National Simulation Capability (NSC) Reduced Vertical Separation Minima (RVSM) Phase III Result Report

The Reduced Vertical Separation Minima (RVSM) experiment resulted from the North Atlantic Systems Planning Group (NATSPG) conclusion to carry out studies aimed at achieving early implementation of RVSM in the North Atlantic Region. RVSM is an approved International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Seegar, Diena, Canaras, Stacy, Kopardekar, Parimal
Other Authors: FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION TECHNICAL CENTER ATLANTIC CITY NJ
Format: Text
Language:English
Published: 1997
Subjects:
Commercial and General Aviation
Terminal Flight Facilities
*FLIGHT PATHS
*AIR TRAFFIC
*AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS
PERFORMANCE(HUMAN)
AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS
AIRPORT RADAR SYSTEMS
AIR NAVIGATION
AIR SPACE
CIVIL AVIATION
FLIGHT MANEUVERS
WORKLOAD
AVIATION SAFETY
ALTITUDE
FLIGHT SIMULATION
VISUAL FLIGHT RULES
TRANSITION FLIGHT
RVSM(REDUCED VERTICAL SEPARATION MINIMA)
North Atlantic
Online Access:http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/ADA331623
http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=ADA331623
Description
Summary:The Reduced Vertical Separation Minima (RVSM) experiment resulted from the North Atlantic Systems Planning Group (NATSPG) conclusion to carry out studies aimed at achieving early implementation of RVSM in the North Atlantic Region. RVSM is an approved International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) concept to reduce aircraft vertical separation from the Conventional Vertical Separation Minima (CVSM) of 2000 ft to 1000 ft, between flight level (FL) 290 and FL 410, within a designated portion of the North Atlantic Region. RVSM Phase 3 simulation studies were conducted in October 1995 at the Miami Air Route Traffic Control Center Dynamic Simulation Laboratory. The study investigated workload effects and the feasibility of transitioning aircraft to and from CVSM and from and to RVSM within radar sectors R1, R60, R62, and R63 under various traffic conditions. Generally, RVSM conditions proved to be more workload intensive than CVSM conditions. However, even though workload was increased, there was no corresponding increase in operational errors or deviations with RVSM when compared to CVSM. Both controller and Technical Observer ratings revealed that interval and post-run workload ratings were either equal or higher for RVSM under contingency/emergency (RVSM-E) conditions when compared to normal RVSM conditions. Analysis of operational errors revealed the same trend; more errors were reported during RVSM-E Therefore, guidelines to handle potential complications such as radar outages and bad weather need to be developed before RVSM can be safely implemented. The results of the simulation generally indicate that RVSM implementation is feasible in the Western Atlantic Track Route System region. Although controllers expressed concerns about safety in maintaining separation and transitioning aircraft to and from RVSM altitudes, most indicated their comfort level would inc

Similar Items