|
|
|
March 22nd, 2005 -
Self-Metering Airport Arrival System Gaining Recognition
|
Flttech Online
March 21, 2005
The Advanced Engineering and Sciences Division of ITT Industries and
ATH Group have developed a new way of metering aircraft into large hub
airports that garnered the 2005 Air Traffic Control (ATC) Maastricht
Innovation Award.
The metering application, dubbed Attila, optimizes aircraft arrivals in
real-time by analyzing factors affecting an airport's inbound flow to
calculate the best arrival time for each aircraft. Once a solution has
been determined, Attila automatically sends a datalink message
(currently via ACARS) to each incoming aircraft with a desired
"cornerpost" (arrival fix) time, and then continues to monitor the
arrival flow to make any needed adjustments.
Attila can take into account the availability of services and equipment
on the ground and the business requirements of each airline as well as
ATC procedures. For example, an airline manager might use the system to
exchange an early flight's landing slot or gate with those of a late
aircraft to ameliorate further schedule disruptions.
Captain R. Michael Baiada, the president of ATH Group, says Attila for
the first time gives airlines a way to directly affect their business
and operational needs in arrival sequencing, including fully involving
the pilot in the decision-making.
Importantly, the system uses an architecture that requires little
change to the ATC system, and can be easily integrated into current ATC
and airline AOC systems and procedures, according to ITT and ATH.
Attila was developed by ATH Group and is being jointly marketed by ITT
Industries to the FAA and the U.S. Department of Defense. The ATH Group
also offers the Attila system directly to airlines for their internal
use.
More from flttechonline
|
