Communication, Navigation and Surveillance Models in ACES for Concept Developers

摘要

Agent-based software simulation infrastructures have become a key technology for modeling and simulation of the National Airspace (NAS). NASA's Airspace Concept Evaluation System (ACES), is one such example. In ACES, flights and NAS entities such as Airports, TRACONs, ATC, ARTCC's and Traffic Flow Management (TFM) systems, etc. are modeled as a set of dynamic interacting agents capable of simulating Gate-to-Gate NAS operations. ACES focuses on simulations of physical entities of the NAS, providing a tool for Concept Developers to investigate and analyze advanced concepts to improve airspace utilization and safety under various conditions. However, with any new concept that is studied, its success in meeting its objectives needs to take into account all critical NAS support elements including the inherent use of current and/or new technology CNS systems. With these systems added to concept analysis, any CNS system limitations or improvements that could be realized would be able to be identified in parallel with the concept study, since CNS systems will be intricately tied to all NAS operations. Without this capability for example, users may wrongfully conclude that terminal airspace capacity can be increased using a new physical concept, without an indication that the increased capacity cannot be sustained by the current Communication system, and alternatives would be required. Therefore it is worthwhile for the users to be able to evaluate capacity versus safety with CNS systems analysis included, which would add to the substance and credibility of any cost-benefit analysis performed to support the concept.