Design and Development of an ATC Distributed Training System

Abstract

The current development of an “European Air Traffic Management Network” is emphasizing the role of training activities for controllers. The most advanced training centers are equipped with tower, radar and flight simulators in which all the phases of air traffic control process (including the pilot’s condition) can be reproduced with an high degree of realism. Therefore, these systems mostly operate stand alone not exploiting the challenge of connecting single platforms in a unique distributed environment. In this paper a distributed training system is designed and experimented. It includes traffic simulation, flight simulation and real time voice communications. Air traffic in approach, landing and ground operations is simulated in a virtual air field and displayed on a table-top interface. One of the flight animations is performed in real time connecting the table-top with a FFS (Fixed Flight Simulator). The other planes which animate the environment follow recorded paths. Once the simulation is performed, training activities continue using an off-line virtual debriefing tool of the simulated ATC process. The whole system aims at providing the controller with the awareness about the tasks performed by pilots and their consequences on the ATC scenario development.