SYST 659/OR 649 AIR TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS MODELING

Fall 2001

 

 (http://mason.gmu.edu/~gdonohue/)

 

COURSE OBJECTIVE:

 

The student will be introduced to a wide range of current issues in air transportation.  The issues include: public policy toward the industry, industry economics, system capacity, current system modeling capability, human factors considerations, safety analysis and surveillance systems and new technological developments.  The student is expected to develop a broad understanding of the contemporary and future issues.  The student’s knowledge will be evaluated through class discussions, a take home mid-term exam and a term project to be completed by the end of the semester.

 

PRE (CO) REQUISITES: graduate standing, experience in air traffic control or permission of instructor

 

TEXT BOOKS: (Required)

 

 Air Transportation Systems Engineering: USA/Europe Air Traffic Management Research and Development, Donohue and Zellweger (Editors), Progress in Astronautics and Aeronautics Volume 193, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, 2001.

                           (suggested)

Fundamentals of Air Traffic Control, 3rd Edition, Michael Nolan, International Thomson Publishing, 2001

 

Avionics Navigation Systems, 2nd Edition, M. Kayton and W.R.Fried, John Wiley, 1997

 

WEEK 1. OVERVIEW & INTRODUCTION (Aug. 27)

             (ICAO videotape)  ; http://path.berkeley.edu/~dlevinson/Abstracts4.html ; questionnaire; Derivation of Capacity Equation and 3 Airport Network Example

            Homework:  Review Nolan book on Fundamentals of ATC.  Read  Chapter 1 Donohue and Zellweger.  Week 2 read Section I Donohue and Zellweger. Be prepared to discuss all readings in class.

 

WEEK 3. USA and European ATM Systems – Similarities and Differences (Sept. 10)

            Homework: read Section II

 

WEEK 4 ECONOMICS OF CONGESTION (Sept. 17) 

            Term paper topic must be selected and submitted for approval

            Homework: read Section III

 

WEEK 5 COLLABORATIVE DECISION MAKING (Sept. 24)

            Homework: read Section IV, Chapters 17, 18, 19

 

WEEK 6 AIRPORT OPERATIONS AND CONSTRAINTS (Oct. 1)

            Homework: read Section IV, Chapters 20,21,22

 

WEEK 7 AIRPORT OPERATIONS AND CONSTRAINTS (Oct. 15)

            Homework: none

            Mid Term Take Home Exam, due Oct 22

 

WEEK 8 MID TERM DISCUSSION (Oct 22)

            Homework: read Section V

 

WEEK 9 AIRSPACE OPERATIONS AND CONSTRAINTS (Oct 29)

            Homework: read Section VI Chapters 29,30,31

           

WEEK 10 SAFETY AND FREE FLIGHT (Nov. 5)

Homework: read Section VI Chapters 32,33, 34

 

WEEK 11 SAFETY AND FREE FLIGHT (Nov. 12)

            Homework: read Section VII

 

WEEK 12 COGNITIVE WORKLOAD ANALYSIS AND THE CHANGING ROLE OF

THE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER (Nov. 19)

            Homework: read Section VIII

 

WEEK 13 EMERGING ISSUES IN AIRCRAFT SELF-SEPERATION (Nov 26)

             Final version of Term Papers due Dec. 3

 

WEEK 14 15 & 16 Final Presentations (Dec. 3, Dec 10, Dec. 17)

           

 

Final exam consists of presentation of Term Papers selected at the beginning of the Semester.

 

GRADING:

            10% class attendance

            35% mid-term

            35% term papers

20% class presentation

 

TERM PAPER TOPICS:  one paper each based upon an approved topic proposed by the student and accepted by the instructor.  A pre-approved Topic List follows:

 

 


PRE-APPROVED TERM PROJECT TOPICS:

 

The following is a list of possible term paper topics.  You may select from this list or suggest a topic of your own interest of comparable complexity and magnitude.

 

1.      Compare and contrast the MITRE DPAT model and the LMINET model of the NAS.

 

Frolow, I. and J. H. Sinnot, National Airspace System Demand and Capacity Modeling, Proceedings of the IEEE, Vol.77, No. 11, November 1989, pp 1618-1624.

 

http://techreports.larc.nasa.gov/ltrs/PDF/1999/cr/NASA-99-cr208987.pdf

http://techreports.larc.nasa.gov/ltrs/PDF/1999/cr/NASA-99-cr208988.pdf

 

2.      Measure and Analyze the Airport Departure and Final Approach Spacing at IAD, EWR and LGA under peak-load conditions. (this may be a team project)

3.      Evaluate the use of weather DATA in the FAA Central Flow Control Center and compare its use in GDP to the Boeing ATC model.

4.      Use the TAAM model to simulate airspace sector use in a 500 nmi. radius around Washington DC.

5.      Compare the TOPAZ safety models to the LMI safety models.

6.      Analyze the NASA safety reports of TCAS Resolution Advisory Incidents.

7.      Analyze the Ohio Valley ADS-B data.  Evaluate the ability to reduce aircraft spacing based upon this data.  What is the probability of collision vs. spacing based upon this data?

8.      Evaluate the NAS 4.0 for it’s potential to increase national capacity by 2010.

9.      Conduct a critical analysis of the NASA SATS program and identify the strength’s and weakness’ of the program.