Functionalities, Displays, and Concept of Use for the Surface Management System


Stephen Atkins, Christopher Brinton, and Deborah Walton


ABSTRACT

NASA Ames Research Center, in cooperation with the FAA, is developing the Surface Management System
(SMS), a decision support tool that helps controllers and air carriers collaboratively manage the
movements of aircraft on the surface of busy airports, thereby improving capacity, efficiency, and
flexibility.  This paper describes the Surface Management System, which is an element of the FAAÕs
Free Flight Phase 2 program, and its concept of use.  Detailed information about future departure
demand on airport resources is not currently available in real-time to operational specialists at air
traffic control (ATC) facilities and air carriers.  SMS provides controllers, traffic managers, and
air carrier decision-makers with accurate predictions of the future departure situation (e.g.,
queuing and delays for individual aircraft, and aggregate demand for each runway or other constrained
resource), as well as advisories to help manage surface movements and departure operations.  Two
controller-in-the-loop simulations of SMS have been conducted in the Future Flight Central ATC tower
simulator at NASA Ames Research Center, leading to refinements in the concept and implementation that
are described in this paper.  The paper also outlines plans for field evaluations.  SMS will be
evaluated operationally at Memphis International Airport, first in FedExÕs ramp tower beginning in
August, 2002 and, subsequently, in the air traffic control tower (ATCT) in 2003.