Structural framework for performance-based assessment of ATM systems

Abstract

Improving the total performance of the air traffic management (ATM) system in terms of capacity, safety, efficiency, and flexibility require dramatic system-wide transformations as well as in the required performance levels for individual communication, navigation, and surveillance (CNS) systems. The evaluation of specific performance levels of ATM system requires a structural robust modeling and simulation framework that can evaluate emergent system-wide performance arising from the behavior of individual system components including human operators. This paper proposes an agent-based modeling and simulation framework including computational human performance models, built upon cognitive engineering principles, for a priori computational modeling and analysis method of predicting the required performance of potential grouping of innovative CNS technologies and applications proposed for Next Generation Air Transportation System (NEXTGEN) operations. A specific test case of analyzing aircraft arrivals into LAX using Continuous Descent Arrival (CDA) concept will be examined as a demonstration. Copyright © 2009 by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Inc. All rights reserved.