Applications - Technology Evaluation

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Technology Evaluation

NASA FutureFlight Central is uniquely capable of evaluating technologies for controllers in the terminal air space.

Examples of technology evaluation include:

• Human factors testing of new air traffic management decision support tools
• Rapid prototyping of new air traffic management technologies in a risk-free environment
• Human validation of Airport and Airspace Simulation Model (SIMMOD) or Total Airspace and Airport Modeler (TAAM) capacity forecasts

FutureFlight tower radar and console displays are entirely programmable and integrated into the simulation. In addition, customers can temporarily install their software displaying the technology under evaluation in the FutureFlight facility. The software under evaluation interfaces with FutureFlight's simulation software through the use of the High Level Architecture (HLA) interface.

Real time simulations in the FutureFlight facility can also be used to validate fast time simulation tools, fine-tuning their use in planning environments.

Customer Case Study: Surface Management System

The Surface Management System (SMS) is a decision support tool that may help controllers and airlines manage airport surface traffic at busy airports, thus improving safety, capacity, efficiency, and flexibility. The NASA Ames Research Center's Advanced Air Transportation Technology Project, in cooperation with the FAA, is developing SMS.

Controller utilizing SMS

Two simulations of the SMS software were conducted in the FutureFlight facility in order to evaluate the effectiveness of the SMS software with air traffic controllers. Active tower controllers from Dallas/Fort Worth airport (DFW) participated in the simulation, managing virtual Dallas/Fort Worth east side traffic.

FutureFlight Central's simulation software delivered real-time aircraft updates (including aircraft ID, aircraft type, latitude, longitude, altitude, climb rate, on-ground/airborne status, heading, ground speed, and simulation time) to the SMS.

Stephen Atkins, NASA's Project Lead for SMS, noted that "We learned a tremendous amount, for example, about how controllers assign departures to runways, sequence departures, and select taxi routes, and how SMS can better help tower controllers perform these tasks.

"FFC allows the eventual users to experience SMS in a realistic environment. It's not until controllers try using a DST [decision support tool] that they can provide the feedback needed to design a usable and useful product," Atkins concluded.