Conflict Prediction, Trial Planning and the DirectTo Tool elements of the CenterTRACON Automation Sy

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Conflict Prediction, Trial Planning and the
Direct-To Toolelements of theCenter/TRACON
Automation System

• Dave McNally
• NASA Ames Research Center

Conflict Probe Technical Interchange
Meeting Memphis, Tennessee, October 19-21, 1999
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Background

• Airspace users lose 2.8 billion per year due to
  inefficient routing. Air Transport Association
  estimate
• Air Traffic Management Problem
• Separation
• Metering and Scheduling
• User Preference
• NASA is developing technology to aid controllers
  with separation and metering and increase user
  preferred trajectories.

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Transition Airspace
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Conflict Probe and Trial Planner

• CTAS Trajectory Synthesizer (12 sec update)
• Radar tracks and flight plans (FAA Host)
• Wind forecast - 1 hour updates (NOAA Rapid Update
  Cycle)
• Aircraft performance models (FMS quality)
• Conflict Probe (6 sec update)
• All aircraft trajectories compared for conflict
• Graphic display of conflict predictions (20 min.
  look ahead)
• Trial Planner (1 sec update)
• Point and click, rapid update, ODID-like
  what-if checking for
• direct, vector, altitude, speed changes
• Trial plan trajectories conflict probed against
  all other trajectories

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Conflict Probe
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Trial Planner
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Automatic Altitude Probe
Altitude trial planner automatically conflict
probes climb or descent to any altitude
Climb Example
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Traffic Management Advisor
Computes an efficient arrival sequence that
balances arrival demand with airport capacity
Displays sequence and schedule advisories to help
controllers achieve efficient arrival flow
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Trial Planner, TMA, Conflict Probe Integration
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Trial Planner, TMA, Conflict Probe Integration
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Denver Center Field Test
September, 1997

• Operational evaluation of CTAS Conflict
  Prediction and Trial Planning capability
• Controllers consistently used Trial Planner for
  direct route conflict resolution clearances
• Ease of use point and click, menu-based, graphic
  display
• Confirm direct route is conflict-free
• Observed 225 increase in direct routes with
  CPTP aiding vs. without

Shadow Testing - 10 hours Operational Testing -
88 hours 3 sectors, 15 test controllers 132
CPTP-aided clearances
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Fort Worth Center Field Test
November, 1998

• Operational evaluation of Trial Planner in
  transition airspace
• Trial planner used as often for non-conflict
  aircraft as for conflict aircraft.
• Altitude dominant for conflict resolution
• Departures often in conflict
• Easy to use altitude trial planner
• Direct route checking dominant for non-conflict
  cases
• Mostly DFW departures

Shadow Testing - 54 hours 3 sectors, 6 test
controllers 176 accepted Trial Plans
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Results Summary
Trial Planner, TMA, Conflict Probe Integration

• Trial Planner very well accepted for strategic
  planning of over-flight and departure aircraft
• Controllers preferred use search for and
  evaluate conflict-free direct routes
• Observed 225 increase in direct routing with TP
  vs without.
• Altitude trial planning with automatic altitude
  probe well accepted
• Additional automation needed for metered arrivals
• No time to click and drag for arrival metering
  problem
• Controller usage of Trial Planner helps identify
  further automation
• Automatic altitude probe, direct route clearance
  advisories

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Direct-To Controller Tool
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Origins

• Potential of a Direct-To Tool was discovered
  unexpectedly during field tests of CTAS Conflict
  Probe / Trial Planning functions at Denver Center
  (Sept. 97) and was confirmed at Fort Worth Center
  (Nov. 98).
• At both centers, controllers pointed out a
  preferred use for the Trial Planning function
  Searching for and evaluating direct routes that
  are conflict free.
• The Direct-To Tool was built to automate the
  search for and execution of direct route
  trajectories.

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Direct-To Tool

• Direct-To identifies aircraft that can save at
  least one minute by flying direct to a
  down-stream fix on their route of flight.
• A Direct-To list on the controllers display
  shows eligible aircraft, time savings, direct-to
  fixes, and conflict status.

• The point-and-click Trial Planner allows
  controllers to easily display, modify, or accept
  Direct-To flight plan amendments.
• Potential savings in flying time for Ft. Worth
  Center airspace is approximately 1,800 minutes
  per day or about 2.5 minutes per aircraft.

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Trial Planning a Direct-To Advisory
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Limit Rectangle
Examples
DFW.DALL5.TXK ..LIT.J131.PXV.J29.JHW.J82.ALB.GDM2.
BOS
SJC./.TXO..SJT.CUGAR6.IAH
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Technical Questions

• Identify operational envelop for use of Direct-To
  clearance advisories
• Identify sectors or airspace regions where
  Direct-To could be most beneficial
• Validate fully integrated (CTAS/Host/DSR)
  Direct-To system

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A D-Side Operations Concept

• Direct-To list filtered by sector ownership
  displayed on D-Side monitor.

• Controller clicks list element to activate Trial
  Planner with graphic display. Graphic display
  closes when Direct-To accepted or rejected.

Direct-To List

• Consistent with multiple display windows on
  D-side (like URET A/C list and GPD)

Trial Planner
DSR R-Side
DSR D-Side
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An R-Side Operations Concept

• Direct-To list filtered by sector ownership
  displayed on R-Side monitor

• Controller clicks list to activate Trial Planner
  functions on R-side monitor

• R and/or D controllers operate Direct-To

Direct-To List
Trial Planner Graphics
Trial Planner Panel
DSR R-Side
DSR D-Side
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Recent Activities

• Controller Simulation, NASA Ames, Aug-99
• 4 FPL controllers from Fort Worth Center -
  feedback very favorable
• D controller operated tool and suggested
  clearances to R controller
• Controller team felt Direct-To ready for field
  test at Ft. Worth Center
• Host Integration Testing, FAATC, Jun-99
• Functional demo of CTAS TMA/Direct-To with 2-way
  Host interface
• Validated 2 mouse click Direct-To flight plan
  amendment
• Required only minor mods to Host interface (320
  patch).
• 250 Direct-To flight plan amendments of various
  types input to Host
• DSR Integration Testing, Lockheed Martin, Apr-99
• Functional demo of CTAS display on D-side monitor
  with DSR keyboard, trackball, and network - no
  perceived delays.

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Direct-To Summary

• Using the CTAS Trajectory Synthesis methodology
  and software with its hourly wind updates the
  Direct-To Tool identifies and advises direct
  route clearances that can save at least 1 minute
  flying time.
• Direct-To advisories account for arrival routing
  restrictions (e.g., STARs), do not deviate
  aircraft significantly from their planned route
  of flight, and are probed for conflict.
• Lab analysis of live Ft. Worth Center traffic
  data shows potential for 1,800 min savings per
  day (2.5 min per clearance avg.) at Ft. Worth
  Center. This equates to 18,000,000 per year.
  (NAS-wide estimates are over 100,000,000 per
  year).
• Controller workload for direct route flight plan
  amendments is significantly reduced through
  integration with the Trial Planner 20 keyboard
  entries are reduced to 2 mouse clicks.
• Feedback from controllers and airline
  representatives is very favorable.
• Fort Worth Center controller team says Direct-To
  Tool and concept ready for initial field test
  evaluation.
• Next Steps DSR simulation at FAATC and field
  test at Fort Worth Center.

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www.ctas.arc.nasa.gov

• McNally, D., Bach, R., Chan, W. Field Test
  Evaluation of the CTAS Conflict Prediction and
  Trial Planning Capability, AIAA Guidance,
  Navigation, and Control Conference, August 10-12,
  1998, Boston, MA (AIAA-98-4480).
• McNally, D., Erzberger, H., Bach, R., Chan, W.
  A Controller Tool for Transition Airspace, AIAA
  Guidance, Navigation and Control Conference,
  August 9-11, 1999, Portland, OR (AIAA-99-4298).
• Erzberger, H., McNally, D., Foster, M.
  Direct-To Tool for En Route Controllers, ATM99
  IEEE Workshop on Advanced Technologies and their
  Impact on Air Traffic Management in the 21st
  Century. September 26-30, 1999, Capri, Italy.