. (Published
route
indicating a jet o
r victor
airway, as opposed
to
published preferre
d
Instrument Flight
Rules
(IFR) route.) The
latter are
navigational aids.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------
RECOMMENDATION INITIATIVE STATUS\a
----------------------------- ---------------------------- ------------------
----------
6. Develop mechanisms to a. RTCA Special Committee Data exchange mech
anism in
provide predeparture feedback (SC) 169 Working Group 5 to place. Traffic Flo
w
to the flight planners on define detailed and Management (TFM) R
&D
potential impact of requested prioritized near-and longer- activity with indu
stry has
flight plans, changes to term needs and benefits indicated that thi
s
requested flight plans, and estimate, including capability will ev
olve
system constraints causing requirements for a naturally at a lat
er stage
those changes. centralized database of data exchange
identifying NAS status for development. There
fore, work
flight planning. on this recommenda
tion is
being deferred unt
il the
appropriate time.
b. FAA will identify, with
industry, near-term
procedural changes to
increase information
available on system
constraints for flight
planning, including general
aviation requirements.
c. Working Group 5 will
develop operational concept
automated predeparture
feedback and flight plan
amendments for operations
via direct interface between
the Airline Operations
Centers (AOC) and traffic
management.
d. Define interface
requirements between AOAS/
DOTS.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------
RECOMMENDATION INITIATIVE STATUS\a
----------------------------- ---------------------------- ------------------
----------
9. Establish a coordinated a. Establish working group Additional activit
ies/site
effort among military, FAA, of military, FAA, other visits the SUA wor
k group
and NAS users to define the government agencies, NATCA, has been involved
with:
information and capabilities and users to determine Delta Airlines Ope
rations
necessary to improve civil specific information Center (AOC), Amer
ican
use of SUAs when not being requirements concerning SUA Airlines AOC, Jack
sonville
utilized by DOD. availability and time frames Air Route Traffic
Control
for notification of Center (ARTCC), Fo
rt Worth
availability. ARTCC, Jacksonvill
e Fleet
Area Control and
Surveillance Facil
ity, Fort
Worth Joint Reserv
e Base,
White Sands Missil
e Range,
USS John C. Stenni
s aircraft
carrier, Gainesvil
le
Automated Flight S
ervice
Station (AFSS), Fo
rt Worth
AFSS, Gulf of Mexi
co Users
Meeting, and the G
overnment/
Industry Aeronauti
cal
Charting Forum.
b. Implement FAA system of SAMS has been inst
alled at
tracking SUA availability all ARTCCs, Honolu
lu and San
(SAMS). Juan Combined Cent
er-
Military Radar App
roach
Control (RAPCON),
Fayetteville, High
Desert,
and Pensacola TRAC
ONs, and
Fort Worth AFSS.
c. FAA will develop rules The procedures to
and procedures to support disseminate SUA sc
hedules
identified requirements for developed in Actio
n Item 10a
supporting improved civil have been replicat
ed at
access to SUA. Jacksonville ARTCC
and New
York ARTCC for war
ning area
information, and A
lbuquerque
ARTCC for White Sa
nds
Missile Range info
rmation.
The Industry/Gover
nment
Aeronautical Chart
ing Forum
is reviewing the w
ork
group's request to
chart
frequencies for SU
A
information on aer
onautical
charts used by gen
eral
aviation pilots, a
nd to
display Air Traffi
c Control
Assigned Airspace
on
pertinent aeronaut
ical
charts.
d. DOD SUA scheduling system Negotiations are o
ngoing
to provide electronic between FAA and DO
D;
schedules to FAA systems by tentative initial
operating
1998. capability is 8/98
.
e. Define and implement Remaining software
interface between SAMS and development requir
ements
Enhanced Traffic Management include, but are n
ot limited
System (ETMS)/Notices to to, analysis repor
ts and
Airman (NOTAM)/other systems interfaces with En
hanced
to allow for transfer of SUA Traffic Management
System,
information to users. Military Airspace
Management
System, and distri
bution of
the data to Flight
Service
Stations. ADTN2000
was
selected as the
telecommunications
network
for the SAMS v3.0
system.
Installation of th
e network
began in 9/96. Cur
rently
there are six site
s
remaining that are
awaiting
connectivity or li
ne
installation. In a
ddition,
Internet Protocol
(IP)
addresses have not
been
tested which provi
de
connectivity to th
e main
server site at the
Air
Traffic Control Sy
stem
Command Center (AT
CSCC) and
the other sites.
f. FAA will compare Free Flight workin
g group
available capabilities with was formed to addr
ess real-
identified requirements to time SUA managemen
t as it
determine if additional applies to free fl
ight. The
infrastructure development group consists of
(e.g., air/ground representatives fr
om FAA,
communication) is required. commercial aviatio
n, general
Cost/benefit of additional aviation, DOD, Dep
artment of
development will be the Interior, (DOI
), and
assessed. NATCA. The group m
et and
teleconferenced se
veral
times since their
initial
meeting 8/8/96, to
address
items 9, 10, and 1
1,
including an on-si
te visit
to Edwards AFB/R-2
508
Complex. The follo
wing
points have been m
ade: (1)
DOD policy of retu
rning SUA
back to the contro
lling
agency (FAA) when
not in use
is considered fund
amentally
sound and supporte
d by all
concerned. The
implementation of
this
policy was observe
d at
Edwards AFB. (2) N
on-DOD NAS
users (commercial
and
general aviation)
reiterated
that they seek acc
ess to SUA
when that airspace
is not in
use. (3) Non-DOD N
AS users
understand that th
eir
request to gain ac
cess to
SUA, when that air
space is
inactive, requires
coordination and a
pproval
through FAA. (4) D
OD
requires flexible
scheduling
to accomplish its
mission.
Rigid scheduling
requirements would
not
accommodate the ma
ny
variables that cou
ld affect
the mission, i.e.,
weather,
telemetry/instrume
ntation,
aircraft availabil
ity, etc.
(5) Non-DOD NAS us
ers
indicated that the
y require
SUA status informa
tion from
FAA as soon as FAA
knows it.
This includes air
traffic
control assigned a
irspace
(ATCAA) and its ch
arting.
(6) Information
dissemination to n
on-DOD NAS
users, by FAA, app
ears to be
a major issue wher
e most
follow-on action m
ust be
focused. FAA ackno
wledges
its responsibility
for
information sharin
g and
those inefficienci
es in
information dissem
ination
that need to be ad
dressed,
i.e., who gets the
information, how d
o they get
it, when do they g
et it, and
where do they get
it?
g. Establish a measurement Free Flight workin
g group
capability to track SUA was formed to addr
ess real-
volume, utilization, and time SUA managemen
t as it
management. applies to free fl
ight. The
group consists of
representatives fr
om FAA,
commercial aviatio
n, general
aviation, DOD, DOI
, and
NATCA. The group m
et and
teleconferenced se
veral
times since their
initial
meeting 8/8/96, to
address
items 9, 10, and 1
1,
including an on-si
te visit
to Edwards AFB/R-2
508
Complex. The follo
wing
points have been m
ade: (1)
DOD's policy of re
turning
SUA back to the co
ntrolling
agency (FAA) when
not in use
is considered fund
amentally
sound and is suppo
rted by
all concerned. The
implementation of
this
policy was observe
d at
Edwards AFB. (2) N
on-DOD NAS
users (commercial
and
general aviation)
reiterated
that they seek acc
ess to SUA
when that airspace
is not in
use. (3) Non-DOD N
AS users
understand that th
eir
request to gain ac
cess to
SUA, when that air
space is
inactive, requires
coordination and a
pproval
through FAA.
(4) DOD requires f
lexible
scheduling to acco
mplish its
mission. Rigid sch
eduling
requirements would
not
accommodate the ma
ny
variables that cou
ld affect
the mission, i.e.,
weather,
telemetry/instrume
ntation,
aircraft availabil
ity, etc.
(5) Non-DOD NAS us
ers
indicated that the
y require
SUA status informa
tion from
FAA as soon as FAA
knows it.
(6) Information
dissemination to n
on-DOD NAS
users, by FAA, app
ears to be
the major issue wh
ere most
follow-on action m
ust be
focused. FAA ackno
wledges
its responsibility
for
information sharin
g and
those inefficienci
es in
information dissem
ination
that need to be ad
dressed,
i.e., who gets the
information, how d
o they get
it, when do they g
et it, and
where do they get
it?
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----------
RECOMMENDATION INITIATIVE STATUS\a
----------------------------- ---------------------------- ------------------
----------
10. An operational trial in a. Technical working group The working group
one or more SUA should be (formed in Rec. 9a) recommended an ope
rational
conducted to demonstrate how identifies one or more SUAs trial at the R-250
8 Complex
improved information exchange for operational trials of (Edwards AFB). SUA
on the status of SUA can data sharing with existing information was di
sseminated
improve civil use of SUAs capabilities. by Oakland ARTCC v
ia the
when not being utilized by ETMS mail system t
o air
DOD. carriers with no d
isruption
to DOD operations.
The trial
was conducted in 2
/97 and 3/
97 and required th
e
cooperation and co
ordination
of FAA's Western-P
acific
Region Air Traffic
Division,
R-2508 Complex Con
trol
Board, Oakland ART
CC, High
Desert TRACON, Los
Angeles
ARTCC, and the use
r
community.
A second trial com
menced on
12/20/97 between N
ew York
metropolitan (JFK,
LGA, EWR)
airports and Orlan
do
International Airp
ort.
Aircraft are being
routed
offshore and trans
itioned,
if feasible, throu
gh the
warning areas on a
real-
time basis.
b. Identify FAA and DOD lead Completed.
for this effort, and
identify priority status of
this effort.
c. FAA and DOD collect FAA, DOD, and othe
r users
benefits and operational collected informat
ion during
issues during trials. the operational tr
ial at the
R-2508 Complex. On
e airline
stated it was savi
ng $30,000
per month through
fuel
loading decisions
for the
trial, while there
was no
impact on DOD's op
erations.
The procedure was
implemented on a p
ermanent
basis at the R-250
8
Complex.
Data are still bei
ng
collected for the
Orlando
International Airp
ort trial.
d. Results (costs and The procedures for
the R-
benefits) of operational 2508 Complex were
trial will be fed into implemented at Jac
ksonville
procedure and infrastructure and New York ARTCC
s for
development activities in warning area infor
mation,
Rec. 9. and at Albuquerque
ARTCC for
the White Sands Co
mplex of
SUA.
Data are still bei
ng
collected for the
Jacksonville trial
.
e. FAA/DOD agreement on The following poin
ts were
national procedures. made:
(1) The R-2508 Com
plex
dynamically accomm
odates
civil in-flight re
quests for
flight within the
R-2508
airspace.
(2) Information sh
aring
between DOD and FA
A in the
R-2508 Complex is
accomplished very
efficiently throug
h a
variety of electro
nic
exchanges, as well
as being
physically colloca
ted in the
TRACON facility.
(3) Information sh
aring
between FAA and No
n-DOD NAS
users normally occ
urred on a
tactical, real-tim
e basis.
(4) Filing and app
roval of
more preferred rou
ting
through the R-2508
Complex
in a southeast dir
ection,
i.e., J-110, with
Oakland
Center has been a
problem
for the airlines.
Filing and
approval of more p
referred
routing in the nor
thwest
direction through
R-2508 via
J-110 has not been
a
problem.
(5) Participants a
re tasked
to compile a list
of SUAs
that they believe
would be
candidates for ano
ther
operational trial.
Another
on-site visit has
been
scheduled tentativ
ely for
the North Florida
area.
(6) The operationa
l trial at
the R-2508 Complex
will be
incorporated into
standard
operating procedur
es.
(7) An attempt wil
l be made
to transfer this s
trategy to
provide air carrie
rs with
information about
the
availability of ce
rtain
airspace.
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----------
RECOMMENDATION INITIATIVE STATUS\a
----------------------------- ---------------------------- ------------------
----------
11. Develop and implement a. The joint team (formed in The work group in
Rec. 9
real-time SUA notification Rec. 9a) will assess the wanted FAA to prov
ide the
between DOD and FAA, and need for real-time SUA information to use
rs as it
between FAA and flight notifications and will is received.
planners. A program plan is develop a program plan to
needed in the near term. reflect needed changes in
systems, procedures, and
training to implement real-
time exchanges of schedule
information.
b. Examine needed internal The Host Replaceme
nt Mission
and external FAA Need Statement has
been
infrastructure changes to approved by FAA. T
he entry
enable real-time SUA and display of SUA
notification, such as an information will b
e
interface between SAMS and available to the a
ir traffic
the Host. controller.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------
RECOMMENDATION INITIATIVE STATUS\a
----------------------------- ---------------------------- ------------------
----------
17. Expedite the deployment a. Deliver all 57 tower data PDC is operational
at all 57
of Digital Automatic Terminal link sites for PDC and D- sites. D-ATIS is o
perational
Information Service (D- ATIS. at 49 sites, and t
he other 8
ATIS), automated taxi are awaiting compl
etion of
clearance, and expanded use D-ATIS local refre
sher
of a standard taxi clearance training. D-ATIS o
peration
as appended to the Pre- expected at remain
ing sites
Departure Clearance (PDC). by 5/98.
Expedite expansion of PDC to
additional 27 sites. Evaluate
expansion beyond the planned
57.
b. Complete Detroit Four-month demonst
ration
demonstration of taxi route under way, to be f
ollowed by
delivery. a 1-month evaluati
on,
expected to be com
pleted by
6/98.
c. Publish charted standard The activity is po
stponed
taxi routes for national until benefits hav
e been
implementation. assessed on the ba
sis of the
Detroit demonstrat
ions'
results.
d. Free Flight Steering No candidate sites
for
Committee identifies expansion have bee
n
additional sites for tower identified.
data link services, conducts
cost/benefit analyses, and
makes recommendations to
FAA.
e. Notify Free Flight No candidate sites
for
Steering Committee on expansion have bee
n
decision for additional identified.
sites.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------
RECOMMENDATION INITIATIVE STATUS\a
----------------------------- ---------------------------- ------------------
----------
19. Deploy a ground-based a. Deploy mature components The evaluation of
the PRAT
conflict probe in the near of present conflict probe system at ZBW was
completed
term to accelerate the and automated planning in 9/96. PRAT is a
source of
selection and development of research at selected field potential requirem
ents for
a conflict probe with facilities for concept the follow-on Init
ial
automated planning aids to development and evaluation. Conflict Probe (IC
P)
assist controllers in the (Move from laboratory to capability. Full e
valuation
identification and resolution field evaluation.) Efforts of PRAT was handic
apped by
of conflicts. under way that may lead to issues associated
with
operationally deployable proprietary softwa
re. The
capabilities include: field evaluation o
f the URET
operational protot
ype system
User Request Evaluation Tool began in 2/96 at Z
ID and 6/
(URET) at Indianapolis and 97 at ZME and rema
ins in
Memphis (ZID and ZME) progress. Daily us
e (8 hours
Centers, per day, 5 days pe
r week) of
URET began at ZID
in 9/97
Prediction Resolution and at ZME in 11/9
7 using
Advisory Tool (PRAT) at the baseline softw
are
Boston (ZBW) Center, version D2.1. Eval
uation of
the Interfacility
Automation
User Preferred Routing (IFA) version D3.0
between
Conflict Probe (UPR) at ZID and ZME began
in 10/97
Denver (ZDV) Center, and and was completed
in 2/98.
D3.0 (without IFA)
was
Free Flight Evaluation Work implemented as the
daily use
Station at Kansas City (ZKC) software in 2/98.
Daily use
Center. was expanded to 12
hours per
day in 3/98.
D3R3, a component
of D3a1,
to correct Red Rou
te
Processing and Air
port
Arrival Stream fil
tering,
was delivered in 2
/98 and
evaluated in 3/98
and 4/98.
D3R3 became the da
ily use
software in 5/98.
The
remainder of the D
3a1 (now
D3a since the D3a2
delivery
was eliminated) wa
s to be
delivered in 7/98.
A preliminary Syst
ems
Specification and
algorithmic defini
tion
documents for key
algorithmic areas
have been
developed on the b
asis of
URET evaluations d
one to
date and evaluatio
n reports.
The initial techno
logy
transfer process f
rom MITRE/
CAASD to FAA and i
ts
development contra
ctors for
DSR ICP was comple
ted in
late 1997. Technol
ogy
transfers continue
on the
additional functio
nality. A
MITRE Technical As
sessment
Report positively
assessed
the URET operation
al concept
and also identifie
d the need
for substantial re
-
architecture and r
e-coding
of the software fo
r full
scale DSR ICP deve
lopment.
URET is presently
regarded
as a source of req
uirements
and algorithms for
both ICP
and Future Conflic
t Probe
(FCP).
An initial field t
rial of
the UPR Transition
Airspace
Tool was conducted
as a
research activity
at ZDV in
9/96. Simulations
using the
UPR Transition Air
space Tool
with controllers w
ere
conducted in 11/96
. A
"shadow mode" (off
ice area)
version of the UPR
Transition Airspac
e Tool was
installed at ZDV i
n 12/96.
A full field evalu
ation of
the UPR Transition
Airspace
Tool was completed
by NASA
at Denver in 9/97.
A process
for technology tra
nsfer of
the UPR Transition
Airspace
Tool additions to
CTAS Build
2 was initiated in
5/97. The
UPR Transition Air
space Tool
is viewed as a sou
rce of
requirements and r
eusable
components for the
FCP
initiative.
The Free Flight Ev
aluation
System (FFES) is a
MITRE/
CAASD research act
ivity at
ZKC looking at lon
g-term
requirements for a
utomation
to support free fl
ight. No
detailed FAA expla
nation of
FFES is planned. F
FES is in
the concept explor
ation
stage. FFES is vie
wed as a
source of requirem
ents for
the FCP capability
and later
enhancements.