A TIME-BASED CONCEPT FOR TERMINAL-AREA TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT

This paper describes an automated air-traffic-management concept that has the potential for significantly increasing the efficiency of traffic flows in high-density terminal areas. The concept's implementation depends on techniques for controlling the landing time of all aircraft entering the terminal area, both those that are equipped with on-board four-dimensional (4D) guidance systems as well as those aircraft types that are conventionally equipped. The two major ground-based elements of the system are a scheduler which assigns conflict-free landing times and a profile descent advisor. Landing times provided by the scheduler are uplinked to equipped aircraft and translated into the appropriate 4D trajectory by the on-board flight-management system. The controller issues descent advisories to unequipped aircraft to help them achieve the assigned landing times. Air traffic control simulations have established that the concept provides an efficient method for controlling various mixes of 4D-equipped and unequipped, as well as low- and high-performance aircraft. Piloted simulations of profiles flown with the aid of advisories have verified the ability to meet specified descent times with prescribed accuracy.

• Record URL:
  • https://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/trcircular/325/325-013.pdf
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/00978515
• Supplemental Notes:
  • This paper appeared in Transportation Research Circular No. 325, Airport and Terminal-Area Operations of the Future, Report of a Special Meeting, National Academy of Sciences, October 7-8, 1986, Washington, D.C. Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Authors:
  • Erzberger, H
  • TOBIAS, L
• Publication Date: 1987-12

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 63-84
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Circular
  • Issue Number: 325
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0097-8515

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Accuracy; Air traffic control; Airports; Automation; Economic efficiency; Flight control systems; Highway traffic control; Landing; Simulation
• Uncontrolled Terms: Efficiency
• Subject Areas: Aviation; Economics; Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Planning and Forecasting; Terminals and Facilities; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00465584
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Feb 29 1988 12:00AM