Towards agent-based crowd simulation in airports using games technology

We adapt popular video games technology for an agent-based crowd simulation in an airport terminal. To achieve this, we investigate the unique traits of airports and implement a virtual crowd by exploiting a scalable layered intelligence technique in combination with physics middleware and a socialforces approach. Our experiments show that the framework runs at interactive frame-rate and evaluate the scalability with increasing number of agents demonstrating navigation behaviour

The Breach of Security at San Jose’s Airport Raises Broader Issues

This Transportation Security Perspective is the fifth in a continuing series produced by the National Transportation Safety and Security Center of the Mineta Transportation Institute. These examine major terrorist attacks and trends in terrorists targeting surface transportation. Previous perspectives include the bus attack in Abuja, Nigeria, the terrorist bombings in Volgograd, Russia; the assault on passengers at the Kunming train station in China; and more

Aeronautical Mobile Airport Communications System (AeroMACS)

To help increase the capacity and efficiency of the nation s airports, a secure wideband wireless communications system is proposed for use on the airport surface. This paper provides an overview of the research and development process for the Aeronautical Mobile Airport Communications System (AeroMACS). AeroMACS is based on a specific commercial profile of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.16 standard known as Wireless Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access or WiMAX (WiMax Forum). The paper includes background on the need for global interoperability in air/ground data communications, describes potential AeroMACS applications, addresses allocated frequency spectrum constraints, summarizes the international standardization process, and provides findings and recommendations from the world s first AeroMACS prototype implemented in Cleveland, Ohio, USA

Validation of New Technology using Legacy Metrics: Examination of Surf-IA Alerting for Runway Incursion Incidents

New flight deck technology designed to mitigate runway incursions may not be effective in triggering a flight deck alert to avoid high speed surface collisions for runway incursions classified as serious by legacy metrics. This study demonstrated an innovative method of utilizing expert raters and actual high-risk incidents to identify shortcomings of using legacy metrics to measure the effectiveness of new technology designed to mitigate hazardous incidents. Expert raters were used to validate the Enhanced Traffic Situational Awareness on the Airport Surface with Indications and Alerts (SURF-IA) model for providing alerts to pilots to reduce the occurrence of pilot deviation type runway incursion incidents categorized as serious (Category A or B) by the FAA/ICAO Runway Incursion Severity Classification (RISC) model. This study used archival data from Aviation Safety Information Analysis and Sharing (ASIAS) incident reports and video reenactments developed by the FAA Office of Runway Safety. Two expert raters reviewed nine pilot deviation type serious runway incursion incidents. The raters applied the baseline minimally compliant implementation of the RTCA/DO 323 SURF-IA model to determine which incidents would have an alerting SURF-IA outcome. Inter-rater reliability was determined by percentage agreement and Cohen’s kappa and indicated perfect agreement between the raters who assessed six of the incidents with a SURF-IA alerting outcome and three as non-alerting. Specific aircraft states were identified in the baseline SURF-IA model that precluded an outcome of a Warning or Caution alert for all pilot deviation type runway incursion incidents classified as serious by the FAA/ICAO RISC model: (a) wrong runway departures, (b) no alert if traffic entered runway after ownship lift-off from same runway, and (c) helicopter operations. The study concluded that the SURF-IA model did not yield an outcome of a Warning or Caution alert for all pilot deviation type runway incursion incidents classified as serious by the FAA/ICAO RISC model. Even if the SURF-IA model had performed to design, the best it could have achieved would have been a 70% alerting outcome for incidents classified as serious by the legacy RISC model metric. In the qualitative analysis both raters indicated that neither the legacy RISC definition of on-runway nor the SURF-IA definition was appropriate. Hence, the raters’ recommendation was not to adopt either model’s definition, but rather develop an entirely new definition through further study. The raters were explicit about the criticality of appropriate and harmonized definitions used in the models. The different outcomes between the RISC and SURF-IA models may result in misleading information when using the reduction in serious runway incursion incidents as a metric for the benefit of SURF-IA technology. It is recommended that prior to using the ASIAS runway incursion data as a metric for the benefit of SURF-IA, the FAA develop a process for identifying and tracking ASIAS reported PD type serious runway incursion incidents which will not trigger a SURF-IA alert. Consideration should be made to improving the SURF-IA model technical capabilities to accommodate all possible aircraft states that the RISC model would classify as serious runway incursion incidents

IMPLEMENTATION OF AERONAUTICAL LOCAL SATELLITE AUGMENTATION SYSTEM

Abstract. This paper introduces development and implementation of new Local Satellite AugmentationSystem as an integration component of the Regional Satellite Augmentation System (RSAS) employingcurrent and new Satellite Communications, Navigation and Surveillance (CNS) for improvement of the AirTraffic Control (ATC) and Air Traffic Management (ATM) and for enhancement safety systems includingtransport security and control of flights in all stages, airport approaching, landing, departures and allmovements over airport surface areas. The current first generation of the Global Navigation Satellite SystemGNSS-1 applications are represented by fundamental military solutions for Position, Velocity and Time ofthe satellite navigation and determination systems such as the US GPS and Russian GLONASS (Former-USSR) requirements, respectively. The establishment of Aeronautical CNS is also discussed as a part ofGlobal Satellite Augmentation Systems of GPS and GLONASS systems integrated with existing and futureRSAS and LSAS in airports areas. Specific influence and factors related to the Comparison of the Currentand New Aeronautical CNS System including the Integration of RSAS and GNSS solutions are discussedand packet of facts is determined to maximize the new satellite Automatic Dependent Surveillance System(ADSS) and Special Effects of the RSAS Networks. The possible future integration of RSAS and GNSS andthe common proposal of the satellite Surface Movement Guidance and Control are presented in thechangeless ways as of importance for future enfacements of ATC and ATM for any hypothetical airportinfrastructure.Keywords: ADSS, ATC, ATM, CNS, GSAS, LRAS, RSAS, SMGC, Special Effects of RSAS

Progress on the Development of Future Airport Surface Wireless Communications Network

Continuing advances in airport surface management and improvements in airport surface safety are required to enable future growth in air traffic throughout the airspace, as airport arrival and departure delays create a major system bottleneck. These airport management and safety advances will be built upon improved communications, navigation, surveillance, and weather sensing, creating an information environment supporting system automation. The efficient movement of the digital data generated from these systems requires an underlying communications network infrastructure to connect data sources with the intended users with the required quality of service. Current airport surface communications consists primarily of buried copper or fiber cable. Safety related communications with mobile airport surface assets occurs over 25 kHz VHF voice and data channels. The available VHF spectrum, already congested in many areas, will be insufficient to support future data traffic requirements. Therefore, a broadband wireless airport surface communications network is considered a requirement for the future airport component of the air transportation system. Progress has been made on defining the technology and frequency spectrum for the airport surface wireless communications network. The development of a test and demonstration facility and the definition of required testing and standards development are now underway. This paper will review the progress and planned future work