The Effect of Tracking Accuracy on Short Term Conflict Alert Performance
D. Varon · Air Traffic Control Quarterly · 2000
Quantitative measurements are requisite to successful engineering design, including that of Short Term Conflict Alert (STCA). This paper describes a simulation-based method to measure conflict detection probability and nuisance alarm rate of STCA functions. STCA performance depends on a variety of factors, the most dominant of which are the motion characteristics of the approaching aircraft and the accuracy of their radar data. Using an example of non-maneuvering targets, the described method derives quantitative performance data and guidelines for optimal STCA design and testing. The principal conclusions from the published guidelines are that (a) performance is sensitive to radar data accuracy in only the least hazardous violations; (b) noise reduction in the source radar is more critical to performance than a more sophisticated tracking algorithm; (c) an alert filter properly designed can significantly reduce the nuisance alarm rate; and (d) statistical ensembles, rather than single-sample scenarios, are more suitable for measuring performance for STCA design.