Human-In-The-Loop Simulation to Validate Capability-Aware Traffic Flow Management Concept

摘要

In this paper we describe the efforts to validate the capability-aware Traffic Flow Management (TFM) concept using human-in-the-loop (HITL) simulations in September 2013 at Metron Aviation's Fujisaki Research Lab. The simulations explored the communication process between the flight operations center (FOC) and Air Traffic Management (ATM), the automation tools required to model, execute and support a capability-aware Traffic Management Initiative (TMI), and roles and responsibilities of various stakeholders in this process. We consider two main types of capability-aware TMIs for validation exercises: TMIs with an exclusive period that temporarily restricts arrivals in a metroplex airport to capable aircraft only, and dual-queue scenarios that use one runway for all aircraft and a second, parallel runway for capable aircraft only. The HITL simulations cover end-to-end flight operations starting from pre-departure planning and continuing to arrival. The focus of these HITLs was to (1) analyze how key National Airspace System (NAS) functions in addition to TFM (including metering, en route and terminal control) can support the execution of capability-aware TMIs across all phases of flight, and (2) study the roles and responsibilities of non-TFM stakeholders such as en route and terminal controllers in such scenarios. The software architecture included emulated TFM and metering automation as well as some high-level functions of en route and terminal radar displays.