Airport Surface Management Tools for NAS Users

Decision support tools that make use of surface surveillance technologies data can potentially make it possible to increase airport throughput, better accommodate NAS user needs and improve safety. Currently, the major emphasis of tools like NASA?s Surface Management System and the FAA?s Departure Spacing Program has been on improving the performance of the FAA. However, to fully achieve the potential benefits, corresponding tools must be made available to NAS users. To this end, we propose to develop a sophisticated suite of tools for the NAS users that make integrated use of data about airport surface and airspace operations, and that will allow them to work more effectively in coordination with FAA staff. Two classes of tools will be explored under this SBIR. The first class will consist of programmable alerts and critiquing functions that monitor for important events. The second will focus on the design of advanced algorithms that assist with departure planning and execution. Phase I will result in the development of a prototype system that demonstrates the capabilities of these tools, along with appropriate formative evaluations. Phase II would result in the completion of an operational suite of tools.