Multi-Center Traffic Management Advisor: Operational Test Results

Abstract

Time-based metering is an efficient air traffic management alternative to the more common practice of distance-based metering (or "miles-in-trail spacing"). The efficiency benefit is most pronounced where air traffic flows merge, such as in terminal airspace, at enroute choke points, overhead merge points, or where severe-weather avoidance routes converge-the primary bottlenecks in today's system. To date, the practice of time-based metering in the United States has been confined to arrival airspace, and only in lessconstrained regions, such as the West and South, in part due to limitations in the national airspace system infrastructure. Thus, time-based metering has not been available to redress the most critical bottlenecks in the national airspace system and, coincidently, those where time-based metering would be most advantageous. This paper discusses a prototype time-based metering system designed to overcome limitations of the national airspace system to produce a more versatile and scalable timebased metering capability. Results of a live, operational field test are presented which validate that the prototype-the Multi-center Traffic Management Advisor-can extend time-based metering operations beyond the terminal area to improve traffic flow at critical bottlenecks en route and on departure. In the field test, which focused specifically on Philadelphia-bound traffic in four Air Route Traffic Control Centers, airborne delay and airborne holding were significantly less when Multi-center Traffic Management Advisor was in use relative to control periods. The results demonstrate that the Multi-center Traffic Management Advisor is effective in coordinating time-based metering programs among adjacent air traffic control facilities, even in the complex Northeast corridor of the United States. This is a necessary step toward addressing the most critical air traffic bottlenecks in the national airspace system. Potential for nationwide time-based metering and its implications for the next-generation air transportation system also are discussed.

A Perspective on NASA Ames Air Traffic Management Research

“…12 The evaluations demonstrated reduced airborne delays (averages of 5.9-6.5 mins per flight, down from 7.3-11 mins per flight). Figure 2 illustrates the inputs and outputs of McTMA.…”

Characterization of Tactical Departure Scheduling in the National Airspace System

“…However, highly accurate OFF times hours in advance of departure is not a feasible objective given the amount of pre-departure uncertainty which exists today. 3,4,6,7 The cumulative effect of uncertainty from pushback prediction, through ramp taxi, spot transition, air movement area taxi, departure queue management, departure release, take off roll, ascent modeling, and forecast wind errors prior to reaching the meter crossing point provide a large amount of unpredictability. This uncertainty makes the departure planning process quite challenging.…”

A Method for Rapid Prototyping and Benchmarking of Arrival Sequencing and Scheduling Algorithms

“…TBM has been shown to improve the predictability of aircraft trajectories which could improve the throughput of airports. 7,8 Three types of scheduling reference points were included: runways (RWY), meter fixes (MF), and outer points (OP), as illustrated in Figure 2. Each outer point fed a single meter fix; each meter fix served all runways in the simulated terminal area.…”