Centralized Terminal Operation Control (CTOC)

Domain: Terminal
Principle Investigator: Northrop Grumman Information Technologies

Current and planned technological advances in Air Traffic Management (ATM) systems retain the paradigm that a single flight crew is in command of an aircraft from gate-to-gate, and the flight crew is guided by a variety of controllers through the various phases of flight.

Northrop Grumman Information Technology introduces the Centralized Terminal Operation Control (CTOC) concept, which is analogous to the harbor pilot in the Maritime Industry. Harbor pilots guide ships in and out of harbors, to and from ports, and on confined waterways where a familiarity with local water depths, currents, tides, and hazards is critical to the safe passage of the ship. At a predefined point of entry to a harbor or port, the Captain of a seagoing vessel relinquishes control of the ship to a harbor pilot, who specializes in the procedures and rules of the harbor or port. Harbor pilots guide ships to their destination or transfer-of-control point safely and efficiently.

The CTOC concept extends the idea of a harbor pilot into the Air Traffic Control (ATC) realm, where terminal specialists would handle both the controller and pilot functions and guide aircraft via remote control from an En Route transfer point to the surface or from the surface to an En Route transfer point. A single specialist could control multiple aircraft and be aided by conflict-free trajectory optimization. The goals of the concept are to increase capacity, efficiency, and safety through the introduction of functions that would allow a single specialist to control one to many vehicles, and to build on advances in automation and Decision Support Tools, which can lead to full autonomous control in the terminal domain.

The concept would increase capacity by offering control of aircraft to predictable and consistent trajectories in the terminal area; supporting reduced lateral, longitudinal, and vertical separation in Visual Meteorological Conditions and Instrument Meteorological Conditions; and increasing the overall throughput in the terminal area. CTOC would increase efficiency through the reduction in pilot and controller workload associated with the introduction of remote control of aircraft; and by reducing, if not eliminating, the verbal coordination between controller and pilot in the terminal area. A single specialist would increase safety through knowledge of the location and intent of each aircraft and would be aided by conflict-free trajectories for each aircraft. Safety would be maintained through the capability of the flight crew to override the remote control commands in situations where the aircraft cannot comply with CTOC directives. In addition, by allowing the specialist to take control of any aircraft in the terminal area to prevent unauthorized use of the aircraft or airspace, security and safety of the National Airspace System (NAS) would be increased.

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