AN OPERATIONAL EVALUATION OF FLIGHT TECHNICAL ERROR

The primary objective of this effort is to determine whether a one mile flight technical error is achievable in enroute and terminal area operations using various types of airborne RNAV equipment. Flight technical error (FTE) is evaluated using both controlled cockpit simulator and flight test experiments, as well as operational flight test experiments in the existing airspace environment. Due to the scope and magnitude of this particular component of the area navigation error budget, the method of approach in this analysis is to use a coordinated concept of data collection and experiment design in order to maintain a strict discipline concerning commonality of acquired data such that from one experiment complements and cross correlates with data from other FTE experiments. One primary element of the coordinated experimental investigations is to determine RNAV procedural and operational requirements and capabilities. FTE magnitude and its impact on airspace planning, RNAV system manufacturers, RNAV users and air traffic controllers is analyzed in the main text taking into account the following: RNAV equipment and display factors, FTE performance in turns, performance in parallel offset, delay fan and direct to maneuvers, effects of workload and airspace utilization. RNAV error budget element combination is also analyzed. The currently used RSS technique is compared to a modified version of this computation which is more accurate in predicting the total system cross track error. Appendices A,B, C and D present detailed analyses of the controlled cockpit simulator tests, airline type RNAV system tests and operational flight tests using general aviation quality RNAV systems. (Author)

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Prepared in cooperation with Champlain Technology Industries, Vermont.
• Corporate Authors:

  Systems Control, Incorporated

  260 Sheridan Avenue
  Palo Alto, CA  United States  94306
• Authors:
  • Adams, R J
• Publication Date: 1975-7

Media Info

• Pagination: 448 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Air traffic control; Air traffic control facilities; Airborne navigational aids; Airspace (Aeronautics); Airspace (Law); Automatic pilot (Aircraft); Error analysis; Flight control systems; Flight simulators; Radio navigation; Systems analysis
• Non-Preferred Terms: Turning (Aircraft pilotage)
• Old TRIS Terms: Air traffic control system analysis; Air traffic control terminal; Flight instruments; Turning flight
• Subject Areas: Aviation; Operations and Traffic Management; Terminals and Facilities;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00166468
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Technical Information Service
• Report/Paper Numbers: FAA/RD-76-33
• Contract Numbers: DOT-FA72WA-3098
• Files: NTIS
• Created Date: Oct 29 2002 12:00AM