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HIGHLIGHTS ARCHIVE
Fifth Airspace Technology Demonstration-2 (ATD-2) Shadow Evaluation completed in CLTlab
November 23, 2016

Photograph of people in discussion sitting around a conference table with a slide on a computer monitor.

On November 16-17, 2016, Charlotte Air Traffic Control Tower (CLT ATCT) traffic managers, American Airlines (AAL) ramp controllers, CLT airport operations representatives, and FAA and NASA personnel met in the Charlotte ATD-2 lab (CLTlab, Charlotte, NC) for the fifth ATD-2 Shadow Evaluation. Over the two days of evaluations, the discussions focused on: (1) the development of a capability for real time monitoring of capacity and efficiency of operations, (2) benefits-related measures of performance, (3) a presentation and analysis of CLT operational data and methods used to automatically include National Airspace System (NAS) status information into the system, and (4) proposed adaptation changes to refine the system. The shadow session also included the first successful demonstration of a live-data system at Ames Research Center remotely presented to Field Demo Partners in the CLTlab, a capability that allowed for discussion on Time Based Flow Management (TBFM) integration and other development items. The shadow session enabled collaboration and interchange of ideas, as well as input to improve model accuracy. (POC: Shivanjli Sharma)



ATD-2 Integrated Surface and Airspace Simulation II
November 23, 2016

Photograph of two researchers in the new, smaller-scale virtual Air Traffic Control Tower observing monitors displaying ATD2 surface tools.

On November 18, 2016, the Airspace Technology Demonstration-2 (ATD-2) Experiment Team successfully performed the second in a series of three Human-In-The-Loop (HITL) simulation tests connecting the airspace and surface traffic simulators, Multi-Aircraft Control System (MACS) and Air Traffic Generator (ATG). This test was conducted at the NASA Ames Research Center FutureFlight Central (FFC) facility and the Airspace Operations Laboratory (AOL), where tower controllers (one ground and two local) managed flights using the ATG system at FFC, and five feeder and departure sector controllers used MACS at the AOL. Several ATD-2 system components were integrated: Surface Trajectory-Based Operations (STBO), Time-Based Flow Management (TBFM) and Surface Collaborative Decision Making (S-CDM) in the simulated Charlotte-Douglas International Airport (CLT) and its surrounding airspace. The scenario simulated 580 flights that included present-day traffic levels with arrivals, departures, and overhead traffic, turnaround flights, and manipulations of pushback time compliance and spool-up time in the ramp area. The FFC also utilized a new, smaller-scale virtual Air Traffic Control Tower (ATCT) to support the test. Future work will integrate the 360-degree airline ramp tower simulator to include the evaluation of the ATD-2 ramp management tool. Future test scenarios will feature different runway configurations, and the integration of surface metering and tactical departure scheduling. This second test is a major step towards a HITL demonstration of the full suite of the ATD-2 tools planned for early March 2018. (POC: Savita Verma)

A group photo of representatives of the ATD2 HITL simulation team.



Airspace Technology Demonstration-3 (ATD-3) Meeting on Air/Ground Integration
November 23, 2016

A group photo of ATD3 team members sitting at a conference table at Langley Research Center.

On November 15-16, 2016, ATD-3 team members met at NASA Langley Research Center to discuss the Air/Ground Integration of cockpit-based and ground-based rerouting tools. The team discussed concepts and concept analysis, including technical objectives, benefit mechanisms and future technologies. Project objectives, including budget guidelines, measures of performance, and risks associated with air/ground integration milestones, partnerships, and outreach were also discussed. The team also worked on plans for developing a concept of operations (due by March 2017), as well as a plan to achieve a demonstration in 2020. The strengths of cockpit-based technology TASAR/TAP (Traffic Aware Strategic Aircrew Requests/Traffic Aware Planner) and the ground-based technology MFCR/NASCENT (Multi-Flight Common Route/NAS Constraint Evaluation and Notification Tool) were considered in the development of high level concepts for integration of these technologies. (POC: Kapil Sheth)



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