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At least 19 records

NASA flight management research

The NASA Flight Management Research Program is committed to better understanding the aircrew role and human-system interface requirements within the air transportation system. Tradition pilot roles have been supplemented by the flight management concept where crew members become decision makers and monitors of aircraft status. The aircrew is viewed as skilled human operators in a complex environment. In a systems context, work is under way to better understand the theoretical basis for human performance. Applied efforts are aimed at investigating current and future problems which crews face as flight managers. Research areas include control-display development and evaluation; procedures for effective crew-system interface; and alternative, nonvisual communication techniques. These areas are investigated in laboratory, part-task simulation and full mission simulation studies.

Laveson, J. I.↗

NASA Ames Research Center Air Traffic Management Research Overview

This is a presentation to the Owl Feather Society, a group of people who are retired from NASA Ames Research Center. I am providing a summary of the ATM research here at NASA Ames to this group as part of a lunch time talk series. The presentation will be at Michael's Restaurant in Mountain View, CA on July 18.

aviation systems division↗

A Survey of Knowledge Management Research & Development at NASA Ames Research Center

This chapter catalogs knowledge management research and development activities at NASA Ames Research Center as of April 2002. A general categorization scheme for knowledge management systems is first introduced. This categorization scheme divides knowledge management capabilities into five broad categories: knowledge capture, knowledge preservation, knowledge augmentation, knowledge dissemination, and knowledge infrastructure. Each of nearly 30 knowledge management systems developed at Ames is then classified according to this system. Finally, a capsule description of each system is presented along with information on deployment status, funding sources, contact information, and both published and internet-based references.

Keller, Richard M.↗

A Perspective on NASA Ames Air Traffic Management Research

This paper describes past and present air-traffic-management research at NASA Ames Research Center. The descriptions emerge from the perspective of a technical manager who supervised the majority of this research for the last four years. Past research contributions built a foundation for calculating accurate flight trajectories to enable efficient airspace management in time. That foundation led to two predominant research activities that continue to this day - one in automatically separating aircraft and the other in optimizing traffic flows. Today s national airspace uses many of the applications resulting from research at Ames. These applications include the nationwide deployment of the Traffic Management Advisor, new procedures enabling continuous descent arrivals, cooperation with industry to permit more direct flights to downstream way-points, a surface management system in use by two cargo carriers, and software to evaluate how well flights conform to national traffic management initiatives. The paper concludes with suggestions for prioritized research in the upcoming years. These priorities include: enabling more first-look operational evaluations, improving conflict detection and resolution for climbing or descending aircraft, and focusing additional attention on the underpinning safety critical items such as a reliable datalink.

Schroeder, Jeffery A.↗

Surface Traffic Management Research

This presentation discusses an overview of the surface traffic management research conducted by NASA Ames. The concept and human-in-the-loop simulation of the Spot and Runway Departure Advisor (SARDA), an integrated decision support tool for the tower controllers and airline ramp operators, is also discussed.

Jung, Yoo Chul↗

An Interface Specification for Urban Air Mobility Performance Models to Support Air Traffic Management Research

Performance modeling of Urban Air Mobility vehicles in support of Air Traffic Management research poses new challenges. These aircraft often rely on a combination of fixed-wing and rotorcraft performance capabilities to enable a new and still-evolving concept of high-volume operations in densely populated areas. These characteristics lead to variability in performance model format and functionality, complicating model development and leading to difficulties for users integrating the models into their applications. This paper describes an interface specification for performance models that is intended to help address this issue. The interface aims to support the core functionality of performance models while also providing the necessary flexibility to both model developers and users. The specification describes the required model documentation, required inputs to the model, and required outputs from the model in general terms that are adaptable to most programming languages. The utilization of an appropriate interface specification will support the development of an Urban Air Mobility performance model database and help to improve interoperability of these models for a broad array of user applications.

Trajectory Prediction↗

An Interface Specification for Urban Air Mobility Performance Models to Support Air Traffic Management Research

Performance modeling of Urban Air Mobility vehicles in support of Air Traffic Management research poses new challenges. These aircraft often rely on a combination of fixed-wing and rotorcraft performance capabilities to enable a new and still-evolving concept of high-volume operations in densely populated areas. These characteristics lead to variability in performance model format and functionality, complicating model development and leading to difficulties for users integrating the models into their applications. This paper describes an interface specification for performance models that is intended to help address this issue. The interface aims to support the core functionality of performance models while also providing the necessary flexibility to both model developers and users. The specification describes the required model documentation, required inputs to the model, and required outputs from the model in general terms that are adaptable to most programming languages. The utilization of an appropriate interface specification will support the development of an Urban Air Mobility performance model database and help to improve interoperability of these models for a broad array of user applications.

Trajectory Prediction↗

Air Traffic Management Research at NASA Ames

The Aviation Systems Division at the NASA Ames Research Center conducts leading edge research in air traffic management concepts and technologies. This overview will present concepts and simulation results for research in traffic flow management, safe and efficient airport surface operations, super density terminal area operations, separation assurance and system wide modeling and simulation. A brief review of the ongoing air traffic management technology demonstration (ATD-1) will also be presented. A panel discussion, with Mr. Davis serving as a panelist, on air traffic research will follow the briefing.

Davis, Thomas J.↗

Postdoctoral and Senior Postdoctoral Resident Research Associateship Program and Research Management Associateship Program for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Information on the status of all Resident Research Associated and Research Management Associates is provided. All Associated whose tenure continued as of June 1, 1985 are listed alphabetically by laboratory. Also included are their countries of citizenship and dates of tenure. The status of reporting obligations are summarized. A list of progress reports received during this reporting period is also provided. All Associates who terminated during the reporting period are listed.

Source record↗

Managing Research in a Risk World

The Office of Chief Medical Officer (OCHMO) owns all human health and performance risks managed by the Human System Risk Board (HSRB). While the HSRB manages the risks, the Human Research Program (HRP) manages the research portion of the overall risk mitigation strategy for these risks. The HSRB manages risks according to a process that identifies and analyzes risks, plans risk mitigation and tracks and reviews the implementation of these strategies according to its decisions pertaining to the OCHMO risk posture. HRP manages risk research work using an architecture that describes evidence-based risks, gaps in our knowledge about characterizing or mitigating the risk, and the tasks needed to produce deliverables to fill the gaps and reduce the risk. A planning schedule reflecting expected research milestones is developed, and as deliverables and new evidence are generated, research progress is tracked via the Path to Risk Reduction (PRR) that reflects a risk's research plan for a design reference mission. HRP's risk research process closely interfaces with the HSRB risk management process. As research progresses, new deliverables and evidence are used by the HSRB in conjunction with other operational and non-research evidence to inform decisions pertaining to the likelihood and consequence of the risk and risk posture. Those decisions in turn guide forward work for research as it contributes to overall risk mitigation strategies. As HRP tracks its research work, it aligns its priorities by assessing the effectiveness of its contributions and maintaining specific core competencies that would be invaluable for future work for exploration missions.

Anton, W.↗

Advanced Air Traffic Management Research (Human Factors and Automation): NASA Research Initiatives in Human-Centered Automation Design in Airspace Management

NASA has initiated a significant thrust of research and development focused on providing the flight crew and air traffic managers automation aids to increase capacity in en route and terminal area operations through the use of flexible, more fuel-efficient routing, while improving the level of safety in commercial carrier operations. In that system development, definition of cognitive requirements for integrated multi-operator dynamic aiding systems is fundamental. The core processes of control and the distribution of decision making in that control are undergoing extensive analysis. From our perspective, the human operators and the procedures by which they interact are the fundamental determinants of the safe, efficient, and flexible operation of the system. In that perspective, we have begun to explore what our experience has taught will be the most challenging aspects of designing and integrating human-centered automation in the advanced system. We have performed a full mission simulation looking at the role shift to self-separation on board the aircraft with the rules of the air guiding behavior and the provision of a cockpit display of traffic information and an on-board traffic alert system that seamlessly integrates into the TCAS operations. We have performed and initial investigation of the operational impact of "Dynamic Density" metrics on controller relinquishing and reestablishing full separation authority. (We follow the assumption that responsibility at all times resides with the controller.) This presentation will describe those efforts as well as describe the process by which we will guide the development of error tolerant systems that are sensitive to shifts in operator work load levels and dynamic shifts in the operating point of air traffic management.

Corker, Kevin M.↗

Air Traffic Management Research at NASA Ames Research Center

Since the late 1980's, NASA Ames researchers have been investigating ways to improve the air transportation system through the development of decision support automation. These software advances, such as the Center-TRACON Automation System (eTAS) have been developed with teams of engineers, software developers, human factors experts, and air traffic controllers; some ASA Ames decision support tools are currently operational in Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) facilities and some are in use by the airlines. These tools have provided air traffic controllers and traffic managers the capabilities to help reduce overall delays and holding, and provide significant cost savings to the airlines as well as more manageable workload levels for air traffic service providers. NASA is continuing to collaborate with the FAA, as well as other government agencies, to plan and develop the next generation of decision support tools that will support anticipated changes in the air transportation system, including a projected increase to three times today's air-traffic levels by 2025. The presentation will review some of NASA Ames' recent achievements in air traffic management research, and discuss future tool developments and concepts currently under consideration.

Lee, Katharine↗

Performance Modeling of Urban Air Mobility Vehicles to Support Air Traffic Management Research

The recent emergence of Urban Air Mobility (UAM) vehicles has resulted in a need for flight performance models that enable comprehensive simulation-based research on air traffic management topics such as route structure, scheduling, and separation standards. Successful performance modeling methods exist for a wide range of traditional aircraft designs. However, comparable modeling methods appropriate for UAM vehicles that combine fixed-wing and rotorcraft performance have not yet been established. One challenge to progress has been the lack of available data capturing the performance characteristics and unique flight profiles of these aircraft. This paper describes methods used to generate the required performance data and the development of performance models for UAM vehicles. Included is a review of the energy and power equations often used in developing performance models for traditional aircraft as well as a discussion of their applicability to UAM vehicles. The challenge of generating realistic performance data in over-actuated vehicles transitioning from hover to cruise flight is also addressed through an approach based on objective function optimization. A table-based performance model format adapted to UAM configurations is described, as well as parametric models intended to accompany the performance table to allow detailed modeling of power and fuel consumption during accelerated flight, turning flight, or flight at an arbitrary climb or descent rate. A discussion of future work is also provided, including the need for refinement of UAM performance modeling methods and formats, especially in conjunction with improvements to aerodynamic modeling of vehicles with complex designs where strong interaction effects may dominate important regions of the flight envelope.

Performance Modeling↗

Performance Modeling of Urban Air Mobility Vehicles to Support Air Traffic Management Research

The recent emergence of Urban Air Mobility (UAM) vehicles has resulted in a need for flight performance models that enable comprehensive simulation-based research on air traffic management topics such as route structure, scheduling, and separation standards. Successful performance modeling methods exist for a wide range of traditional aircraft designs. However, comparable modeling methods appropriate for UAM vehicles that combine fixed-wing and rotorcraft performance have not yet been established. One challenge to progress has been the lack of available data capturing the performance characteristics and unique flight profiles of these aircraft. This paper describes methods used to generate the required performance data and the development of performance models for UAM vehicles. Included is a review of the energy and power equations often used in developing performance models for traditional aircraft as well as a discussion of their applicability to UAM vehicles. The challenge of generating realistic performance data in over-actuated vehicles transitioning from hover to cruise flight is also addressed through an approach based on objective function optimization. A table-based performance model format adapted to UAM configurations is described, as well as parametric models intended to accompany the performance table to allow detailed modeling of power and fuel consumption during accelerated flight, turning flight, or flight at an arbitrary climb or descent rate. A discussion of future work is also provided, including the need for refinement of UAM performance modeling methods and formats, especially in conjunction with improvements to aerodynamic modeling of vehicles with complex designs where strong interaction effects may dominate important regions of the flight envelope.

Performance Modeling↗

Using the Integrated Vehicle Health Management Research Test and Integration Plan Wiki to Identify Synergistic Test Opportunities

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the aviation industry have recognized a need for developing a method to identify and combine resources to carry out research and testing more efficiently. The Integrated Vehicle Health Management (IVHM) Research Test and Integration Plan (RTIP) Wiki is a tool that is used to visualize, plan, and accomplish collaborative research and testing. Synergistic test opportunities are developed using the RTIP Wiki, and include potential common resource testing that combines assets and personnel from NASA, industry, academia, and other government agencies. A research scenario is linked to the appropriate IVHM milestones and resources detailed in the wiki, reviewed by the research team members, and integrated into a collaborative test strategy. The scenario is then implemented by creating a test plan when appropriate and the research is performed. The benefits of performing collaborative research and testing are achieving higher Technology Readiness Level (TRL) test opportunities with little or no additional cost, improved quality of research, and increased communication among researchers. In addition to a description of the method of creating these joint research scenarios, examples of the successful development and implementation of cooperative research using the IVHM RTIP Wiki are given.

Koelfgen, Syri J.↗

Image management research

Two types of research issues are involved in image management systems with space station applications: image processing research and image perception research. The image processing issues are the traditional ones of digitizing, coding, compressing, storing, analyzing, and displaying, but with a new emphasis on the constraints imposed by the human perceiver. Two image coding algorithms have been developed that may increase the efficiency of image management systems (IMS). Image perception research involves a study of the theoretical and practical aspects of visual perception of electronically displayed images. Issues include how rapidly a user can search through a library of images, how to make this search more efficient, and how to present images in terms of resolution and split screens. Other issues include optimal interface to an IMS and how to code images in a way that is optimal for the human perceiver. A test-bed within which such issues can be addressed has been designed.

Watson, Andrew B.↗

Web-Based Software for Managing Research

aeroCOMPASS is a software system, originally designed to aid in the management of wind tunnels at Langley Research Center, that could be adapted to provide similar aid to other enterprises in which research is performed in common laboratory facilities by users who may be geographically dispersed. Included in aeroCOMPASS is Web-interface software that provides a single, convenient portal to a set of project- and test-related software tools and other application programs. The heart of aeroCOMPASS is a user-oriented document-management software subsystem that enables geographically dispersed users to easily share and manage a variety of documents. A principle of "write once, read many" is implemented throughout aeroCOMPASS to eliminate the need for multiple entry of the same information. The Web framework of aeroCOMPASS provides links to client-side application programs that are fully integrated with databases and server-side application programs. Other subsystems of aeroCOMPASS include ones for reserving hardware, tracking of requests and feedback from users, generating interactive notes, administration of a customer-satisfaction questionnaire, managing execution of tests, managing archives of metadata about tests, planning tests, and providing online help and instruction for users.

Computer software and hardware↗

The Development of the Multi-Center Traffic Management Advisor (MCTMA): Traffic Flow Management Research in a Multi-Facility Environment

The Traffic Management Advisor (TMA) is a decision-support tool for traffic managers and air traffic controllers that provides traffic flow visualization and other flow management tools. TMA creates an efficiently sequenced and safely spaced schedule for arrival traffic that meets but does not exceed specified airspace system constraints. TMA is being deployed at selected facilities throughout the National Airspace System in the US as part of the FAA's Free Flight Phase 1 program. TMA development and testing, and its current deployment, focuses on managing the arrival capacity for single major airports within single terminal areas and single en route centers. The next phase of development for this technology is the expansion of the TMA capability to complex facilities in which a terminal area or airport is fed by multiple en route centers, thus creating a multicenter TMA functionality. The focus of the multi-center TMA (McTMA) development is on the busy facilities in the Northeast comdor of the US. This paper describes the planning and development of McTMA and the challenges associated with adapting a successful traffic flow management tool for a very complex airspace.

Lee, Katharine K.↗