Center/TRACON Automation System: Development and Evaluation in the Field
Beverly D. Sanford, Kelly Harwood, Sarah Y. Nowlin, Hugh P. Bergeron, Harold Heinriches, G. Carveth Wells · 1993
Technological advances are changing the way that advanced air traffic control automation should be developed and assessed. Current standards and practices of system development place field testing at the end of the development process. While such practices may have been suitable for manual control systems, they are becoming quickly outdated for systems that are harnessing advanced information technology. The FAA TATCA Program recognizes the importance of context through early field testing for the development of advanced Air Traffic Control (ATC) automation. It is using rapid prototyping and early field exposure as part of the Center-TRACON Automation System (CTAS) development process, using on-site system evaluations with active controllers and representative traffic flows and conditions. A primary objective of the TATCA Program is the evolutionary refinement of CTAS for the purpose of bringing system functionality to a level of usefulness and stability. This paper describes the development and assessment process that has been applied for CTAS at Denver Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC) and Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON). This is the first automated system to go through this early stage field testing and refinement. CTAS is described first, followed by an overview of the development and assessment process. Descriptions are also provided of progressive assessments, how the Traffic Management Advisor (TMA) is used in the field, and how scenarios, shadow exercises and structured interviews are used during assessments. The methods used for interpreting and analyzing data, as well as drawing inferences and identifying implications, are also discussed. Finally, the training process is described.