Publications

Refine Results

(Filters Applied) Clear All

Collision avoidance for Naval training aircraft

Published in:
MIT Lincoln Laboratory Report ATC-125

Summary

Lincoln Laboratory was tasked by the FAA to assist the Naval Air Training Command in evaluating the feasibility of using the FAA's TCAS I concept as the document summarizes the results of a brief study and flight test activity conducted to that end. It begins with a review of Lincoln Laboratory's understanding of the nature of the mid-air collision problem at the Naval Air Training Center. This is followed by a brief analysis of a set of documented collisions and near-miss encounters involving aircraft of Navy Training Air Wing 5 at Whiting Naval Air Station in Florida in 1982 and 1983. Experience gained from FAA and Lincoln Laboratory flight tests of similar encounters is reviewed and applied to the Navy encounter data base. This is followed by a review of the results obtained when a Lincoln Laboratory aircraft equipped with a TCAS Experimental Unit (TEU) was flown to Whiting Field to evaluate the ability of TCAS I equipment to perform reliable surveillance in the Naval training environment. Flight test results show that the environment is quite unlike typical civil environments, but that the TCAS surveillance design would be capable of providing a significant degree of protection to Naval trainers.
READ LESS

Summary

Lincoln Laboratory was tasked by the FAA to assist the Naval Air Training Command in evaluating the feasibility of using the FAA's TCAS I concept as the document summarizes the results of a brief study and flight test activity conducted to that end. It begins with a review of Lincoln...

READ MORE

Air-to-air visual acquisition performance with TCAS II

Author:
Published in:
MIT Lincoln Laboratory Report ATC-130

Summary

The ability of pilots to visually acquire aircraft approaching on collision cources is analyzed using a mathematical model of visual acquisition. The model is calibrated by reference to subject pilot flight test data resulting from testing of the Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS). Techniques are presented that allow the determination of the probability of visual acquisition for a range of intruder aircraft sizes and closing rates. The effect of visual range (atmospheric visibility) upon visual acquisition performance is analyzed.
READ LESS

Summary

The ability of pilots to visually acquire aircraft approaching on collision cources is analyzed using a mathematical model of visual acquisition. The model is calibrated by reference to subject pilot flight test data resulting from testing of the Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS). Techniques are presented that allow...

READ MORE

Flight testing of TCAS II with subject pilots

Author:
Published in:
IEEE Colloquium on Airborne Collision Avoidance, London, UK, 5 March 1984, pp. 3/1-3/4.

Summary

All safety benefits to be derived from the Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) are dependent upon the aircraft crew understanding and reacting appropriately to the TCAS advisories. For this reason it is important to display the TCAS information so that it can be promptly and unambiguously understood by the crew. It is also important that the crew be able to integrate the TCAS advisory information with information from other sources so that TCAS becomes a compatible addition to pre-existing safety procedures and not a contending alternative. Because crew response to TCAS is strongly influenced by visual cues received from outside the cockpit, testing in actual flight has proven important. Under sponsorship of the Federal Aviation Agency (FAA), Lincoln Laboratory conducted a series of flight tests with an experimental TCAS II unit to investigate crew response issues.
READ LESS

Summary

All safety benefits to be derived from the Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) are dependent upon the aircraft crew understanding and reacting appropriately to the TCAS advisories. For this reason it is important to display the TCAS information so that it can be promptly and unambiguously understood by...

READ MORE

An improved technique for altitude tracking of aircraft

Author:
Published in:
MIT Lincoln Laboratory Report ATC-105

Summary

When simple linear recursive tracking techniques are applied to quantized altitude reports, certain errors in estimation of altitude and altitude rate can be attributed to the response of the tracker to transitions between quantization levels. These errors can be reduced by use of an estimation technique which explicitly recognizes the quantized nature of the inputs. Smoothing of the level occupancy time (i.e., the time spent at each quantization level) can be used to control the response to redundant samples taken at the same quantization level. Further improvement is achieved by consistency tests which use particular properties of quantized data to detect changes in rate. This document presents a theoretical analysis of tracker repsonse to quantized inputs. A tracking algorithm is synthesized using these techniques and simulation results using various altitude profiles are presented.
READ LESS

Summary

When simple linear recursive tracking techniques are applied to quantized altitude reports, certain errors in estimation of altitude and altitude rate can be attributed to the response of the tracker to transitions between quantization levels. These errors can be reduced by use of an estimation technique which explicitly recognizes the...

READ MORE

Electronic flight rules: an alternative separation assurance concept

Published in:
MIT Lincoln Laboratory Report ATC-93

Summary

This report presents results of a study of alternative concepts for tactically separating aircraft in low altitude en route airspace. It describes a concept designated Electronic Flight Rules (EFR) which allows aircraft to fly under instrument meteorological conditions in a manner that retains most of the freedom and flexibility of VFR flight. Feasibility considerations, potential benefits, applicable technologies, and alternative system configurations are evaluated.
READ LESS

Summary

This report presents results of a study of alternative concepts for tactically separating aircraft in low altitude en route airspace. It describes a concept designated Electronic Flight Rules (EFR) which allows aircraft to fly under instrument meteorological conditions in a manner that retains most of the freedom and flexibility of...

READ MORE

IPC design validation and flight testing final report

Published in:
MIT Lincoln Laboratory Report ATC-85

Summary

A series of flight tests were conducted to evaluate the collision avoidance system known as Intermittent Positive Control (subsequently re-named Automatic Traffic Advisory and Resolution Service, ATARS). These tests involved both professional test pilots and subject pilots selected from the aviation community. This report includes analysis of the collision avoidance algorithm, pilot visual acquisition performance, and pilot reaction to avoidance instructions.
READ LESS

Summary

A series of flight tests were conducted to evaluate the collision avoidance system known as Intermittent Positive Control (subsequently re-named Automatic Traffic Advisory and Resolution Service, ATARS). These tests involved both professional test pilots and subject pilots selected from the aviation community. This report includes analysis of the collision avoidance...

READ MORE

Air-to-air visual acquisition performance with Pilot Warning Instruments (PWI)

Author:
Published in:
MIT Lincoln Laboratory Report ATC-73

Summary

Subject pilot flight tests conducted at the M.I.T. Lincoln Laboratory have produced new data characterizing the ability of general aviation pilots to visually acquire portential collision hazards when aided by Pilot Warning Instruments (PWI). In this paper major issues in the design of Pilot Warning Instruments are reviewed. Visual acquisition performance is described in terms of a non-homogeneous Poisson process and results of previous experiments are reinterpreted in this light. It is shown that the major test results can be explained in terms of an acquisition rate which is proportional to the solid angle subtended by the target. Model parameters appropriate for Lincoln Laboratory flight test data are derived by maximum likelihood techniques. A statistical analysis of significance is performed for other factors which are not explicitly included in this model. Performance predictions for a wide variety of aircraft sizes, approach speeds, and visibility conditions are presented.
READ LESS

Summary

Subject pilot flight tests conducted at the M.I.T. Lincoln Laboratory have produced new data characterizing the ability of general aviation pilots to visually acquire portential collision hazards when aided by Pilot Warning Instruments (PWI). In this paper major issues in the design of Pilot Warning Instruments are reviewed. Visual acquisition...

READ MORE

IPC design validation and flight testing - interim results

Published in:
MIT Lincoln Laboratory Report ATC-57

Summary

Intermittent Positive Control, an automated aircraft collision avoidance system requiring the participation of the aircraft pilots involved, is being evaluated in a series of live flight tests. This document provides an interim summary of the results obtained in these flight tests. Results are given for IPC algorithm design evaluation flights (34) and for pilot interaction evaluation flights (14) flown from Hanscom Field, Bedford, Massachusetts between February and October, 1975.
READ LESS

Summary

Intermittent Positive Control, an automated aircraft collision avoidance system requiring the participation of the aircraft pilots involved, is being evaluated in a series of live flight tests. This document provides an interim summary of the results obtained in these flight tests. Results are given for IPC algorithm design evaluation flights...

READ MORE

Plan for flight testing intermittent positive control

Published in:
MIT Lincoln Laboratory Report ATC-46

Summary

Intermittent Positive Control is an automated aircraft collision avoidance system requiring the participation of the aircraft pilots involved. The operational interface between pilots and the IPC system is being evaluated in a series of live flight tests. The Lincoln Laboratory DABS Experimental Facility, augmented to include the IPC function, is the test bed for these evaluation flights. This document described the objectives and methods of the IPC flight testing being conducted by Lincoln Laboratory.
READ LESS

Summary

Intermittent Positive Control is an automated aircraft collision avoidance system requiring the participation of the aircraft pilots involved. The operational interface between pilots and the IPC system is being evaluated in a series of live flight tests. The Lincoln Laboratory DABS Experimental Facility, augmented to include the IPC function, is...

READ MORE

The influence of surveillance system parameters on automated conflict detection and resolution

Author:
Published in:
MIT Lincoln Laboratory Report ATC-15

Summary

The effects of sensor accuracy, data rate, and message delivery delay upon automated conflict detection,and resolution processing is analyzed and particular considerations for DABS/IPC operation are discussed. Various options in the design of the algorithmic logic are enumerated and a particular logic is chosen for quantitative inspection. Performance sensitivity calculations for the conflict detection and command generation functions are then presented. The influence of algorithmic logic and traffic environment upon surveillance requirements is delineated.
READ LESS

Summary

The effects of sensor accuracy, data rate, and message delivery delay upon automated conflict detection,and resolution processing is analyzed and particular considerations for DABS/IPC operation are discussed. Various options in the design of the algorithmic logic are enumerated and a particular logic is chosen for quantitative inspection. Performance sensitivity calculations...

READ MORE