Avionics - April 2010

desired objectives.

In concurring with these recommendations, FAA agreed to assemble a team of PBN airspace experts for each proposed site to work with stakeholder groups to ensure that procedures being designed meet the needs, budgets and cost benefits desired by the users. Particular emphasis will be placed upon the completion of New York, Chicago, Houston and southern Nevada airspace re-designs utilizing RNAV procedures to a great extent.

The agency also agreed to complete the scheduled development of conventional procedures with an emphasis on achieving similar levels of quality and benefit. The time frame for these activities is 2010 to 2012.

In the broader sense, FAA also agreed to develop integrated airspace at key sites, including those that were included in the Task Force recommendations. Starting this year, it will begin to use RNAV terminal procedures to create more efficient use of existing airspace and to de-couple procedures of primary and secondary airports within a metroplex. This will include the introduction of new controller procedures as well as expanding the application of 3 nautical mile separation

Time control provides a much greater level of predictability for inbound traffic and can be adjusted as necessary to accommodate the acceptance rates of traffic entering terminal airspace.

As part of the broader recommendation for improved information exchange, the Task Force recommended providing better access to information about

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standards where feasible. This project is expected to continue through 2015.

For the cruise phase of flight, the Task Force recommended greater use of Time Based Metering (TBM) and advancing the application of Required Time of Arrival (RTA), an onboard capability of many of today’s flight management computers.

In accepting the report,
FAA has indicated a will-
ingness to commit both
funding and resources to
making needed changes.

Special Use Airspace to aid in improved flight planning for operators. Currently, the Traffic Management Advisor (TMA) time-based metering function only works within a single center boundary. FAA has committed to conducting a cost/benefit analysis to determine the value of adding Adjacent Center Metering to the system that will enable time-based metering to extend beyond a single center boundary.

The agency will develop an advanced training program for air traffic managers to encourage increased used of the TBM function. An investment decision was to be made in the first quarter to deploy a new Time-Based Flow Management System. FAA also will consider expanding the TMA system to five additional OEP airports.

Starting this year, FAA will collaborate with industry to evaluate the benefits of RTA and establish a series of performance metrics that will lead to proof of concept demonstrations in 2011 and a limited implementation of RTA during the period 2014-2018. This will be done in conjunction with an analysis of the Collaborative Airspace Planning activity recently conducted between the Atlanta and Memphis air route traffic control

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