ATN 2001 18th September 2001 PETALII Operational Results The Controller and Aircrew Viewpoint

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ATN 2001 18th September 2001PETAL-II
Operational ResultsThe Controller and Aircrew
Viewpoint

• Martin McHUGH EUROCONTROL, DIS/ATD

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Activity CPDLC Flights May 1998 August 2001
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Activity CPDLC Flights May 1998 August 2001
TOTAL CPDLC Flights
ATN 3 FANS-1/A 6690 NEAN
1762 TOTAL 8455
Represents less than 1 of Maastricht Movements
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Feedback To 31st August 2001
No. of Interviews Conducted
No. of Questionnaires Completed
65
152
CONTROLLERS
FLIGHT CREWS NEAN
3
113
FLIGHT CREWS FANS1/A
4
158
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Feedback To 31st August 2001

• Questionnaires
• Pertinent to users last experience of Datalink
  only,
• System failures or sluggish dialogues usually
  result in Not Useful response.
• May consider datalink as Useful one day, Not
  Useful the next.
• Interviews
• Record users overall experience with datalink.
• Many Not Useful responses are qualified eg.
  With the current HMI, With the limited number
  of aircraft participating etc.

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Feedback To 31st August 2001
Datalink Useful
Datalink Not Useful
No Impact
More Experience
43(77)
7(13)
3(5)
3(5)
CONTROLLERS
FLIGHT CREWS NEAN
90(61)
15(10)
19(13)
23(16)
FLIGHT CREWS FANS1/A
36(86)
1(2)
3(7)
2(5)
Information extracted from Interviews only
Information extracted mainly from Questionnaires
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Controller Response Value of Messages
Transfer of Voice Comms Flight Level
Clearance Flight Level Request Route
Clearance Route Request Heading
Clearance Vertical Rate Clearance Speed
Clearance Time Clearance ATC Mic Check SSR
Clearance
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Aircrew Response Value of Messages
Transfer of Voice Comms Flight Level
Clearance Flight Level Request Route
Clearance Route Request Heading
Clearance Vertical Rate Clearance Speed
Clearance Time Clearance ATC Mic Check SSR
Clearance
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Response Value of Messages - Comparison
Transfer of Voice Comms Flight Level
Clearance Flight Level Request Route
Clearance Route Request Heading
Clearance Vertical Rate Clearance Speed
Clearance Time Clearance ATC Mic Check SSR
Clearance
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Feedback Actual usage of Messages to 31 Aug 01
Transfer of Voice Comms uM117 Flight Level
Clearance uM19, 20 23, 26, 27, 28, 29,
148 Flight Level Request dM6, 9, 10 Route
Clearance uM64, 74, 82 Route Request dM22,
27 Heading Clearance uM94, 96, 190, 215 SSR
Clearance uM123, 179 ATC Mic Check
uM157 Speed Clearance uM55, 106, 107, 108,
109, 116, 222 Vertical Rate Clearance
uM171, 172, 173, 174 Time Clearance uM51,
52, 53, 54
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Feedback Comparison Actual usage / Value
Transfer of Voice Comms uM117 Flight Level
Clearance uM19, 20 23, 26, 27, 28, 29,
148 Flight Level Request dM6, 9, 10 Route
Clearance uM64, 74, 82 Route Request dM22,
27 Heading Clearance uM94, 96, 190, 215 SSR
Clearance uM123, 179 ATC Mic Check
uM157 Speed Clearance uM55, 106, 107, 108,
109, 116, 222 Vertical Rate Clearance
uM171, 172, 173, 174 Time Clearance uM51,
52, 53, 54
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Feedback Usage Comparison with Oceanic
Transfer of Voice Comms uM117 Flight Level
Clearance uM19, 20 23, 26, 27, 28, 29,
148 Route Clearance uM64, 74, 82 Heading
Clearance uM94, 96, 190, 215 SSR Clearance
uM123, 179 ATC Mic Check uM157 Speed
Clearance uM55, 106, 107, 108, 109, 116,
222 Vertical Rate Clearance uM171, 172, 173,
174 Time Clearance uM51, 52, 53, 54
NOTE Oceanic usage accumulated over an 18 month
period
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Controller Response Opinion Overall

• Positive Aspects
• Datalink messages reduce instances of callsign
  confusion and incorrect readbacks / need to
  repeat messages (eg. 8.33MHz frequency spacing)
• Ability to delegate / task share routine tasks
  (transfers, SSR code allocations, route
  clearances) to Co-ordinator / Assistant.
• Datalink communication has potential for task
  automation (eg. Automatic uplinking of new SSR
  codes).
• Provides an alternate / additional means of
  air/ground communication.

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Controller Response Opinion Overall

• Negative Aspects
• System reliability needs to be improved.
• Error message received after uplinked clearance.
• Message time-outs.
• No response from the flight deck.

Controllers Perception of Approximate Datalink
Failure Rate
5 or Less
10
20
30
50
5(12)
10(24)
10(24)
16(38)
1(2)

Information extracted from Interviews only
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Controller Response Opinion Overall

• Negative Aspects
• System reliability needs to be improved.
• Speed of datalink dialogues.
• Failed Dialogues (No receipt or response)
• Flight crew inexperience
• However, dialogues are completed quickly enough
  for non time-critical clearances (Transfers, SSR
  etc)

Information extracted from Questionnaires and
Interviews
Speed of Datalink Dialogues
Quick Enough
NOT Quick Enough
Not Sure

112 (62)
60(33)
10(5)
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Controller Response Opinion Overall

• Negative Aspects
• System reliability needs to be improved.
• Speed of datalink dialogues.
• Datalink inputs are cumbersome, not instinctive
  and take too long Current HMI.
• For example,

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Controller Response Datalink Inputs
Synthetic Dynamic Display
Executive Control Message
Flight Data Message
Touch Input Device
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Controller Response Datalink Inputs
SQUAWK IDENT
1
4 TID Inputs
4
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Controller Response Datalink Inputs
CROSS position BETWEEN time AND time
1
15 TID Inputs
15
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Controller Response Datalink Inputs
Enhanced Controller HMI for CPDLC
1
2
3
Mouse Driven Selectable Menus On-Screen Message
Boxes
Controllers attention is not drawn away from the
radar display
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Controller Response Opinion Overall

• Negative Aspects
• Using datalink increases controller workload.
• Current HMI too complex - 34 (20)
• Of 69 controllers specifically questioned, 56
  (81) considered that using datalink either
  decreased or had no impact on the workload of
  other sector team members

Controllers Workload
Increased
Decreased
No Impact
Information extracted from Questionnaires and
Interviews
Executive Controller
6(4)
110(64)
55(32)

Co-ordinator / Assistant
37(39)
5(5)
54(56)
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Controller Response Opinion Overall

• Negative Aspects
• System reliability needs to be improved.
• Speed of datalink dialogues.
• Datalink inputs are cumbersome, not instinctive
  and take too long Current HMI.
• Using datalink increases controller workload.
• Lack of familiarity with equipment and
  procedures. (Less than 1 of traffic currently
  handled by Maastricht UAC is datalink capable)

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Aircrew Response Opinion Overall

• Positive Aspects
• The precise nature of datalink reduces the
  likelihood of misunderstandings (eg regional
  dialects).
• Widespread acceptance (and crew experience) of
  CPDLC as an air/ground communications medium.
• Safety benefits apparent (eg B777 HMI).

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Aircrew Response B777 HMI Safety Benefits
Corresponding uplinked value input into
appropriate end system
Uplink Clearance Accepted (Wilco Downlinked)
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Aircrew Response Opinion Overall

• Negative Aspects
• The requirement for R/T confirmation of some
  datalink clearances offsets some benefits.
• (the requirement for R/T confirmation of
  Transfer and SSR clearances was removed from
  9th August 2001)

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Aircrew Response Opinion Overall

• Negative Aspects
• The requirement for R/T confirmation of some
  datalink clearances offsets some benefits.
• NEAN Equipped Aircraft An aural alert for
  incoming datalink messages required.

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Aircrew Response NEAN HMI Message Alert
MMI5000
Datalink Message Received
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Aircrew Response Opinion Overall

• Negative Aspects
• The requirement for R/T confirmation of some
  datalink clearances offsets some benefits.
• NEAN Equipped Aircraft An aural alert for
  incoming datalink messages required.
• NEAN Equipped Aircraft An additional HMI, or
  re-positioning of existing HMI, necessary.

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Aircrew Response NEAN Position of HMI
DC-9 Flight Deck
NEAN
MMI5000
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Aircrew Response NEAN Position of HMI
B747-200 Flight Deck
NEAN
MMI5000
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Aircrew Response FANS-A Position of HMI
A330/340 Flight Deck
FANS-A
ATC COMM
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Aircrew Response Opinion Overall

• Negative Aspects
• The requirement for R/T confirmation of some
  datalink clearances offsets some benefits.
• NEAN Equipped Aircraft An aural alert for
  incoming datalink messages required.
• NEAN Equipped Aircraft An additional HMI, or
  re-positioning of existing HMI, necessary.
• FANS Equipped Aircraft Tone of aural alerting
  for incoming messages is too similar to other
  alerts (cabin call, SELCAL).

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User Response Summary
Controller Response Positive Aspects

• Reduces callsign confusion and incorrect
  readbacks / need to repeat messages.
• Ability to delegate / task share routine tasks.
• Potential for task automation.
• Provides an alternate / additional means of a/g
  comms.

Controller Response Negative Aspects

• System reliability needs to be improved.
• Speed of datalink dialogues.
• Datalink inputs too cumbersome.
• Increase in controller workload.
• Lack of familiarity with equipment and procedures.

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User Response Summary
Aircrew Response Positive Aspects

• Reduces likelihood of misunderstandings.
• Many crews experienced in using CPDLC for a/g
  comms.
• Safety benefits apparent (eg B777 HMI).

Aircrew Response Negative Aspects

• Requirement for R/T confirmation offsets some
  benefits.
• Aural alert for incoming datalink messages
  required (NEAN).
• Additional or re-positioned HMI necessary (NEAN).
• More distinct tone for aural alert necessary
  (FANS).

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Issues Arising Concatenated Messages

• Observation
• Although the majority of controllers and flight
  crews consider that the ability to combine
  datalink messages to be useful, a number of
  important issues have been identified
• Combinations leading to ambiguous or potentially
  conflicting clearances should be ruled out.
• Combinations leading to conditional clearances
  (e.g. at position climb to level) should be
  avoided.
• Airborne HMI designs should ensure that all parts
  of the clearance are apparent to the aircrew.

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Issues Arising Concatenated Messages
Reading a new uplink clearance on the ATC Log
page, the pilot is presented with a truncated
message. This could result in an instruction
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Issues Arising Concatenated Messages
being initiated before the controller
intended.
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Issues Arising Concatenated Messages

• Recommendations (for implementation)
• 1) Combining messages is a useful operational
  facility, and should be provided.
• 2) Methods of satisfying the issues identified
  should be included.
• 3) This subject should continue to be monitored
  until such time that the question of message
  concatenation is finally resolved.

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Issues Arising uM72 Resume Own Navigation"

• Problem
• 1) Flight crews view this message as
  incomplete as there is no supplementary ..to
  position element on which to base the
  instruction.
• Short Term Fix
• 1) Use uM74 Proceed Direct to position in
  place of uM72.
• 2) uM72 removed from Maastricht operational
  message set.

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Issues Arising uM157 Check Stuck Mic freq

• Problem
• uM157 is sent to ALL aircraft in CPDLC contact
  with the Centre concerned Instruction can be
  misinterpreted by crews and controllers
  operating on other frequencies.
• Eg Some pilots have interpreted this as an
  instruction to contact the controller on the
  stated frequency.

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Issues Arising uM157 Check Stuck Mic freq

• Short term Fix
• 1) Flight crew and controller training and
  awareness.
• 2) uM157 to be broadcast ONLY to those
  aircraft under the control of the triggering
  sector.
• Longer Term
• 1) Review message phraseology.
• 2) Review ground system fix to filter the
  broadcast uplink based on the frequency used.

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Any Questions?
Martin McHUGH Danny DAEMS MAASTRICHT
UAC Andy FRY AMERICAN AIRLINES Frank CHESHIRE
AMERICAN AIRLINES