Field Evaluation of Descent Advisor Trajectory Prediction Accuracy

The Descent Advisor (DA) automation tool has undergone a series of field tests at the Denver Air Route Traffic Control Center to study the feasibility of DA-based clearances and procedures. The latest evaluation, conducted in the fall of 1995, expanded the operational nature of DA testing to include a wider variety of test conditions. A total of 197 commercial flights from three airlines participated in the study over twenty-three days of testing. Aircraft included large and heavy jet transports, both conventional- and flight-management-system-equipped, and turboprop commuter types. The primary objective was to measure DA trajectory prediction accuracy for use in validating DA metering advisories and developing conflict-probe error models. Previous evaluations, involving large jet types only, demonstrated an arrival time prediction accuracy within 20 sec. The 1995 test results indicate a mean error of 0.5 sec late with a standard deviation of 14.3 sec. The least variation was found for flight-management-system-equipped jets with a standard deviation of 11.9 sec compared to 15.2 and 15.4 sec for conventional-equipped jets and turboprop types respectively. This paper describes the test and presents an analysis of the descent trajectory prediction accuracy in terms of errors in the horizontal profile, altitude profile, and arrival time.

• Record URL:
  • https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/12776
• Corporate Authors:

  American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA)

  Reston, Virginia  United States 

  National Aeronautics and Space Administration

  Washington, DC  United States  20546

  Sterling Software, Incorporated

  Redwood City, CA  United States 
• Authors:
  • Green, Steven M
  • Vivona, Robert A
• Publication Date: 1996

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 13p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Accuracy; Air traffic control; Arrivals and departures; Automation; Descent; Field tests; Flight paths; Guide clearances; Validation; Vehicle trajectories
• Subject Areas: Aviation; Operations and Traffic Management; Planning and Forecasting; Terminals and Facilities;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01685239
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: NTL, TRIS
• Created Date: Nov 12 2018 5:15PM