Engineering topics

Wing, David J.

Publications and source records attributed to Wing, David J..

At least 19 records

NASA NTRS2019

The TASAR Project: Launching Aviation on an Optimized Route Toward Aircraft Autonomy

The Traffic Aware Strategic Aircrew Request (TASAR) concept applies onboard automation for the purpose of advising the pilot of route modifications that would be beneficial to the flight. Leveraging onboard computing platforms with connectivity to avionics and diverse data sources on and off the aircraft, TASAR introduces a new, powerful capability for in-flight trajectory management to the cockpit and its flight crew that is anticipated to induce a significant culture change in airspace operations. Flight crews empowered by TASAR and its derivative technologies could transform from today’s flight plan followers to proactive trajectory managers, taking an initial critical step towards increasing autonomy in the airspace system. TASAR was developed as a catalyst for operational autonomy, a future vision where the responsibilities and authorities of trajectory management reside with the aircraft operator and are distributed among participating aircraft, thus fulfilling a vision dating back decades and enabling a fully scalable airspace system. This NASA Technical Paper maps TASAR to its foundational vision and traces its research and development from initial concept generation to an operational evaluation by a U.S. airline in revenue service, the final stage before technology transfer and commercialization.

Wing, David J.↗

NASA NTRS2019

Alaska Airlines TASAR Operational Evaluation: Achieved Benefits

The NASA Traffic Aware Strategic Aircrew Requests (TASAR) concept offers onboard automation that advises the pilot of traffic compatible route modifications that would be beneficial to the flight. The Traffic Aware Planner (TAP) is the onboard automation component of TASAR. TAP was installed on three Alaska Airlines 737-900ER aircraft and used to conduct an operational evaluation of TASAR between July 24, 2018 and April 30, 2019.

Henderson, Jeffrey↗

NASA NTRS2019

Initial TASAR Operations Onboard Alaska Airlines

NASA and Alaska Airlines jointly conducted an operational evaluation of NASA’s Traffic Aware Strategic Aircrew Request (TASAR) concept. Featuring a NASA-developed cockpit automation tool, the Traffic Aware Planner (TAP), and leveraging the emerging “connected aircraft” architecture, TASAR enables pilots to identify route changes compatible with nearby traffic and airspace constraints that improve flight efficiency and are more likely to receive Air Traffic Control approval. TASAR was developed in anticipation of saving fuel and flight time, thereby providing immediate and pervasive benefits to the aircraft operator. Following a previously reported, extensive program of integration and preliminary in-flight testing, the operational evaluation of TASAR in revenue service by Alaska Airlines took place from July 2018 to April 2019. This paper describes the operational evaluation, the methodology for quantifying operational benefits, preliminary benefit results, and other unexpected impacts of TASAR operations during revenue flights. Based on the subset of data available at publication, preliminary estimated benefits averaged about $92 per flight across all flights including those without benefit. Identified factors indicate the estimated benefit per flight was likely a conservative estimate. Benefit categories including home runs, cumulative small gains, and plan validation benefits are illustrated with specific examples observed during the operational evaluation.

Wing, David J.↗

NASA NTRS2019

Weather Design Considerations for the TASAR Traffic Aware Planner

The Traffic Aware Planner (TAP) is a decision support automation tool for trajectory planning and optimization intended for use on today’s flight deck. Drawing from a variety of on- and off-board data sources, TAP employs a sophisticated trajectory optimization algorithm that provides the aircrew with fuel- and time-saving reroute recommendations that are free of known conflicts with traffic, special use airspace, and severe convective weather. As this kind of weather is a significant part of the pilot’s decision-making process while planning trajectory changes en route, a series of investigations has been conducted into the integration of weather data and associated functionality into the TAP software. This paper reviews the weather data sources and functionality that have been incorporated into TAP to date, along with experience gathered in the course of the design process.

Lewis, Timothy A.↗

NASA NTRS2018

Method and Apparatus for Providing In-Flight Pilot Interface for Trajectory Optimization

Systems and methods of an in-cockpit flight trajectory modification system for an aircraft are provided. A receiver is capable of receiving flight-related hazard information. A traffic aware planner (TAP) module is operably connected to the receiver to receive the flight-related hazard information. A user interface device is operably connected to the TAP module on board the aircraft to provide trajectory information associated with the aircraft and to receive user input corresponding to a request for a revised trajectory. A TAP application is capable of calculating one or more revised trajectories for the aircraft based at least on active trajectory information of the aircraft and the flight-related hazard information. The user interface device may be configured to display information related to the one or more revised trajectories, including a graphic display of the active trajectory and at least one revised trajectory in a visualization panel of the user interface device.

Burke, Kelly Ann↗

NASA NTRS2018

Initial Implementation and Operational Use of TASAR in Alaska Airlines Flight Operations

NASA has been developing and testing the Traffic Aware Strategic Aircrew Requests (TASAR) concept for aircraft operations featuring a NASA-developed cockpit automation tool, the Traffic Aware Planner (TAP), which computes route changes compatible with nearby traffic and airspace constraints to improve flight efficiency. The TAP technology is anticipated to save fuel, flight time, and operating costs and thereby provide immediate and pervasive benefits to the aircraft operator. Alaska Airlines is partnered with NASA to implement and evaluate TASAR in revenue service. This paper will describe activities undertaken to achieve TASAR operational status at Alaska Airlines, and it will present preliminary results from initial flight operations.

Wing, David J.↗

NASA NTRS2018

Airborne Trajectory Management for Urban Air Mobility

Urban Air Mobility (UAM) has captured the imagination of the public and the aviation industry for someday soon moving people and goods through and around metropolitan areas using Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) that are electrically powered, environmentally friendly, and autonomously operated. Significant investment and rapid development of vehicles for this activity is taking place, with package delivery services already beginning in some areas. However, the ability to manage thousands of these vehicles safely in a congested urban area presents a challenge unprecedented in air traffic management. Initial studies of this problem led by NASA under the UAS Traffic Management (UTM) initiative have primarily focused on geo-fencing and centralized reservation of airspace for individual flights. This paper proposes an extension of UTM using a de-centralized approach employing airborne surveillance, self-separation, and a minimized “design separation” approach to permit the optimization and safety of each flight in very high traffic densities and close proximities. The concept employs Airborne Trajectory Management (ABTM) principles and a novel new concept for variable separation criteria to manage the angular velocity of a passing vehicle, thus eliminating the "startle factor" and perceived hazard of very close operations. ABTM also accomplishes most of the services required for safe planning and execution of normal flights and recovery from abnormal or emergency operations while accommodating conventional piloted flights using the current air traffic control paradigm. The environment for UAM operations is described along with the proposed means for autonomous, tactical separation of the vehicles. Sample geometries of traffic conflicts and resolutions are shown and the airspace definitions, rules for flight within them, and additions and exemptions to the rules for these flights are listed and explained.

Cotton, William↗

NASA NTRS2018

Cooperative Automation Supporting Pilot-Dispatch Negotiation of Enroute Trajectory Change Requests

The advent of advanced technologies in communication, navigation, and surveillance is enabling more integration between the aircraft and the ground systems in managing air traffic operations. As a result, automation has evolved to provide the flight crew, air traffic controllers, and traffic flow managers with capabilities for collaborating on information access, analysis, and decision making. In this paper, we investigate different cooperative schemes between these agents, supported by automation, in managing dynamic trajectory changes while the flight is en route to improve flight and system performance. The analysis was conducted using an abstract cognitive tasking framework to identify trajectory change tasks independently from the agent performing them. Cooperation schemes were then derived by assessing different levels of cooperation on each task between the air and ground agents and their automation. The assessment was based on which automation-supported agent is more capable of performing the task and the expected benefit mechanisms that result from cooperating. The cooperation schemes were compared based on a qualitative, but objective, assessment of the benefits expected from cooperation.

air-ground integration↗

NASA NTRS2018

Airspace Technology Demonstration 3 (ATD-3) Traffic Aware Strategic Aircrew Requests (TASAR) Technology Transfer Document Summary Version 1.0

This summary document and accompanying technology artifacts satisfy the fourth of five Research Transition Products (RTPs) defined in the Applied Traffic Flow Management (ATFM) Research Transition Team (RTT) Plan. This transfer consists of NASA's Traffic Aware Strategic Aircrew Requests (TASAR). NASA's concept of TASAR offers onboard automation for the purpose of advising the pilot of traffic-compatible trajectory changes that would be beneficial to the flight.

tech transfer↗

NASA NTRS2017

Point-Mass Aircraft Trajectory Prediction Using a Hierarchical, Highly-Adaptable Software Design

A highly adaptable and extensible method for predicting four-dimensional trajectories of civil aircraft has been developed. This method, Behavior-Based Trajectory Prediction, is based on taxonomic concepts developed for the description and comparison of trajectory prediction software. A hierarchical approach to the "behavioral" layer of a point-mass model of aircraft flight, a clear separation between the "behavioral" and "mathematical" layers of the model, and an abstraction of the methods of integrating differential equations in the "mathematical" layer have been demonstrated to support aircraft models of different types (in particular, turbojet vs. turboprop aircraft) using performance models at different levels of detail and in different formats, and promise to be easily extensible to other aircraft types and sources of data. The resulting trajectories predict location, altitude, lateral and vertical speeds, and fuel consumption along the flight path of the subject aircraft accurately and quickly, accounting for local conditions of wind and outside air temperature. The Behavior-Based Trajectory Prediction concept was implemented in NASA's Traffic Aware Planner (TAP) flight-optimizing cockpit software application.

Karr, David A.↗

NASA NTRS2016

Deploying a Route Optimization EFB Application for Commercial Airline Operational Trials

The Traffic Aware Planner (TAP), developed for NASA Langley Research Center to support the Traffic Aware Strategic Aircrew Requests (TASAR) project, is a flight-efficiency software application developed for an Electronic Flight Bag (EFB). Tested in two flight trials and planned for operational testing by two commercial airlines, TAP is a real-time trajectory optimization application that leverages connectivity with onboard avionics and broadband Internet sources to compute and recommend route modifications to flight crews to improve fuel and time performance. The application utilizes a wide range of data, including Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast (ADS-B) traffic, Flight Management System (FMS) guidance and intent, on-board sensors, published winds and weather, and Special Use Airspace (SUA) schedules. This paper discusses the challenges of developing and deploying TAP to various EFB platforms, our solutions to some of these challenges, and lessons learned, to assist commercial software developers and hardware manufacturers in their efforts to implement and extend TAP functionality in their environments. EFB applications (such as TAP) typically access avionics data via an ARINC 834 Simple Text Avionics Protocol (STAP) server hosted by an Aircraft Interface Device (AID) or other installed hardware. While the protocol is standardized, the data sources, content, and transmission rates can vary from aircraft to aircraft. Additionally, the method of communicating with the AID may vary depending on EFB hardware and/or the availability of onboard networking services, such as Ethernet, WIFI, Bluetooth, or other mechanisms. EFBs with portable and installed components can be implemented using a variety of operating systems, and cockpits are increasingly incorporating tablet-based technologies, further expanding the number of platforms the application may need to support. Supporting multiple EFB platforms, AIDs, avionics datasets, and user interfaces presents a challenge for software developers and the management of their code baselines. Maintaining multiple baselines to support all deployment targets can be extremely cumbersome and expensive. Certification also needs to be considered when developing the application. Regardless of whether the software is itself destined to be certified, data requirements in support of the application and user interface elements may introduce certification requirements for EFB manufacturers and the airlines. The example of TAP, the challenges faced, solutions implemented, and lessons learned will give EFB application and hardware developers insight into future potential requirements in deploying TAP or similar flight-deck EFB applications.

Roscoe, David A.↗

NASA NTRS2016

Traffic Aware Planner for Cockpit-Based Trajectory Optimization

The Traffic Aware Planner (TAP) software application is a cockpit-based advisory tool designed to be hosted on an Electronic Flight Bag and to enable and test the NASA concept of Traffic Aware Strategic Aircrew Requests (TASAR). The TASAR concept provides pilots with optimized route changes (including altitude) that reduce fuel burn and/or flight time, avoid interactions with known traffic, weather and restricted airspace, and may be used by the pilots to request a route and/or altitude change from Air Traffic Control. Developed using an iterative process, TAP's latest improvements include human-machine interface design upgrades and added functionality based on the results of human-in-the-loop simulation experiments and flight trials. Architectural improvements have been implemented to prepare the system for operational-use trials with partner commercial airlines. Future iterations will enhance coordination with airline dispatch and add functionality to improve the acceptability of TAP-generated route-change requests to pilots, dispatchers, and air traffic controllers.

Woods, Sharon E.↗

NASA NTRS2016

Preliminary Assessment of Operational Hazards and Safety Requirements for Airborne Trajectory Management (ABTM) Roadmap Applications

A set of five developmental steps building from the NASA TASAR (Traffic Aware Strategic Aircrew Requests) concept are described, each providing incrementally more efficiency and capacity benefits to airspace system users and service providers, culminating in a Full Airborne Trajectory Management capability. For each of these steps, the incremental Operational Hazards and Safety Requirements are identified for later use in future formal safety assessments intended to lead to certification and operational approval of the equipment and the associated procedures. Two established safety assessment methodologies that are compliant with the FAA's Safety Management System were used leading to Failure Effects Classifications (FEC) for each of the steps. The most likely FEC for the first three steps, Basic TASAR, Digital TASAR, and 4D TASAR, is "No effect". For step four, Strategic Airborne Trajectory Management, the likely FEC is "Minor". For Full Airborne Trajectory Management (Step 5), the most likely FEC is "Major".

Cotton, William B.↗

NASA NTRS2015

Achieving TASAR Operational Readiness

NASA has been developing and testing the Traffic Aware Strategic Aircrew Requests (TASAR) concept for aircraft operations featuring a NASA-developed cockpit automation tool, the Traffic Aware Planner (TAP), which computes traffic/hazard-compatible route changes to improve flight efficiency. The TAP technology is anticipated to save fuel and flight time and thereby provide immediate and pervasive benefits to the aircraft operator, as well as improving flight schedule compliance, passenger comfort, and pilot and controller workload. Previous work has indicated the potential for significant benefits for TASAR-equipped aircraft, and a flight trial of the TAP software application in the National Airspace System has demonstrated its technical viability. This paper reviews previous and ongoing activities to prepare TASAR for operational use.

Wing, David J.↗

NASA NTRS2015

Method and Apparatus for Generating Flight-Optimizing Trajectories

An apparatus for generating flight-optimizing trajectories for a first aircraft includes a receiver capable of receiving second trajectory information associated with at least one second aircraft. The apparatus also includes a traffic aware planner (TAP) module operably connected to the receiver to receive the second trajectory information. The apparatus also includes at least one internal input device on board the first aircraft to receive first trajectory information associated with the first aircraft and a TAP application capable of calculating an optimal trajectory for the first aircraft based at least on the first trajectory information and the second trajectory information. The optimal trajectory at least avoids conflicts between the first trajectory information and the second trajectory information.

Ballin, Mark G.↗

NASA NTRS2014

Traffic Aware Strategic Aircrew Requests (TASAR)

The Traffic Aware Strategic Aircrew Request (TASAR) concept offers onboard automation for the purpose of advising the pilot of traffic compatible trajectory changes that would be beneficial to the flight. A fast-time simulation study was conducted to assess the benefits of TASAR to Alaska Airlines. The simulation compares historical trajectories without TASAR to trajectories developed with TASAR and evaluated by controllers against their objectives. It was estimated that between 8,000 and 12,000 gallons of fuel and 900 to 1,300 minutes could be saved annually per aircraft. These savings were applied fleet-wide to produce an estimated annual cost savings to Alaska Airlines in excess of $5 million due to fuel, maintenance, and depreciation cost savings. Switching to a more wind-optimal trajectory was found to be the use case that generated the highest benefits out of the three TASAR use cases analyzed. Alaska TASAR requests peaked at four to eight requests per hour in high-altitude Seattle center sectors south of Seattle-Tacoma airport..

Wing, David J.↗

NASA NTRS2014

Traffic Aware Planner (TAP) Flight Evaluation

NASA's Traffic Aware Planner (TAP) is a cockpit decision support tool that has the potential to achieve significant fuel and time savings when it is embedded in the data-rich Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) airspace. To address a key step towards the operational deployment of TAP and the NASA concept of Traffic Aware Strategic Aircrew Requests (TASAR), a system evaluation was conducted in a representative flight environment in November, 2013. Numerous challenges were overcome to achieve this goal, including the porting of the foundational Autonomous Operations Planner (AOP) software from its original simulation-based, avionics-embedded environment to an Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) platform. A flight-test aircraft was modified to host the EFB, the TAP application, an Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast (ADS-B) processor, and a satellite broadband datalink. Nine Evaluation Pilots conducted 26 hours of TAP assessments using four route profiles in the complex eastern and north-eastern United States airspace. Extensive avionics and video data were collected, supplemented by comprehensive inflight and post-flight questionnaires. TAP was verified to function properly in the live avionics and ADS-B environment, characterized by recorded data dropouts, latency, and ADS-B message fluctuations. Twelve TAP-generated optimization requests were submitted to ATC, of which nine were approved, and all of which resulted in fuel and/or time savings. Analysis of subjective workload data indicated that pilot interaction with TAP during flight operations did not induce additional cognitive loading. Additionally, analyses of post-flight questionnaire data showed that the pilots perceived TAP to be useful, understandable, intuitive, and easy to use. All program objectives were met, and the next phase of TAP development and evaluations with partner airlines is in planning for 2015.

Maris, John M.↗

NASA NTRS2013

A Cockpit-Based Application for Traffic Aware Trajectory Optimization

The Traffic Aware Planner (TAP) is a cockpit-based advisory tool designed to be hosted on a Class 2 Electronic Flight Bag and developed to enable the concept of Traffic Aware Strategic Aircrew Requests (TASAR). This near-term concept provides pilots with optimized route changes that reduce fuel burn or flight time, avoids interactions with known traffic, weather and restricted airspace, and may be used by the pilots to request a trajectory change from air traffic control. TAP's internal architecture and algorithms are derived from the Autonomous Operations Planner, a flight-deck automation system developed by NASA to support research into aircraft self-separation. This paper reviews the architecture, functionality and operation of TAP.

TASAR↗