Air Traffic Control

• Space Control ›
• Air and Missile Defense Technology ›
• Communications and Information Technology ›
• ISR Systems and Technology ›
• Advanced Electronics Technology ›
• Homeland Protection ›
• Air Traffic Control ›
  • Surveillance and Navigation ›
  • FAA Weather Systems ›
  • Aviation Weather Research ›
  • Weather – Air Traffic Management Integration ›
  • Software / Communication Architecture ›
  • Publications ›

Principal Accomplishments

• The Laboratory-developed Corridor Integrated Weather System (CIWS) is being reengineered to provide continental United States (CONUS-wide) coverage and a robust configuration suitable for handoff to the FAA for long-term operation. The initial phase for this national CIWS was deployed in June 2008.

The CIWS domain is shown as a white outline overlaid on a map of the air traffic density on a clear-weather day. The ongoing CIWS reengineering effort permits coverage of the entire continental United States in 2008.

• The Runway Status Lights system continues operation at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. The system was expanded to additional runways and is undergoing testing of a Final Approach Runway Occupancy Signal to prevent landing accidents. A shadow evaluation (without lights installed) was also performed at Chicago O'Hare International Airport to assess algorithms to prevent conflicts at runway intersections.
• The Laboratory is supporting the FAA's acquisition of a national Automatic Dependent Surveillance–Broadcast (ADS-B) system. The Laboratory analyzed surveillance requirements and radar/ADS-B fusion algorithms needed for air traffic control (ATC) at key ADS-B sites. This work included the analysis of wide-area multilateration (locating aircraft by computing time difference of arrival of multiple radio signals) as a backup for ADS-B.
• The Laboratory is working with the FAA to refine concepts for a next-generation Multifunction Phased Array Radar (MPAR) that would provide the surveillance services currently acquired from separate ATC and weather radar networks. Current activities include analysis of how MPAR might improve thunderstorm-forecasting capabilities, an assessment of its role as a backup for ADS-B, and demonstration of ultra-low-cost S-band array technology.
• Enhanced air traffic management tools were developed that exploit emerging weather-forecast capabilities to assist with the execution of reroute and delay programs. This work includes the operation of a Route Availability Planning Tool (RAPT). RAPT has been identified by the FAA as a component of the government's strategy to reduce flight delays affecting New York City airports during severe weather.
• The Laboratory completed the development of a national airspace encounter model under the joint support of the FAA, Department of Defense, and Department of Homeland Security. This model is being used to design and evaluate collision-avoidance systems for manned and unmanned aircraft, including the Global Hawk and Predator.
• Based on successes at Lincoln Laboratory, the FAA has begun fielding a national monitoring program to assess and improve the performance of the Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) across the United States.

• Program overview
• Future outlook and focus for upcoming year