
AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL WEB LOG
ATC fact and opinion
I’ve decided to answer my own question posed in “Shiftn' Paradigms”. What will the next level of ATC automation bring? I suggest that it will be a system which relies on humans not a wit. The computers can handle all the traffic decisions presently being made by people, and here’s how:
OK, supposing we look at the two elements of ATC separately: separation and traffic management.
The next generation ATC system will use technology in the aircraft to guarantee separation (at least to the degree to which humans now do so) with some sort of advanced TCAS. It will allow aircraft to act much as magnets held like-pole-to-like-pole. This airborne separation software is backed up by a ground-based, automated separation service, much like the one proposed by NewModelATC in the
Next, we will develop the ability to select optimum routes provided by an automated collaboration between advanced FMS equipment in the aircraft, flight planning software presently used by airline dispatchers and an advanced URET system of ATC automation on the ground. The plane, with help from the dispatch software, picks its own optimum route, taking into account all factors including weather, economics and time to destination, then "runs it by" the URET. If not approved by URET due to whatever reason - traffic, airport congestion at ETA, whatever - the plane's equipment looks for the next best route, and so on and so on.
If either airborne or ground-based equipment fails, be it route selection or separation, the system is not that adversely affected.
See how simple this ATC stuff is?