Trajectory Prediction enables the system to predict with reasonable confidence where all aircraft wi

New technology that helps in the handling of air traffic at NATS has improved safety, environmental performance and played a major role in bringing average flight delays accommodation discounts florence down to all-time low levels. And key to that success has been the step change in aircraft management that came with the introduction of iFACTS into the Area Control operation at NATS' air traffic control centre at Swanwick in Hampshire.
Interim Future accommodation discounts florence Area Control Tools Support went live in the area operation in November 2011 – seeing the end of flights being controlled by Area Control using paper strips. Paper flight accommodation discounts florence strips had been a key feature in any and every air traffic control environment for much of the past century. All controllers went through their training using flight strips and it was generally a fail-safe system that rarely went wrong. So it was a major step to replace a system accommodation discounts florence with which everyone was comfortable, with one that introduced a completely new way of working but one which would make our operation even safer, more efficient and more environmentally friendly accommodation discounts florence too.
This is because iFACTS is more than just electronic flight strips. It provides controllers with an advanced set of support tools which reduces their workload accommodation discounts florence and increases the amount of traffic they can safely and comfortably handle. These tools, based on Trajectory Prediction and Medium Term Conflict Detection, provide decision making support and facilitate the early detection of conflicts in and around the sector. It means they can quite literally see into the future and predict aircraft positions, heights and headings accommodation discounts florence 18 minutes ahead.
• Ensure more efficient traffic streaming with supplementary vectors greatly reduced, enabling sequencing with reduced track miles. A longer look ahead means we can keep aircraft higher for longer, generating more fuel and emissions savings.
The most noticeable change in the operations room was the removal of the Flight Progress Strips and the requirement to enter all tactical clearances into the system. All of the functions provided by the paper strips were divided between the various iFACTS components.
The iFACTS project was borne out of original NATS research and development. It was set up to achieve the initial implementation of this research, to enable improvements in capacity, safety and efficiency for the Swanwick accommodation discounts florence Area Control operation. The system and operational concept was ground breaking and genuinely unique in the world of Air Traffic Control.
The technological challenges were massive, requiring a team of engineers spanning multiple countries and continents, brought together from within NATS and major suppliers such as Lockheed Martin and Altran-Praxis.
Equally, if not more challenging, was introducing such a large change to the way in which Air Traffic Control (ATC) was performed. The majority of the several hundred people who make up the Area Control operational team at Swanwick had to be trained and transitioned accommodation discounts florence to the new method of operation at the same time as delivering the day to day provision of Air Traffic Control.
iFACTS is unique to the world of ATC and it required significant and thorough validation before it could be introduced into service. accommodation discounts florence Like other projects of this type, this included the functional validation performed with a team of controllers, simulation staff and validation experts in the real time simulator. However, the novel technology and system design also required further detailed technical validation to ensure accommodation discounts florence that the aircraft performance and trajectory prediction algorithms being used were an accurate reflection of real life. The accuracy of the weather predictions provided by the Met Office also required validation and sensitivity analysis, to ensure that the impact accommodation discounts florence of any inaccurate weather forecasts was fully understood.
The go-live for iFACTS on November accommodation discounts florence 26 2011 was literally the press of a button. At that point the paper strip printers fell silent in the Swanwick area operations room and iFACTS became fully operational. It was a genuinely historic moment for NATS and for Air Traffic Control in the UK. The new working process is already seeing significant benefits across the NATS business – and airports and airline customers are seeing the benefit too. Figures published earlier this year showed flight delays caused by NATS air traffic control had been cut by 99 percent in 10 years to an all-time low level. accommodation discounts florence In the spring, the average NATS air traffic control delay was down to 1.4 seconds per flight, the lowest figure accommodation discounts florence since records began in the mid 90s. That compares to an average delay of 132.1 seconds 10 years ago. NATS' introduction of new technology – especially iFACTS and smarter utilisation of staff has contributed to the steady decrease in delays.
Trajectory Prediction (TP) is one of the key underlying features of iFACTS and is used to support the conflict accommodation discounts florence detection and resolution process. TP takes an aircraft's current position and calculates where it will be up to 18 minutes into the future, based on its current level, heading and speed.
If any tactical clearances are entered into the system, the trajectory is updated. Recognised flights in the sector/s are monitored to ensure they conform to the tactical clearances entered by the controller and suitable alerts are generated if the aircraft accommodation discounts florence deviates.
Trajectory Prediction enables the system to predict with reasonable confidence where all aircraft will be at some point in the future. This enables the system to detect any potential conflicts which may arise.
Medium Term Conflict Detection (MTCD) compares trajectories for each pair of aircraft in order to determine the separation that is likely to exist. Any interactions are then classified according to the geometry and category of the interaction, using a combination of colour and symbol.
accommodation discounts florence A traffic light system of colours is used i.e. red, orange, accommodation discounts florence yellow, and green. They all indicate a potential conflict, but green indicates that the controller has taken an action to actively ensure separation.
The Level Assessment Display is used to answer the question "What level can I climb/descend to now?" It is made up of two elements – one area in which tactical clearances accommodation discounts florence are entered and a graphical display called the Level Assessment Display. The Level Assessment Display shows the hooked aircraft's predicted climb and descent profiles, along with the level achievable at significant points along the route. Interactions with other aircraft along the route are displayed, enabling the controller to make an informed decision as to whether or not the aircraft can be cleared to climb or descend through a level.
The Separation Monitor is the primary iFACTS tool, to be used by the tactical controller to aid the monitoring of traffic in and around the sector. The Separation Monitor detects, classifies and displays all interactions predicted to occur over the next 10-15 minutes, based on current clearances.