MULTI-CENTER TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT ADVISOR: OPERATIONAL TEST RESULTS

Todd C. Farley, Steven J. Landry, Ty Hoang, Monicarol Nickelson,
Kerry M. Levin, Dennis Rowe, and Jerry D. Welch


Abstract

Time-based metering is an efficient air traffic management alternative
to the more common practice of distance-based metering (or
"miles-in-trail spacing"). The efficiency benefit is most pronounced
where air traffic flows merge, such as in terminal airspace, at
en-route choke points, overhead merge points, or where severe-weather
avoidance routes converge-the primary bottlenecks in today's system.
To date, the practice of time-based metering in the United States has
been confined to arrival airspace, and only in less-constrained
regions, such as the West and South, in part due to limitations in the
national airspace system infrastructure. Thus, time-based metering has
not been available to redress the most critical bottlenecks in the
national airspace system and, coincidently, those where time-based
metering would be most advantageous.

This paper discusses a prototype time-based metering system designed
to overcome limitations of the national airspace system to produce a
more versatile and scalable time-based metering capability. Results
of a live, operational field test are presented which validate that
the prototype-the Multi-center Traffic Management Advisor-can extend
time-based metering operations beyond the terminal area to improve
traffic flow at critical bottlenecks en route and on departure. In
the field test, which focused specifically on Philadelphia-bound
traffic in four Air Route Traffic Control Centers, airborne delay
and airborne holding were significantly less when Multi-center
Traffic Management Advisor was in use relative to control periods.
The results demonstrate that the Multi-center Traffic Management
Advisor is effective in coordinating time-based metering programs
among adjacent air traffic control facilities, even in the complex
Northeast corridor of the United States. This is a necessary step
toward addressing the most critical air traffic bottlenecks in the
national airspace system. Potential for nationwide time-based
metering and its implications for the next-generation air
transportation system also are discussed.