new allocation of tasks between controller and flight crew is envisaged as one possible option to improve air traffic management and in particular the sequencing of arrival flows. It relies on a set of new spacing instructions where the flight crew can be tasked by the controller to maintain a given spacing with respect to a designated aircraft. In order to assess the benefits and limits of airborne spacing, two streams of air and ground experiments were conducted. The latest air experiment aimed at assessing the feasibility of time-based spacing in final approach and its impact on flight crew activity. Flight crews were tasked to maintain a spacing behind a target aircraft, through adjustments of the selected speed. Their feedback on feasibility was generally positive despite an increase of mental effort which remained acceptable. Every crew successfully achieved the spacing task: the deviation was maintained within the tolerances. The impact on flight crews’ activity was assessed through the speed actions needed to perform the spacing task. The average number of speed actions was less than 1 per minute, and most were small adjustments comprised between -15kt and +5kt. The effect of various reactions of preceding aircraft under airborne spacing will be investigated in further experiments, as well as monitoring load and scanning pattern.
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Published on 01/01/2004
Volume 2004, 2004
DOI: 10.2514/6.2004-5104
Licence: CC BY-NC-SA license
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