Involving Pilots in AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL

USA Today (Society for the Advancement of Education), June, 2000

Though relatively safe, the friendly skies aren't always efficient. Amy Pritchett, an assistant professor in the Georgia Institute of Technology School of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Atlanta, hopes the results of her study on an enhanced aircraft cockpit display system will lead to a smoother-running operation.

The system, called Cockpit Display of Traffic Information (CDTI), allows pilots to see other aircraft around them and the distances between the planes. There is a reluctance, however, to implement CDTI fully in commercial aircraft. So far, only low-end versions have been installed, primarily to help pilots react more quickly to collision avoidance maneuvers.

"There is a reluctance to implement CDTI because of the procedural changes it would require for both air traffic controllers and pilots," Pritchett indicates. "But CDTI would allow controllers to give higher types of commands and communicate more directly with the pilots. For example, instead of just telling [pilots] what speed to fly, the controller can also tell them what aircraft they will be following into land and how far behind them to be. This can give the pilot more involvement in air traffic management."

Pritchett and graduate student L.J. Yankosky modeled and numerically simulated several different air traffic control procedures that would use CDTI. They also conducted flight simulator experiments with 12 commercial airline pilots examining different CDTI implementations. They determined that pilots must be able to assess speeds of surrounding aircraft easily to respond safely and efficiently to an air traffic controller's higher level commands (e.g., stay 10 miles behind the lead aircraft).

The pilots flew seven-, 15-, and 20-minute runs, simulating their arrival at any of four fictitious major metropolitan airports. They viewed any of three different CDTI displays, offering varying amounts of information.

"Pilots had some concerns, depending on how good the display was," Pritchett notes. "They liked more detailed information, but with the display presenting the most information, the pilots were concerned that it might be too much.... All of the pilots were intrigued by CDTI. But they still want air traffic controllers to be involved--not to watch them, but to watch what the other guy is doing."

She sees the implementation of CDTI in commercial aircraft as an intermediary step in changing technology and air traffic control procedures. Beyond it is the concept of "free flight," which would allow pilots to select their routes based on daily conditions. For now, controllers select routes often based on old airways and without considering conditions, such as winds.

In addition to CDTI's potential for improving the efficiency of air traffic management, Pritchett believes it could make air traffic even safer. With CDTI, pilots have a better chance of knowing if air traffic controllers or other pilots might be making mistakes. It could help pilots see a problem forming 10 or 20 minutes before a midair collision might occur.