2000 A O You Make the Call Feasibility of Computerized Aircraft Control.pdfVIP

You Make the Call 285 You Make the Call: Feasibility of Computerized Aircraft Control Richard D. Younger Martin B. Linck William P. Woesner University of Colorado Boulder, CO Advisor: Anne M. Dougherty Introduction We investigate whether some of the work done by air traf?c controllers ATCs could be handled by computers. Automated systems could act as watchdogs, heading off crises before they become catastrophes. Speci?cally, we investigate at what point an ATC must take charge of a situation to avoid catastrophe, what sort of decision must be made to remedy the situation, and how much stress is involved. Objectives ? De?ne a minimum safe distance between aircraft. ? Develop a numerical model of air traf?c around a busy airport. ? Assess system complexity and corresponding ATC workload under a variety of circumstances. ? Develop aircraft guidance algorithms that minimize controller stress. The System An ATC has three main tasks as an aircraft approaches an airport, all of which must be carried out as quickly as possible [Wood 1983]: c The UMAP Journal 21 3 2000 285–300. Copyright 2000 by COMAP, Inc. All rights reserved. Permission to make digital or hard copies of part or all of this work for personal or classroom use is granted without fee provided that copies are not made or distributed for pro?t or commercial advantage and that copies bear this notice. Abstracting with credit is permitted, but copyrights for components of this work owned by others than COMAP must be honored. To copy otherwise, to republish, to post on servers, or to redistribute to lists requires prior permission from COMAP. 286 The UMAP Journal 21.3 2000 ? Ensure that the aircraft does not collide with another aircraft or any other obstacle. ? Ensure that the approaching craft is inserted smoothly into the traf?c around the airport, with a minimum of disruption to the ?ight paths of other aircraft. ? Guide the aircraft onto a runway, again with a