IFATCA - The Controller - December 1979

D 21003 F

JOURNAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF Al R TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS ASSOCIATIONS

4/79

In this Issue : IFATCA 79 Technical Panel Microprocessors in ATC ATC Slmulator for Moscow

FRANKFURT

AM

MAIN

4th

Q UART ER

1979

VOLUME 18

D M 4,-

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ABILITY

Complete expertise in Air Traffic Control Systems Turnkey systems including e System studies and evaluatio n e Coord ination and integration e Hardware and software • Installation and commissioning e Training and maintenance support

System components • • • • • •

Compute rs Display systems Autonomous displa ys Data terminals Operator input / o utput d ev ices Rada r d ata extractors

We also specialize in • Air Defence System s • Naval Command a nd Control Systems • Training System s / Simulators

Datasaab AB • Interactive Data Systems •Telephone Int +46 8 36 28 00 • TelexJ7892 datsaab s • S-175 86 Jarfiilla, Sweden

IFATCA

JOURNAL

OF

AIR

TRAFFIC CONTROL

THE CONTROLLER Frankfurt am Main, December 1979

Volume 18 · No. 4

Publisher: International Federation of A ir Traffic Controllers· Associalions, P. 0. B. 196, CH -1 215 Geneva 15 Airport, Switzerland.

Officers of IFATCA: H. H. Henschl er, President. Daniel Oud i n. Vi ce-Pre sident (Tech nical). A. Avgoustis.

Vice-President (Professional) and " Interim Editor", Pat O' Doherty, Vice-President (Adm inistration), H. Wenger, Treasurer. E. Bradshaw, Executi ve Secr etary.

Secretariat: 6 Langlands Park, Ayr KA7 4RJ Ayrshire, Scotland , United Kingdom Tel.: 0292 42114 Interim Editor: A. Avgous tis 5 Athens Str.. Ayios Dh ometios Nicosia, Cyprus Managing Editor: Horst Guddat POB 600 209 D-6000 Fr ankfurt/ Main-SO Telefon (06 11) 21 08 86 22 Contributing Editor: V. D. Hopkin (Human Factors) Publishing Company, Production, Subscription Service and Advertising Sales Office: Verlag W. Kramer & Co ..

Bornheimer Landwehr 57 a, 6000 FrankfurVMain 60, Phone 43 4325 and 492169. BHF-Bank No. 3-03333-9.

Postscheckkonto Frankfurt 1105-601, Ra te Card Nr. 6.

Printed by: W. Kramer & Co., Bornheime r Landwehr 57 a, 6000 Fran kfurt/M ain 60 (Federal Republ ic o f Germany).

The Moscow Area Control Centre. together w ith M oscow Terminal Control Centre , the last cen tre in Datasaab·s series of ATC systems in the Soviet Union t o become operat•onal This centre. comprising 36 sect o rs and 108 work ing posit ions. i s undergoi ng final tests. A full description o f the Datasaab ATC syste m you will fi nd on p age 23.

Subscription Rate: DM 6.- per annum for members of IFATCA; DM 16,- p er annum for non-members (Postage will be charged extra).

Contributors are expressing their personal points of view and opinions, wh ich may not necessarily coi ncide with those of the International Federation o f Ai r Tra ffi c Controllers' Associations (IFATCA).

IFAT CA does not assume responsibility for statements made and opin ions exp ressed, it does only accept respon sibility for publishing these contr ibutions.

Contributions are welcome as are commen ts and criticism. No payment can be made for manuscript s sub mi tted for publication in "The Controller" . The Editor reserves the ri ght to make any editori al changes in manuscripts , which he b e lieves wil l improve the material without altering the i ntended meaning .

Wr itten permission by the Editor is n ecessary for rep r int ing any part of this J ournal.

Cartoons: Helmut Elsner.

Photos: Archive . Datasaab , H . Guddat Adve'.tiser s In this Issu e: Westingh ouse (p ages 2/3).

Sabe na (page 6). Hollandse Hagenu k Comm un ications puter Systems (page 12) . (page 17), Se lenia (page (back cover) .

Da tasaab ( inside cover).

AEG-Te lefunken (page 4), Si gnaalapparaten (page 9). (page 10), Ferranti ComInternat ional Aerad io Ltd 46). Thomson- CSF Aircat

CONTENTS IFATCA 79 -

Technical Panel

7

Ferranti Microprocessors in ATC

13

Air Tra ffic Controllers in the USSR

15

50th Aerospace Medical Association Meeting

18

Middle East Airspace Planning

21

Datasaab A TC Simulator in Moscow

23

New ICAO Annex 5

27

Philips AEROPP Systems

29

FLYING -

From Power to Manual

32

New Corporate Members: A D B of Belgium

34

and Goodwood Data Systems of Canad a

36

News from Corporate Members

36

Ne w s from the Federation

38

Aircraft Accidents

40

Unive rsal New s

42

T ail Piece : Traffic Overload in Eu rope

47

Publications Review

48

Cost-effective, advanced performance ATC radar is here.

The Westinghouse ARSR-3.

.Z1

The first of '#ffARSR-3 radar systems produced by Westinghouse for the U.S. Federal Aviation Administratio n will soon become operational. This new-generation. long-range air-route surveillance radar has already set new standards of accuracy. reliability. and maintainability-while keeping operating costs at a minimum.

The ARSR-3 detects and tracks aircraft with incredible accuracy. It can .. see targets as small as two square meters traveling as fast as 3700 k1 lometers per hour (2000 knots) as far away as 435 kilometers (240 nm1 ) at altitudes as high as 30 k1lometers (100.000 ft). And the Westinghouse ARSR-3 virtually eliminates false alarms caused. by weather and ground clutter-a serious problem with other radars.

Just 25 minutes of routine

maintenance each week keeps the West inghouse ARSR-3 on the air. Its digital circu itry, plug-in solid-state electronics. and integral backup systems eliminate the need for highly trained mainlenance personnel.

Average repairs take only 30 minutes and can be made without shutting down the system. Even the most serious repair. replacement of the main antenna bearings, takes less than two hours.

The Westinghouse ARSR-3 is also highly adaptable to a variety of installation sites. In a prefabricated configuration. a typical FAA!ARSR-3 installation consists of a radar tower and full facilities for keeping the system on line 24 hours a day. every day. And Westinghouse can tailor the system to match the unique requirements of virtually any installation site.

The new-generat ion ARSR-3 can even

operate without a radome in 110kilometer-per-hour (60-knot) w inds with a 1.3-centimeter ( Y,-inchl radial ice load .

Best of all. replacing an older radar system with the advanced pe rformance Westinghouse ARSR-3 can actually save you money. Due to the ARSR-\3's design and maintenance s1mpilc1t~. long-term operating costs are d rastically reduced compared with other radar systems. And complete Westinghouse technical and replacement-part support assure you that the ARSR-3 will be available whenever you need 1t.

Find out how your air-traffic control system can benefit from the versatile. cost-effective Westinghouse ARSR-3.

Wnte Air Traffic Control M arketing Director. Westinghouse Defense and Electronic Systems Cente r. P.O Box 1897. Baltimore. Md . 21203. US.A.

@ Westinghouse

3months-No maintenanceNo failures.

The ARSR-3, the first of anew generation of minimally attended radars. set this new standard of performance during FAA reliability tests.

I I I

\ I

I

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AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL - an important sector for communications and data systems.

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•

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EDITO¡RIAL

Energy Crisis

Today's western world is faced with the most urgent need ever witnessed in its entire history - energy. People are desperately called upon by their national administrations to cut down on fuel consumption and create, what one may describe, a public conscience for fuel economy for our and for posterity's sake.

Such conscience should not escape the air traffic controller, who as an ordinary member of society will conform to his country's necessities and the world in turn, but, furthermore, because of his special and unique, one might say, professional position as a link in the expedition of air traffic flow should under these pressing circumstances contribute towards the efforts undertaken to increase fuel efficiency by economizing fuel for the airline, the state and the world in general.

A recently released U.S. Air Transportation study forecasts that with improvements in aircraft design and air traffic control will cut down fuel consumption by 32 % to 40 % by the year 2000. Air traffic control improvements being one of the 6 named innovations - the others being, engine components improvements, supercritical wing designs, active controls technology, energy efficient engines, and composite materials in primary structures - are expected to increase capacity at airports and the National Transportation study suggests that the spacing between aircraft could safely be reduced from the current four to five mile separation to a mere 2.5 miles.

It is true that the air traffic controller carries out his duties g~ided by laid down procedures, departure of which may involve him in serious and unhappy complications should anything go wrong. Despite these laid down procedures the controller is, most of the times, faced with the alternative - always provided for in the manuals - to use his discretion where safety is not endangered and expedite the flow of air traffic. If this discretion was not generously exercised by the air traffic controller the flow of air traffic would have slowed down considerably or kept on the ground for some unwanted length of time. No doubt, of course, safety gets top priority and any measures adopted for fuel econ~my should be considered as purely coincidental or of a lower priority.

Navigation facilities and improved terminal aids will most certainly minimise wasteage. It goes also without saying that efficiency in air traffic control can be obtained through fully qualified personnel, not only in one state but internationally. What will be the use of a perfectly organised system of air traffic control in one state when in the neighbouring state the system tune-

tions only because of personnel forebearance? The case also comes into mind when no matter how conscientious the controller may be, he cannot escape from limitations imposed by the politicians or the airline operator himself - limitations which have no bearing on safety such as military restricted areas, national boundaries and politics.

Undoubtedly, with physical ground obstructions there is no escape. The controller as well as the pilot have no other recourse but to divert the aircraft away from any dangerous obstructions.

But what of national boundaries, military restricted areas, insufficient radio navigation aids to ensure direct and safe flights?

Finally, what about the operator, who for various commercial reasons fails to make proper scheduling of traffic knowing full well that when terminal air traffic saturation is reached will penalise fuel consumption?

The controller, where national boundaries are involved, on many occasions, may permit control of aircraft or assume such control particularly in terminal areas, where departure or arrival manoeuvres may take the flight into neighbouring airspace.

Where, however, controller cooperation may exist politics may prohibit it. Definitely, fuel wasteage may be accounted for on this particular factor. If one takes his hand over the world's map he will encounter many instances in which an aircraft of one country will not be permitted to overfly, let alone land in, another's territory. Military restricted or dangerous, due to military activity, areas forcefully divert the paths of aircraft from their natural routes and on many occasions take them hundreds of miles away.

Where, on the other hand, sufficient navigation facilities are n~t available, separation standards are exaggerated - hence traffic delays. Pilots will prefer longer but safer routes to the shorter but unsafe ones.

It will therefore be preposterous to sustain or suggest that these problems - and many others - which cause fuel wasteage can be resolved overnight. It will be stupid to suggest that the controller can cure this international crisis by merely expediting traffic flows through disregard of the above-mentioned restrictions. His contribution, however, should in no way be underestimated and can be decisive on many occasions. However, the greatest burden lies on the international aviation society, not individually by states, but collectively. The world faces a crisis.

This crisis is not one country's problem and as such should be examined and resolved.

AA 5

Sabena's proposal An unhunied airport at the centre of a busy international network

A privileged locatio n Sprawling , overcrowded airports arc all too common in Europe. The Brussels airport is a we lc ome except ion. Although centre of a vast international network. it maintains a " human" dimension by grouping all se rvices within a single terminal, thereby eliminating long walks through endless co rridors.

And as a crossroad s of the Continent .

Brussels Airport is geared to the need s of transit passengers. So crowds arc smaller. waits arc shorter, baggage handling quick, efficient and sure.

The airpo rt has tw o ot her important

advantages. First, it has one of the most varied and interesting "tax free" shops in Europe . And second , it is onlv a swift 16 minutes away by direct rail iink from the air terminal in the centre of the city.

The Sabena network Bru ssels is both th e capital of the Co mmon Market and the hub of European business. As a trading nation, it was only natural that Belgium should be a pioneer of civil aviation.

Founded in 1923, Sabena is one of the world's longest established international airlines. Today, Sabena annually flies 2 mi!-

LONDON MANCHESTER DUBLIN

LYON MARSEILLES NICE PARIS BARCELONA MADRID MALAGA LISBON ISTANBUL ATHENS LAN

E

6

COLOGNE DUSSELDORF FRANKFURT MUNICH STUTTGART BASEL GENEVA ZURICH VIENNA

JOHANNESBURG KANO KIGALI

~~NGS~:ieA LIBREVILLE MONROVIA NAIROBI TANGIER TUNI S

BANGKOK BOMBAY JAKARTA KUALA LUMPUR MANILA SINGAPORE TOKYO

lion passengers to some 75 destination s in more than SO countries round the globe.

And the Sabena network co ntinues to grow. For Sabe na , providing foreign visitors with first-quality service - meaning on-board comfort , schedules, reservations, check-in and check-out procedures, etc. is more than just a commercial exercise; it is an imperative of national policy.

Brussels-Atlanta in Boeing 747s Four times a week , Sabena offers direc t flight s between the Con tinent and Atlanta.

Ge orgia , ca pital of the booming U.S .

Sout h East. From Atlanta , some 40 other important U.S. southern cities are accessible the very same day: New O rleans, Tampa, Dallas , H o u s ton , Mobile.

Memphis, Charl otte, Orlando, Miami .. .

belgian world airlines

S abena and your travel agent are partllers and would be happy to provide any additional information you may require.

TECHNICAL PANEL

IFATCA '79

by J-D. Monin

It is a well established tradition at IFATCA conferences to give the opportunity to Corporate Members to make technical presentations and participate into a technical panel. Some of those events in the past were very wel l attended, others we re not really. In their endeavou r to make the techni cal presentations more attractive, the o rg anisi ng committee of the Brussels' '79 Conference together with the Executive Board had decided to hold the technical panel on Tuesday afternoon. Maybe because the weathe r in Brussels was specially fine that day or because participants to committee meetings were already tired, it cannot be guessed, the panel was negligibly attended this year and those sitting in the room became somehow ashamed when the Corporate Members coordinator did what he called himself something very " naughty" and suggested a show of hands of the controllers attending. Controllers 28 against 27 non-controllers! But the room had held up at least 200 people and there were over 400 attend ing the conference!

This count of attendants came as a result of Anton Weijts, the Corporate Members Coordinator, comments that electronic garbage in AT C on ly comes abou t by people n ot specifying what they want, not saying how they work and buying something that fails in the capab ility of being integrated.

Bob Adderley from Software Sciences added that he cou ld only endorse the previous speake rs' comments but he liked to suggest the apparent reason w hich was in fact rather evident in the room when we looked at how many controllers attended the Technical Panel. Bob said: " The specifications of equipmen t are normally done by the technical engineers of Authorities and one cannot blame the manufacturers for responding to specifications.

Manufacturers are asked to provide these and the lack of communication that so often exists is between the controllers, the operating side, and the telecommunications department of their own administrations. The manufacturers have to respond to this, often to supply things they know not why, but they have to do that, and I say again , look around gentlemen, how many people are attending this conference? How many are attending the technical session? I am afraid, far too many c ontro llers are somewhat apathetic." .

Such comm ents indeed raise a very basic q uestion. How do controllers expect their voices to be heard if they do not take this opportun ity offered to them to express their views? How do they expect the Federatio n's Co rporate Members to offer and provide better systems if they do not c learly say what t heir requirements are? A perman ent dialogue must ex ist between manufacturers and contro llers. It is believed that the Annual Conference of IFATCA is the right pl ace for such a dialogue to take place and it is hoped that contro ll ers will take up the challenge at future occas ions.

There is an old say ing that absentees are always in the wrong and this was ag ai n confirmed on the occasion of the 1979 Techni cal Panel.

Panel Proceedings The Vice-P resident Techn ica l, Mr. Oli Jonsson, introduced M r.

Anton Weijts, the Corporate Members Co-ord inator, who acted as Chairman of the pan el. Mr. Weij ts fi rstly introd uced the technical presentations as follows : "Monopulse SSR" presented by Ni gel P. Ross of Cossor Electronics . " AEROPP Messages and Data Switching System", presented

by Mr. Vonk of Phi lips Tel ecomm unications.

"AIDS - Aeronauticat Information Data Subsystems" by F. W. Fischer, Advisory Grou p, Air Navig ation Se rvices. " Microprocessors in A ir Traffic Control" by D. A. Lucas of Ferranti Computer Systems Ltd. "A Full-Scale Training System for Automated Air Traffic Control - The DATASAAB ATC Simulator in Moscow, USSR." b y Hakan Westerm ark, DATASAAB. "Visual Aids used in Airfield Lighting " by Mr. Bonhomme ADB Corporation. " Modern Systems for Ai r Traffic Control " by P. A. Jorgensen SELENIA. " Design for the Future" by Bob Adderley from Software Sciences Ltd.

7

It is not intended to comment here on the papers presented as they may be reproduced into future issues of the journal.

The first question to the panel was asked by Mr. Paine, Canada, who said that, seeing the endeavours of all Radar manufacturers towards improving the quality of SSR equipments, he would like to hear from micro processors and radar theorists what very good transponders would do to the current capability of the SSR system.

Mr. N. Ross from Cossor said that from his point of view the performance of some transponders could be better in many cases like the aircraft installations can be better, like for instance the problems of antennae shielding, the quality of the pulse from the transponder and also of course the transponder sensitivity.

Another important feature, especially for long range stations is that the sensitivity of transponders is decreased as the interrogation rate rises. This is in order to preserve the shape of the pulse due to the transmitter having a high duty cycle. N. Ross said "yes" that improvem ents we re needed and he suggested that a way to do so was to introduce rules by examining SSR transponders on the ground and if it was not within the correct specificatio ns, then the aircraft shou ld not take off.: "Drastic", he concluded but maybe this is the way to improve the performance.

At the technical exhibition (see THE CONTROLLER No 3n 9) participation of 16 Corporate Members was registered. Shown here the Philips stand with Jooep Peeters. and Eric Ludwig of Sodern in the background.

AFTN Never Works Mr. Aagard from the International Air Transport Association was concerned with the Philips presentation on the AFTN which in his opinion was drawing a far too rosy picture of the futu re.

According Mr. Aagard, the worldwide AFTN today is in "an absolutely deplorable state". The reason for this was naturally because im plementation responsibility was left entirely w ith individual countries and there was no question in Mr. Aagard's mind that unless some form of supra-national body would take on the implementation responsibility the AFTN would never work.

A second point by Mr. Aagard was concerned with Radar, primary and secondary. Mr. Aagard wished to s upport t he last speaker's comments about the need to first of al l establishing operational requirements . In his opinion, there was a lot of electron ic garbage now left in many parts of the world, because, first of a ll, there was no traffic that in any way co uld justify the implementation of eith e r secondary or primary radar. Secondly, Mr. Aagard considered that the technology being imposed on some countries was far beyo nd the capability of the individual countries to s ust ain. The re was no m ainte nance programme, no training programm e, no foll ow- up and consequently we were saddled in ma ny parts of the world wi th expe nsive garbage for which t he airlines w ere payi ng but from which they had no advantage w hatso ever. Mr. Aagard c onc luded expressing his hope

8

that future sales efforts would be geared along operational requirements firmly established and, with follow-u p mai ntenance and training associated with any sales attempts.

The Corporate Members Coordinator said that the industry did realise that what had been said was correct. It was however certainly not so that the development portion of the industry was interested in just selling. Indeed they did try to sel l, which after all was their responsibility. However, Mr. Weijts said, companies also tried to convince their customers that they should develop themselves, set their mind at what they wanted, open up and show their operations of today so that together t hey could establish which was the way to go.

NADEN & CIDIN In his reply to Mr. Aagard, Mr. Vonk said: "As I understand your first statement dealt with t he introduction of the common ICAO data interchange network in the world. You might know that the London system, the Brussels system are fully in operation now, they are both in hardware and software capable of providing the facilities as outlined by the ADIS Panel , the ICAO Panel for multi facility transmission over one combined network. The next step will be Amsterdam which will be in operation by t he end of next year. There are this year discussions starting between these three countries to set up t rials to do the tests, t he implementation of the NADEN network is in process and also the Canadian world is bearing on the impl ementation of new facilities for the CIDIN network. So, as soon as t he f irst part of this network is realised, which in my opinion will be rather soon, and the benefits of this netwo rk will be v isualised and come to all the members, I think that the further implementation cou ld go far faster as most of us would dare to think of.

Regarding the implementation of a supra-nationa l system, Mr. Vonk agreed that this was not easy for all was dependi ng upon sovereign States who were not necessar ily on one line. He was confident however that once trials wou ld be completed it could go rather fast.

A lively discussion then took place on the electron ic "garbage" and there seemed to be a concensus on the fact that operational requ irements and spec ificat ions were neither laid down correctly nor estab lished in full details. Anton Weijts elaborated on the situation in the Netherlands and t he developments that took place from the implem entation of SATCO in t he 1960's till the recent SARP 1 and SARP 2 to come and he concluded: "We are now coming in a very trying period where the controllers will have to get it to work one way or the other.

Technically, of course, it works but does it work actually and in the operating environm ent? That remains to be seen and if it wil l, and I am sure it w ill, it is thanks to the controllers who make it work, who allow themselves to be men tal ly bent into t his large amount of electronics, for that is what is happen ing to us human beings, we are working with first generation human beings now with nearly fifth generation electronics. And still I am quite convinced that Schiphol Airport will show by the end of t his year that it can be done again ; but the time of course is coming very quickly that we human be ings wi ll have to take a vast stride forward in developing ourselves to accommodate t he possibilities of technology - the gap is getting too big.".

Horse and Cart Bob Adderley wished to come back to the basic question, th at had been asked sometimes before and which was: "WITH ALL THIS AUTOMATION IS ATC GETTIN G MORE EFFIC IENT?".

And Bob Adderley continued : "I think we have been judging it in terms of the actual hardware and it is a very important thing to the controllers themselves, but to some extent - and som one has just mentioned the wheel - what has bee n happening is that we have been automating the horse and cart and really we should have been saying w hat is the syste m required to do? We should measure ATC efficiency in terms prim ari ly of safety and

Then take a good look atthisnew 23" DAYLIGHT DISPLAY It's easier to see, to read and to use than any raw video or mixed display you've seen. It takes your air traffic control out of the dark, into the daylight.

Extra brightness and clarity Is only one of its advantages. It presents a wide variety of computer-supplied synthetic Information on a randomaccess basis.

Display Is very quick and very accurate.

It gives the operator as many formats and presentation modes as he likes.

Synthetic presentation cuts out all unnecessary detail. The built-In display processor Is a general purpose type with micro-program control techniques.

Still in the dark with ATC displays?

It's also very easy to talk to.

Alphanumeric data are input through the keyboard. If you want to update information in the computer system extract data from it or communicate with other operators through ii, you use the llghtpen, with its associated micro-miniaturised processing electronics. It's quick and sensitive.

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9

then in terms of capacity, the capacity to expedite aircraft, that somehow seems to get lost. People are getting more advanced displays, which is all to the good, but some of the progressions, which have been very expensive progressions, have not really contributed to capacity or very little so." And Bob Adderley to conclude: "I think it was in Cyprus a couple of years ago, I was speaking about getting the message and the message is SIMPLICITY. Give the guy only what he needs to show and not everything, but we must look outside the Control Room and look . at the structure, the procedures, the separation standards, which all contribute to Air Traffic so that we can use our controllers in the most efficient way."

Nigel Ross commented on the fact that controllers did not necessarily get what they ideally wanted: "The point I wish to make", he said, "is that if you have a re-designed Air Traffic system to be ideal, the first thing to change is the controller, he is in awkward shape, he has got physical limitations and so on, but of course you cannot do that, one of the ways that we can all help each other is to talk together more often. It must be a process of mutual education, in fact I am heartened that not only do we have here Corporate Members who are both technically and operationally qualified as controllers or engineers, but also on the floor there are engineers from Agencies. It is heartening to see that we are getting this spectrum and the more we talk to each other I think the better it shall be. However there is a word of caution here. We said earlier there were 28 controllers in the room and of course the old joke is that if you ask each one what his opinion is, then you get 28 answers. You have to- be very careful in sorting out what is essential, what is desirable, what needs to be changed, what you would like to be changed.". .

Haakan Westermark wished to confirm that within the Scandinavian countries and in the USSR, his Company had experie(lced a very active participation by controllers in spec ifying and evaluating ne•..v systems.

Corning towards the end of the discussion, David Hopkin wished to come back to some remarks made earlier an.d to pa~s "hum an factor" comment on. David Hopkin what h e ea II e d a said· " I know it was an exaggeration, but when you ask a ques. . f 29 people and you get 29 different answers, all that means t ion o . t· " is that you are not competent in framing ques ions . .

Rolling Balls Another remark is that one must remember that in l~oking at ll"ng balls and joysticks and light pens, all these devices have 1 r~t their own characteristics, kinds of e rror, which can be pre~·cted and there is no point in simply picking them because t~ey ~re reliab le and cheap. Although you want th~t, you mu~~ also bear in mind what sort of errors they are going to : : t nd whethe r they are going to be safe. I am also not ve ry PdPY a k th task easy It sou n s at the idea th at we might want to ma e e ·

Although there were not too many empty chairs left. ..

. . . attendance by active controllers could have been bette r. very attractive, but an easy task is not a skilfu l task and it is not an interesting task and it is not a challeng ing task, it is not a satisfying task, and I suspect we can't go too far in that direction.

I still find myself with the problem which we had many years ago of all sorts of pieces of technology looking for a use. I am not complaining , this is the resource and source of my work or much of it, but I wish it was not the source of quite so much of my wo rk, and I wish people would give as much thoug ht to the possible disadvantages and snags and flaws and sources of error which are inherent in new technological advances, as they do to known advantages." And David Hopkin concluded: "I think a further point is that we simply think of displays at the man/ machine interface as a means of getting information to the man and we have got to stage now that displays have got to do rather more than that. They have got, foF ex:ample, often to act as memory aids, they have got to act as re minders, if there are large amou nts of data in there, there is simply no point in relying on the man when rare circumstances arise, there is no point in relying on him to rem ember that this is the circumstance when rarely used functions ought to be used. Why don't we try and remind him and use the disp lays for t hat?" .

A number of q uestions were raised during the Technical Pane l.

Were real ly answers given to the satisfaction of all those partici pating? Indeed the dialogue must continue and to conclude we should remember Nigel Ross's words: " T he message I want to get across is KEEP TALKING, PLEASE".

•

AIRPORT SATURATION CONCERNS CARRIER OFFICIALS Pan American World Airways President Dan A. Colussy issued warning that saturation point in air travel will show up soone r in inability of trave l facil ities to absorb increases than in people's desire to see the world . He said relief of airport overcrowding inc ludes re lax ing of landing c urfews, re-look at variable land ing fees for peak/off peak hours, possible visi tor restrict ion. Latte r poin t is made in British Airpo rts Authority list of recommendations to trave lers to make transit easy. BAA suggests leaving wel l-wishers at home, be chauffeur-driven (preferab ly by train, coach or taxi ) both to and from airports. Colussy told conference of Airport Operators Council International (AOCI) if things continue at present rate, "we 'll run out of airport capacity long before w e'll run out of airplan e capacity. " British Airways Director of Commercial Operations Gerry Draper also warned that airport faci lities are being left behind by traffic growth. He told attendees at S ixth World Airport Confe rence in London trend would accelerate over next decade. Draper noted last year's high er growth rates underline need for change ea rlier than expected, said airlin es shou ld become involved with airport design. Colu ssy recom mend ed building new airports pointing out this is no riskier than building industrial parks, shopp ing centers. office and apartment buil dings

11

CARDS.More radarwithout more radars. lfyourairportorairfield needs ,.SSR to supplement your primary radaryou may well bedeterred by cost.

We have good news. You can use any existing secondary radar sources that are available in your area-and save a packet-with the newest Ferranti ATC system.

Our Computer Assisted Radar-.

Display System (CARDS) ena~l es civi l authorities to use military radar sources, or vice versa. It can accept handle and display SSR information from these sources for both approach and area control. CARDS also answers the pro bi em of getting SS Rdata without increasing interference where there is an over. . i nterrogation problem.

CARDS is already proven, and a system 1s in operation at AAEE , the Ministry of Defence at Bascombe Down. Th is ta kes SS Rfrom theCAA radars at Ventnor, Heathrow and Burrington. It is driven by

I~ two Ferranti FM 1600Dcomputers

~ ·~~ ~

and has nine Ferranti FRO 1641 displays. .

CARDS can be tailored to -.. ~ your requirement. If you wantto ,· take secondary radar from remote ~}]. ; sources and display it either alone - (l ~-' · orinconjunctionwithlocal and/or 1 "_ remote primary radar, CARDS will -~~•. do it. And the cost wi 11 be only a fraction of what it would be if you had to install new secondary radars.

If you're thinking SSR, talk to us.

Ferranti Computer Systems Limited, Bracknell Division, Bracknell, Berkshire RG 12 lRA. Telephone: 0344 323 2. Telex: 848117.

FE

Computer Systems 0 572

12

[ill]

Microprocessors in Air Traffic Control

by D. A. Lucas, Ferranti Computer Systems Ltd., a Corporate Member of IFATCA

Introduction Televis icn and the press in the Western World would have us believe that we are about to enter a second industri al revolution.

This revolution is not based on coal, steel, weaving machines or any of the heavy materials and machines of the past, but o n a tiny, five millim etre squ are chi p of contaminated silicon.

Despite their small size, these chi ps each contain several thousand electronic components. They can either be pieces of dedicated logic 0 r low power general purpose compute rs. The avail ability of large amo unts of electronics in a small package and at relatively small cost, means that we can now consider the application of compute rs in areas from which they have previously bee n excluded because of size o r cost.

Most of us today carry a pocket calc ul ator, so silicon chips have already had a s ignificant effect on o ur daily lives.

In industry and comm erce the effect has bee n dramatic. The masses of expens ive hardware that were the ea rly main-frame com puters were the preserve of the larger companies and government o rganisations, but even they could afford only a few machines and their use was th erefore not available to all emp loyees. In Air Traffic Control, fo r instance, their use was limited to Flight Pl an Process ing Systems installed in the larger ATCCs. The advent of the less expensive mini-computer brought computing within the reach of the smaller companies, larger organisations could afford to dive rsify w ith several machi nes. Access to a computer now became avai lable to more people. In Air Traffic Control this meant an extension to display processing, providing the controller with code and height data in the fo rm of synthet ic labels s uperimposed upon his raw radar display.

Expansion in the use of microprocessors will mean that data processi ng facilities will be available to not only the smallest of businesses, but also to individual empl oyees in the large concerns. For example, the check-o ut g irl in your local supermarket now has a til l that will add the individual prices, calculate t he d ifferen t rates of Value Added Tax and dispense the co rrect change.

The question th at designers of ATC eq uipment must now ask is how can they best apply these new devices to bu ild better Air Traffi c Contro l Systems - Systems th at will ease the task of the controlle r and assist him to conti nue to handle aircraft safely in airspace that wi ll become increasingly congested.

Firstly, we must not consider the m icro-compute r as a cheap replacement for either the mini-computer or the large main-frame machines, for there are many applications whe re the power, speed and address range of the mi cro are inadequate. Flight Pl an Processing and Radar Data Processing are two such app li catio ns.

Both have a fairly low average load, but both are subject to hig h peak loads. In ATC o ne must desig n for the pea ks and not, as in commercial life, fo r the average load. If when you demand a copy of your bank statemen t, the manager tells you that now they are compute rised it wi ll take two days to get the information, you can live with it, even if you do not like it. But you cannot tell an aircraft capta in entering your secto r that he must wait around fo r a while as you have no fli g ht informatio n and he has not yet appeared on the radar.

Typ ically in Ai r Traffic Control, you will see a system running at five or ten percent loading - nobody has been conned into buying a system t hat is much larger and more expens ive than is needed - the truth is that it has been designed for that winter's

D. A. Lucas at I FATCA 79

day w hen the radar is full of weather clutter, you have lost a runway and aircraft are stack ing up all around you , but the system is still providing you with the information within point one of a second.

Secondly, we can not necessarily solve the problem by using a large number of mi c ros in a distri buted system, for not only do we still have t he problem of processing the incom ing data, we have further increased the complexity of the comm uni cation between consoles and the difficulty of maintaining a reliable data-base. With such an approach any saving we may have made on the price of the hardware, is more than lost in the increased cost of the software, setting-to-work and maintenance of the final system.

Instead we must look at the micro as one of a family of processors to be used in applications to which it is best su ited . leaving the more powerful machines to tackle large numbercrunching prob lems for which they are eminently appropriate.

What are the app lications to which microprocessors are best suited? How can they be fitted into the system architecture to achieve the maximum improvement in the facilities available to you, the controller?

Probably t he greatest improvement can be ach ieved in the area of the radar display itself, for with the aid of micro processors and other Large Scale Integration chips, together with the advances made in tube techno logy. such as faster writ ing time and dual phosphors, we are now able to offer radar d isplays that show raw radar data overlaid with a comprehensive pict ure of labelled radar plots, regions of intense weather c lutter and s up-

13

plementary data. This information, together with a library ot airways, navigation aids and map data, will allow the controller to construct a map to his own particular needs - indeed, the facilities exist in a modern display system to allow him to add his own changes, such as temporary prohibited areas as published in NOTAMS. Having stated what we can do, before we talk about how we do it, let us look at some of the limitations of current systems.

Labelled Radar Display With any conventional Labelled Radar Display, there is an intrinsic conflict betweed the raw radar and the synthetics. Either, on its own, is easier to generate than the combination.

The raw radar picture consists of a video signal, that is used to modulate the brightness of a radial trace. Since the video signal is generated by the actual radar echoes the time to receive each signal is proportional to the actual range of the target, about 12 microseconds per mile for the round trip.

As the antenna rotates, so the position of the trace is rotated in sympathy, producing a scan pattern with which you are all familiar, the rotating line that leaves behind it the pattern of radar echoes. This after-glow, which is.obtained by using a long persistance phosphor, is essential as each echo is painted only once each revolution of the aerial, typically several seconds. In order to maximise the information from the radar, and hence the quality of the radar picture, the pulse repetition frequency is kept as high as possible. We must therefore transmit the next pulse as soon as is practicable after the receipt of the echoes from the most distant targets. This means that the display of raw video takes the major part of the available time.

As the display can only draw one thing at a time, the synthetics are drawn in the small amount of time left over by the radar.

Unfortunately for us, although the synthetics are drawn at a faster rate than the raw radar, about 5 µS per character or 80 µS for a full diameter line, they need to be refreshed fairly frequently to present a steady or flicker-free image. With a radar phosphor this can be anything from 8-20 Hz. Because of this high refresh rate the time available is frequently not enough for the quantity of synthetics which would ideally be presented.

Let us take as an example an imaginary approach radar with an aerial rotation rate of 15 revolutions per minute (4 sees. per revolution) - a pulse repetition frequency of 1,000 Hz (1,000 µS between pulses) - and range of 60 nauUcal miles (720 µS per scan). These parameters are typical for a radar of this type but in this instance have been specially chosen because they make the arithmetic simple. such a radar is able to devote only 280 µS of every scan to the writing of synthetics. If we now consider one second's worth of time, the aerial would have moved through 90° and the radar would have transmitted 1,000 pulses. We should have 280 milliseconds of time available for writing synthetics. To maintain a steady picture we find it necessary to refresh at a rate of say 14 Hz. This radar is therefore capable of supporting only 20 milliseconds of synthetic data.

If we now consider the display system and the sort of performance we can expect from the modern equipment, we can see just what can be written in those 20 mS using conventional techniques. Let us assume the display to have the following characteristics Major shift and spot settle - 20 µS Line drawing time - 80 µS Character write and minor shift - 5 µS It is worth noting at this point two important time wasting features of the conventional Labelled Radar Display, namely that any line to be drawn or any shift of position are always assumed to be of maximum length. So if one was required to write a series of short lines and shifts, the display will only be occupied for a few per cent of the time allocated to the task.

14

For the purposes of later comparison with a microprocessorbased display, we will take a representative air traffic control plaque comprising a plot symbol (20 + 5) µS, a leader line (20 + 80) µS and an 11 character label (20 + 11 X 5) µS. To write this complete label it will take 200 µS. Therefore, in the 20 milliseconds available we are able to write 100 plaques. Although this may appear to be more than adequate for practical purposes, it would be necessary in an operational system to trade off some of these plaques for tote areas, airways maps, CRDF lines and so on.

One way of increasing the synthetic data is to write them faster, but this rapidly becomes very expensive as fundamental physical limits are approached and often will still not provide sufficient capacity. It is also ironic that the radar primary trace itself is drawn far more slowly than the display will allow. In our example the 60 nm approach radar has drawn the scan in 720 µS, whereas the display could produce a similar line in about 80 µS. Although considerable ingenuity has been used to work within these constraints, by far the most satisfactory solution is to remove them. We cannot change the velocity of light, but we do not have to slow the whole system down so as to display the radar echoes as they arrive.

The Effects of Large Scale Integration The advent of Large Scale Integration (LSI) circuits has given us the opportunity to redress this situation. By using fast semi conductors stores we can load them at the radar rate during the scan p.eriod and unload them to the display later at a faster rate.

The actual rate at which we unload the store is best chosen empirically, for although we could write the data at the synthetic rate, say 80 µS for complete scan, writing at this speed would not cause the phosphor to glow with sufficient brilliance when illuminated only once per aerial revolution. In practice an increase in writing speed of about 2 to 1 will significantly increase the time available for synthetics, but it is still slow enough to retain the necessary afterglow.

Video compression techniques of this kind will improve the synthetic capacity of our imaginary radar system from 280 µS to 640 µS. This increase in time allows us to write 275 plaques as opposed to the 100 that were possible with the conventional system.

Digital storage of the incoming video is achieved by first quantising the signal into 4,000 range increments (about 24 metres for our 60 nm radar) and 8 amplitude levels. The resulting digit pattern is filed in a fast semi-conductor store from where it may be read at the replay rate and fed to the digital to analogue converters that provide the retimed video for the display.

As the radar scan is now replayed in fast time after its reception in real time, provision must be made for two areas of store to be available so that the current scan can be put into store whilst replaying the previous scan.

This technique is known as "Swing Buffers". Two buffers are normally quite sufficient, but in some applications with staggered PRFs, it is usually necessary to use 3 such buffers to handle the differing start times of the radar pulse.

The Application of the Microprocessor The application of retimed video in itself is an improvement on the conventional techniques in that we can increase the amount of synthetic data displayed. But the real benefits of the technique become apparent when one considers its operation in conjunction with a microprocessor.

To carry out a range expansion on a conventional display, or one with simple retimed video, the complete trace is still written in the same time but effectively over a longer distance. For example, a 60 nm radar with retimed video will write the trace in 360 µS over the 8" radius of a 16" radar display. If we range expand 6 times, i.e. to a 10 nm range, the display is now trying

to draw the €0 nm trace in 360 µS over 48". The effect is that the picture be:come:s faint since the trace is being drawn 6 times the normal speed. Introducing a microprocessor into the system will proviae the display with the intelligence to know that the last 50 nm will not be seen since it is to be drawn outside the viewing area of the display. The microprocessor will rearrange the display electronics to store only the first 10 nm using the complete store of the 4,000 increments and to replay this at 1/6th. speed, i.e. the normal speed of 360 µS over 8". In so doing the picture will retain its initial brilliance and definition.

The microprocessor is capable of handling synthetics in the same way. Using the example already quoted, it takes 80 µS to draw a full diameter line on a conventional display without a microprocessor. If on such a display we expand the range by six times, the time length will now be six times the display diameter, or 96 inches with a 16" tube. But the time devoted to drawing the visible part of the lines will be reduced to 13.3 µS - one sixth of 80 µS. At this speed the line will be faint, and possibly distorted.

If a microprocessor is introduced into the system it can be told to recalculate the picture to be displayed. It can then draw the 16" line in the 80 µS, so achievmg proper standards of brilliance and accuracy.

This ability of the microprocessor-based display to calculate the lengths and positions of drawn lines may also be used to eliminate the time-wasting practice of allowing the maximum times for lengths and shifts referred to earlier.

Summarising, with an aircraft plaque that took 200 µS to draw, using conventional techniques and a conventional labelled plan display, we could achieve 100 plaques. Video compression allows us to increase this number to 275. Adding intelligence to the display in the form of a microprocessor produces a further increase to around 685 labels. This last and very significant Increase has been achieved by having a display that can calculate actual shift times instead of working on the basis of assuming the worst case.

Writing 685 labels on a 16" display is not a practical requirement, but the examples provide a measure to compare display capabilities. In real life we would of course trade off some of the labels for video mapping, tabulation, interconsole marking, range and bearing marking and other display aids.

Apart from this, the inclusion of a microprocessor in each display drive makes a useful contribution to display housekeeping. It can look after height band, area and code filtering of aircraft, range and bearing markings, barometric correction of height readout below the transition level and so on. The undertaking of these functions, together with the local management of keyboard messages, relieves the central processor of part of its workload as well as allowing more latitude to the controller in respect of his individual display pictures.

Today, because of the limited time available, we have looked at only one application of the microprocessor. We have seen, how, by its application to radar displays, the quality of the picture and the amount of useful data displayed may be improved.

You may have seen our prototype ATC radar display on the Ferranti Stand. Prototype to ATC maybe, but the techniques and indeed most of the actual hardware and software are already a reality in systems supplied for defence purposes.

Finally, we have spoken of microprocessors, but what we have really been talking about are microcomputers. The microprocessor, that tiny silicon chip, is quite useless on its own. To work, it must have a store, clock, power supplies and of course the necessary interface logic, so that it may communicate with the rest of the system. It is then a useful micro-computer.

The Ferranti F 100-L 16 bit microprocessor, that we use in our display drives and other intelligent modules, is available in computer form on a single printed circuit board. Contained on this one board are the processor, sixteen thousand words of semiconductor store, clock and both serial V24 and 16 bit data bus interfaces.

There can be no doubt that the introduction of the microcomputer will influence our daily lives. The technical benefits are numerous, in fact a second industrial revolution.

Air Traffic Controllers in the USSR The following Is Information on Air Traffic Controllers In the USSR, provided by the USSR government expert Mrs Temklna at the l.L.O. Meeting of Experts on A.T.C. (reported In Issue No. 2/79 of THE CONTROLLER). It Is reproduced with the kind permission of the author.

Normally in the USSR a directive control system is adopted.

A pilot-in-command shall obey appropriate controller commands.

It results in controller exceptional responsibility for decisions taken and transmitted command correctness.

Air traffic increasing intensity and aircraft type variety result in heavy physical and nervous psychological overloading for ATC controllers.

An ATC controller bears full responsibility for flight safety within his sector. The controller shall receive an information from an adjacent sector controller, coordinate adjacent sector entry conditions, prevent aircraft dangerous closure and transmit commands to appropriate aircraft crew members.

ATC controllers provide airspace efficient utilization taking all neccessary measures for flight safety. When weather conditions permit VFR flight the controllers transmit pilots all neccessary information concerning meteorological conditions and air situation. The pilots bear responsibility for safe separation between aircraft.

Shift of Responsibility There is a sound opinion that at present there is a tendency for stress degree and the amount of work to shift from pilots to controllers.

Medical, psychophysiological and sociological studies of conditions and the work features for ATC controllers have shown that their professional activity was accompanied by high nervouspsychological stresses and maximum psychophysiological function activity as a result of ever increasing air traffic intensity and high responsibility for flight safety. ATC controller activity improvement in the USSR is accomplished on a base of complex ergonomic studies aimed at development of an ergonomic system for ATC provision. This system is a complex of scientifical, methodical, administrative, material and technical as well as staff arrangements aimed at comprehensive and full account of mani ATC controller/abilities for "man-machine" system effectiveness improvement.

15

The ATC prov1s1on ergonomic system takes its place among other known systems of medical, technical, meteorological e.t.c. provision. It comprises: - ATC process development and improvement as well as an ATC technical equipment operation; - ATC technical equipment development for all stages of work and tests; - professional selection, training and education.

The subject of ATC controller activity improvement is worked out in a complex. Studies at present carried out in the Soviet Union are aimed at a rational function distribution among the ATC personnel, a rational regime of work and rest, ergonomic standards and at realization of requirements to processes and systems, at implementation of subjects on information, regime, physical and anthropometric compatibility, improvement of interaction methods between controllers e.t.c.

One of the essential factor is working conditions at ATC units. This broad concept is characterized by many parameters including microclimate, colour and light climates. Microclimate includes temperature, humidity, air contents, air mobility e.t.c.

The colour and light climates effect on visual analyzer of controllers. In every separate case artificial lighting problems shall be solved individually depending, on stand design and natural lighting.

Rest Periods During their duty hours the ATC controllers are provided with short periods of rest. For example, each controller keeping communication gets a 40 minutes rest period every three hours.

The proper rest period organization has a significant impact on controller functional efficiency level. Some special rooms for active rest, functional rest and autogenic training appear to be quite helpful. The first experiments with special rest rooms have led to very positive results. The ATC controller professional activity on its generalized psychological nature is a process of coming information perception and processing, decision making and making coercion on controlled system.

This activity has primary intellectual nature and like other operators work of up-to-date controlled systems consists of the following stages: active and purposeful watching for perception, selection, analysis and decoding of coming information and for adequate notion concerning condition and tendency of further controlled processes development; systematization of received informmion and full image or model of composed situation; encountered problem realization; planning of specific coercion on controlled system; mental visualization of time and space sequence those coercions which are aimed at fullfilment of raised problem; direct practical action on system adjustment and control; situation check and evaluation of results which were reached during the operation by means of visual checking, analysis and information generalization.

Nervous-emotional nature of controller activity at one control stand makes it actual to study the levels and changes of efficiency under progressing professional fatigue.

At present the question of controller work increased reliability by means of automatic systems implementation, development of improved methods of selection, training and exercises as well as by means of strict professional activity reglementation, becomes even more essential. We believe that the latter could be solved only as a result of complex psychological studies which present the most adequate impression concerning changes of levels and nature of controllers efficiency.

Social Studies As a result of complex psychophysiological, biological and social studies with approach and landing controllers involved the nature of functional state changes of controller organism were 16

revealed depending on air traffic intensity. It has been proved that the controller activity concerning direct flight management proceeds under high psychological, dynamical and emotional stress under conditions of time acute deficiency.

It was found that changes of controller organism functional state are directly depending on working loads. The most evident deteriorating of such factors as attention, sense-motor reaction, visual functions, heart beating and respiration were observed during concentration of aircraft in controlled zones and during stress situations.

Strain work at a controller stand for 3-4 hours with 25-35 aircraft take-of and landings every hour leads to fatigue and reduces the controller efficiency. It is expressed by operative memory and active attention weakening as well as by conditionedmotor reflex latent period lengthening.

The level of psychical activity, neurodynamics and biological factor changes differs substantially for controllers of less than 40 years old and those of more than 50 years of age.

It was found that for the latter group the weakening of attention, operative memory, conditioned-motor reflex and biological reactions was expressed more evidently.

The problem of professional fitness arises from comparison of individual features combination with professional activity nature.

It possible to evaluate whether a man is able to perform successfully his duties for given profession. One may say that persons with unproper excitation strength and those with inhibition process prevailing over excitation process are likely to be insolvent during responsible and complicated situations.

The significance of psychological profession selection is enormous. The application of professional selection methods provides economy of time and money for personal training as well as promotes preservation and more rational utilization of personnel and equipment. The experience shows that professional selection of personnel for ATC duties is as much actual as for other operation personnel.

Fatigue Psychophysiological studies data show that by the end of a working shift the ATC controllers fatigue grows, especially when the work has the most intensive nature.

This conclusion is supported by further studies of such factors as a heart beating frequency and a muscular strength. Their deterioration characterizes a weakening of a main nerve process as a result of intensive work.

The Socialist Organization of National Economic, the absence of crises and unemployment provide for the citizens of the Soviet Union a right to work, a right to get a guarantee work with a payment according to a quantity and a quality of the work, a right to choose a profession, a kind of occupation or a work according to one's vocation, abilities, professional training, education and social needs, as is proclaimed in the Soviet Constitution.

ATC controller labour relations are regulated by the Soviet labour legislation. The controllers of the Soviet Union have realized their right to work by means of a trade agreement concerning the work on a Civil Aviation enterprise. The agreement guarantees for each controller his right to work according to his profession, qualification or post as it is stipulated by the parties agreement.

The new Soviet Union Constitution on legal ground has proclaimed the right of the Soviet Union citizens to get their health protection, a rest, a pecuniary security at old age, in case of illness and a partial or complete loss of a capacity for work.

The Civil Aviation has its own specific local peculiarities related to flight safety provision, and that demands of all workers to be high self-disciplined, strict disciplined and operative.

The ATC controllers working conditions and their discipline are regulated by common legislation standards as well as by special provisions which take into account the local peculiarities.

According to this labor legislation a controller may be dismissed from office when he without any valid reasons does not perform his duties placed on him or shirk work. For controllers

Air Traffic Controllers knowlAL ...do you?

Air traffic control is an activity with which IAL has been identified for over 30 years:Today IAL is involved with ATC in all its aspects whether it be operations, the analysis and design of airways and control areas, or training of personnel.

Employing hundreds of air traffic control staff at over 20 locations throughoutthe world, IAL

has a depth of experience which is unparalleled and includes the issuing of its own internationally recognised ATC licences.

IAL is experienced in the design of new air traffic systems to meet constantly evolving needs.

A typical example is the newly established Helicopter Flight Information Service in the North Sea. In airtraffic control there is no room for mistakes-and this means trainingto the highest standards. IAL has its own college which incorporates aSchool of Air Traffic Services.The School offers courses in all aspects of ATC,AIS,and instructor training.

Air traffic control is only one of IALs range of cost-effective, professional aviation technical services available worldwide.

DIAL IAL For further information on IAL Aviation Services please telephone 01-574 2411 or write to G G Gill, IAL,Aeradio House, Hayes Road, Southall, Middlesex UB2 5NJ, England.Telex: 24114.

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cl> 1978

17

and other persons related to prov1s1on of flight safety, the dismissal may be used for one gross violation of discipline, which is dangerous for flight safety.

To be an ATC controller one shall complete a special training at a Civil Aviation training institu te, get a written permission to perform his duties without any assistance, and hold a controller identification card of established type.

Trade Union

Depending on the training level, length of service and experience, the ATC controllers are conferred in several classes.

The most experienced ATC controllers are p romoted to the rank of senior controller or Flight officer. All ATC personnel shall complete a compulsory course of advanced training. Training periods are reg ulated by appropriate regulatory documents. The controllers during training receive their salary for period of training . "Approach and land ing" controllers of Soviet Union airports have a regulated rest periods after every three hours work at a control stand .

The Civil Aviation worker trade-union strictly keeps up with labour legislation observance at Civil Aviation enterprises.

An ATC controller may not be dismissed on Administration initiative without local trade-union Committee consent.

The ATC controller salary is differentiated depending on work amount and professional skills.

According to cu rrent system of pecuniary stimulation the ATC controllers get premiun payment.

For ATC controllers directly related to air traffic control and management the bonus is established on favourable terms in comparison w ith engi neers and other technical staff of an airport.

Additionally ATC controllers receive some payment for an enterprise general activity during the past year and some payment for prolonged meritorious service depending on length of service.

The problems of employment, training and advanced training are reflected in collective agreements which are concluded yearly at airports. A trade union Committee controls strictly the implementation of collective agreement obligation by an Administration and by other party.

To lessen the psychophysiological loads of ATC controllers, new five-shift schedules were developed and implemented for them. The shift duration is not more than seven hou rs at daytime and 1O hours at night Five shift schedules have been prepared taking into account the periods of the most intensive and the least intensive air traffic to permit even load distribution for each controller. Additional ly the implementation of the fifth shift results in sign ificant weakening of psychophysiological loads. At the same time a free of charge high calorie diet has bee n implemented for the controllers. •

Aerospace Medical Association 50th Golden Anniversary Annual Scientific Meeting

by Basil L. Watkin

Opening Ceremony Th e opening ceremony was as colourful if not mo re exciting than last year at New Orleans wi th uncountable decibels of sound heralding the 'Advance', 'Presentation' and 'Retiring' of the Colours with the British Guards-like precision by t he U.S. Marine and Bugle> Corps. The standing ovation by the over 3000 Members and their friends was a magnificent setting to this important international gathering and Washington is most beautiful in the Spring .

I Basil L. Watkin, Sqn.Ldr . RAF-Ret.

Introduction As the so le Air Traffic Control Officer who is a Member of the Aerospace Medical Association , again I had the pleasure of attend ing the 1979 Annual Scientific Meeting held in Washington, D.C. from 14 to 17 May. As recently retired practising Air Traffic Controller I had the honour of utilising my 40 odd years in operational aviation as a Pilot and Controller and maintaining a 'watching brief' on behalf of Controllers. Also I had the privilege of renewing the friendships and acquai ntances of ICASM '77 at Helsinki and AMA '78 at New Orleans.

The Membership of the Aerospace Medical Association retains its world renowned international place in aviation with presentations by Members from Belgium, Canad a, Chile, England, France, West Germany, Japan, Sweden and U.S.S.R. , while representatives from the People's Republic of China attended.

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In his message of welcome, the President of the United States of America set the seal on the success of the conference by emphasising the need for continual adva ncement in al l the se rvices of the Aerospace Medical Assoc iation. Mr Carter reflected with pride on t he 50 years of advancement and progress by the Association where advance in aerospace medicine, in flight and in the associated industrial co rporations means that all mankind will benefit now and in the future.

The usual full and conti nual Television and news coverage ensu red that the over 100 Embass ies and Consulates in Washington and America and the world were made aware of the vital part that aviation med icine plays in av iation.

The Loui s H. Bauer Lecture was delivered by Dr. J ohn R. Beljans M. D., Dean of the School of Medicine, Wright State University on 'Medical Education in the 1980's - Historical Perspectives and Future Directions'. The Docto r stressed that in the 50 years of advancement there was still a need for integrity, accountability and responsibility at all levels in t he varying specialities. He was concerned that remoteness from the patient (and the Pilot and the Controller) must not be overshadowed by the hopele3sness of bureaucratic red tape and there m ust be a continual need for scientific evaluat ion of medical education as the public and aviation personnel expect an in crease in sc ientific knowledge . In conclusion Dr Beljan insisted t hat the re are no

simple solutions, and spiralling costs of training must be resolved by patriotic individualism in national integrity with national direction serving the public interest.

National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institute Together with many other important organisations, both within and outside aviation, NASA made a special exhibit in conjunction with the Association Members depicting the advances made in aviation and aerospace medicine during the past 50 years.

The exhibit was given considerable Press coverage at the official opening in the NASA Museum and throughout the conference and until the end of May. In ~ddition the Asscciation commissioned a book to be written ccmmc::mcrating the 5oth 'Golden Anniversary' titled: 'Man in Fiight - Biomedical Achievements in Aerospace'. It documented the history and advances in medicine accomplished from the very early days of balloon flight to the current scientific sophistification of space-travel, including the break-throughs in medicine which made it work.

All this meant that the many thousands of the general public, who would normally have no knowledge or contact with aviation medicine who visit the Smithsonian each day, would have their attention drawn forcibly to the need for aviation medicine in flight.

Scientific Programme The Organising Committee were forced to limit presentations to a magnificent total of 190 papers/poster, sessions/workshops and films for the conference. It provided a professionally diverse forum for physicians in almost all clinical specialities, biomedical researchers, nurses, other scientists and the two airline Captains and myself for Air Traffic Control. Data on the latest findings of clinical and research studies were presented in the papers by lecture, panel discussion, seminar, poster presentation, tutorial session, workshops, films together with technical and scientific exhibits. It was noticed that the Poster Sessions are assuming a growing importance in scientific evaluation mainly due to the intimate type of personalised presentation lending itself more readily to face-to-face discussions with the authors. The authors welcomed down-to-earth comments with practical suggestions even if they happen to be devastatingly in disagreement.

Aviation Medical Examiners (AME) As outlined in my report on AMA '78 at New Orleans, I again make special reference to this section of the conference. The format remained identical with the majority of the 21 papers including subjects vital to the Controller and the Pilot, particularly as the medical criteria to hold relative licences to pilot aircraft or to control aircraft in flight were under discussion.

These included 'Fitness for the Flight Environment', 'Special Medical Techniques to be employed when examining the Pilot and Controller' and 'Physiological Training for Civilian Personnel'; General Aviation Accident Investigation was discussed.

The three most important operational features affected the Pilot and the Controller in: -

(a) The Controller Although each session was the responsibility of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Members and was chaired by a senior FAA officer or medical consultant there was no specific paper on Air Traffic Control or the Controller's health;

(c) The Controller/Pilot Team As previously experienced at the aviation medical conferences at Helsinki and New Orleans almost all the papers could have been applied both individually and collectively to the Pilot and Controller.

Air Traffic Control It was gratifying to realise that Air Traffic Control is now receiving greater recognition in aviation medicine with the increased emphasis on the Controller, his health and his environment and the effect on air-safety. However as I reported after previous medical conferences it is still strange that some papers dealing specifically with the Controller/ATC give so little if any consideration to the Controller's professionally ability to safely expedite his air traffic under variable working conditions and procedures with so often out-of-date equipment.

Specific mention is hereby made of the following papers:

(a) Comparison of ATC Students/Controllers This subject was covered in a variety of papers and revealed some obvious and strange results for discussions such as in (i) Comparison of Interest and Anxiety Profiles, it was found that there was a close similarity, (ii) Development of New Selection Battery for ATC Trainees, although very comprehensive it was found that further study was required, (iii) FAA Academy Vs On-the-Job Training, where it was discovered that after a detailed study of over 1700 trainees it had shown that military-ATC related experience increased the probability that these trainees will succeed as a Controller. (b) Radar Fixation Without Targets Being 'SEEN' This was an interesting study of 28 University (U.S.A.) students, who were all non-Controllers, where watching an ATC radar display with laboratory measurements of eye movements found that the eyes tend to move in a circular fashion when a rotating sweepline is present and follow an irregular pattern when it is absent. It is believed that this tendency of the eyes to follow that circular motion maybe responsible for complaints of drowsiness, headaches and other somatic symptoms experienced by Radar Controllers. It is pertinent that almost as a bi-product was the discovery that suggests the hypothesis that critical targets were, at times, fixated without being 'SEEN' as critical events and that the number of these fixations varied without apparent reason.

No importance was attached to this very vital discovery to the air-safety of air traffic. (c) Pilots Use Cockpit Display to Provide Own Separation The charming authoress stated " .... within the next ten years it will be technically feasible to provide pilots with computergenerated cockpit displays of air traffic information, and such displays might enable pilots to perform certain ATC functions, such as separation from other air traffic ... ".

The unnamed two groups of 8 airline pilots and one group of 7 commercial pilots were paid for their answers to evaluate specific display features, and they all stated that they did not feel that tte additional task of monitoring the cockpit display would increase the cockpit workload to an unacceptable level.

Fortunately for air-safety, the authoress did state that " ... although there is considerable agreement among professional air carriers about layout ... it was recommended that optimal information content, display format and symbology ... can be made at the conclusion of the proposed simulation research ... ".

(b) The Pilot

Air-Safety

The Pilot's (and the Controller's) medical future was discussed in considerable detail, and it was felt that greater representation from the operational side of aviation would have helped the Doctors considerably in their discussions and decisions;

As at New Orleans the emphasis on air-safety continued with further studies being made on the cause and effect of alcohol. alcot:olism, hangovers. ageing and stress. Specific mention is made of: -

19

(a) The Pilot The always popular session 'Would You Fly With This Pilot?' provided some searching questions from the floor adding to this fascinating, if at times frightening, session; (b) Alcohol and the Hangover

The Aviation Psychological Laboratory of FAA, Oklahoma, found that toxicological studies of pilot fatalities indicate that inflight performance sometimes occurs in general aviation under conditions in which detectable amounts of alcohol are present in the blood of the pilot; still other flights occur during so-called 'hangover' stages;

(c) Stress In 28 papers presented considerable emphasis was placed on varying types of stress covering 'Stress and Performance', 'Acceleration and Mechnical Stress', 'Noise Stress', 'Hot Stress', and 'Cold Stress'. Special mention is made of: (i) Psychophysiological Monitoring of Operator's Emotional Stress in Aviation and Astronautics This paper was presented by three Members from The USSR Academy of Sciences, Moscow. In the Controller study they detailed the estimation of emotional state of a Trainee Controller in a real-life situation where the Instructor, an experienced rated Controller had to interfere by verbal communication as the trainee had allowed a dangerous approach of two aircraft in the let-down area.

The Russian Members strongly recommended that the combination of efforts of the re;presentatives of different spheres of scientific knowledge from different countries would promote the solution of the urgent problems. (ii) A Re-Study of 32 Controllers This was an interesting follow-up of a previous extensive study of 32 Controllers and was based on urine voided and tested. ft was stated that " ... the concept of stress is implicit in management of the ATC work force. Numerous studies of controllers and their workplace have been carried out by the u.s. Government and outside contractors with the goal of quantatively describing stress experienced by Controllers in the performance of their work. Many of these studies have been completed at high-density facilities proving that Controllers are under unusually high levels of stress. This has been recognised by the U.S. Congress in Public Law 92-297, which provides retirement at 50 years after 20 years of controlling aircraft. ft was noted that because of the .small number of Controllers conclusions were guarded, if not tentative. Furthermore with that caveat in mind it was found that the possibility that with time the job becomes easier - a sort of counter burnout' phenomenem - or there may have been an improvement in work, procedures and/or location, as well as the ageing process to account for the slight improvement in measurements recorded; (d) Unlgen: A New Universal Language of Aviation t have already commented to PATCO, GATCO (U. K.) and NZATCA on the danger to air-safety when a non-Controller literally dabbles in ATC communications and that these so-called experts must be challenged when they venture into the professionalism of Air Traffic Control.

The author is also a Member of the Canadian Society of Aviation Medicine and he states: ". . . precise and mutually comprehensible speech-communication is essential for safe air operations, it evolves the development and use of accurate technical terminology evolved from accumulated experience, including the gamut of mutually incomprehensible languages throughout the world . . . but the development of the required universal and competent language has not kept pace with the increase of air traffic as Zagreb, Teneriffe and San Diego would seem to indicate ... ".

The author then goes on to suggest a new language for all Controllers and Pilots to learn (and to have at their fingertips)

20

calling it 'Unigen' citing that ", .. undoubtedly part of the current problem in safe air communications arises from the lack of universal adoption of improvements already laid down by ICAO and the International Telecommunication Union ... ".

Finally the author concludes " ... all tentative solutions will have to be passed out for cautious service trial before considered for adoption. The Aerospace Linguistic Foundation (U.S.A.) will of course be advisory to ICAO, the administrative authority ... ".

Honors Night On the Honors Night the impressive ceremony of the presentation of 12 Awards with honorariums and the election of Fellows made a pleasant break between the reception and excellent banquet. The sponsorship of the Awards were from the same organisations, airlines and aircraft manufacturers as previously, while the Civif Aviation Medical Association sponsored an Award for contributions to the art and science of aviation medicine and its application to the general aviation field.

Scientific and Technical Exhibits The 64 Corporate and Sustaining Members of the Aerospace Medical Association includes the U.S. and Canadian ALPAs, 18 major airlines and aircraft manufacturers, presented 50 absorbing and entertaining scientific and technical exhibits. The Executive again urged all Members, non-Members and friends to give the talented staff personnel of each exhibitor ample time and opportunity to explain his respective products and services. •

EUROCONTROL: 53rd Session of the Permanent Commission The Permanent Commission of EUROCONTROL, the European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation, held its 53rd Session in Brussels on 21st ~une 1979. The Session was presided over by Mr. W. VANDERPERREN, acting President of the Permanent Commission.

The Permanent Commission considered a further report from the Study Group of their Civil and Military Alternates dealing with a number of financial questions resulting from the proposed modification of the EUROCONTROL Convention.

The Permanent Commission also received a report on a meeting held the previous day between the Civil and Military Alternates to the Members of the Commission and representatives of the International Air Transport Association, which had been called to consider that Association's view on the future activities of EUROCONTROL. In pursuance of the Permanent Commission's Rules of Procedure, the Office of President of the Permanent Commission for the period 1st July 1979 to 30th June, 1980 was conferred upon Mr. Joel LE THEULE, Minister of Transport of France; the VicePresident for the same period will be Mr. Norman TEBBIT, M.P., Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Trade of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

The Member of the Permanent Commission acting also in their capacity as national Authorities appointed Mr. Wolf MARDER (Federal Republic of Germany} as the Permanent Delegate responsible 1or the financial control of the route charges system for a period of 3 years from 1st October, 1979.

* ISRAEL ATCA getting Union Representative Israel ATCA, in a letter to the Board of IFATCA informs that the long awaited Union representative of the Association has finally been agreed by the Civil Aviation Union and that the Association will now be in a position to put forward its claims to the Union Executives, directly.

The History of Middle East Region Airspace Planning, Current Problems, Future Solutions - by B. Gaustad

B. Gaustad Chief RULES OF THE AIR, A IR T RAFFIC SERVICES AND SEARCH AND RESCUE (RAC/SAR) SECTION ICAO.

The history of ATS airspace planning for the Middle East Re-

~ion goes back to 1946 when the first regional air navig ation meetings were arranged under the auspices of the then Provisional lnternationc:I Civil Aviation Orga nizatio n (PICAO) for the purpose of developing plans for international airpo rts and tor the facilities services and procedures necessary for international civil aviatio~ in the post-war era.

The ATS airspace plan deve loped by the First Middle East Regional Air Navigation Meeting in Cairo in October 1946 and approved by the In terim Council of PICAO was attractively simple: ft called for the establishment of a total of six flight information regions (FIRs) - (then called " flight safety reg ions") - encom~assing the entire ai rspace from Benghasi in the west to Bombay m the east, and from southern Ethiopia and the Maldives in the south to Crete, Cyprus, the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea in th e no rth. Two of the six FIRs - Khartoum and Bangalore - were outside the a rea which is now defined for planning p urposes as the Middle East Region - i. e. the area embracing that part of Asia west of Pakistan, but excluding Turkey and USSR territories - but the remaining four - namely Cairo, Baghdad, Aden and Karachi - covered the entire Middle East Region.

The limits of the FIRs were simple straight lines along meridians and parallels of latitude, except in the north where they followed the USSR boundary. The ATS airspace plan also called for the establishm ent of 15 control zones, w ith or without approach co ntro l services, around 18 airpo rts (combined control) zones for Payne Field and Alm aza near Cairo, for Bas rah and Abadan and for B h · ' a ram and Dahran) and one term inal control area around Cairo. '

Development in ;he 1 946 airspace plan existed for o nly four years. A lready e~ember 1950, as a resu lt of the Second Middle East Regional A ir Nav· r .. iga ion Meeting in Istanbu l, the plan was extensively mod1f1ed and s ub .

IC ' sequent meetings held under the ausp ices of . AO - the Fourth European/Mediterranean Meeting in Geneva ~n 1958, the Joint Middl e East/South East Asia Meeting in Rome m 1959 the L"1 ·t d M " : m1 e 1ddle East Meeting in Geneva in 1965 and th e J oint M"ddl 1 e East/South East As ia Meeting in Manila in ' 1968 - we re all pre-occupied with changes to the plan. Since 1968 h owever the plan h . as b een re latively stable and amendments to· ~pdate the plan have been worked o ut through the medi um of informal meeti'lgs, technical m iss ions by ICAO Reg ional Office staff• and co rrespondence m - accordance w ith the established ICAO procedure.

It is not ~oss ible in a few m inutes to trace the development ~f the ATS airspace plan in detail. I would like, however, to ment ion a few of the most significant features:

Original Flight Information Regions The original four flight information reg ions which formed part of the 1946 plan and covered the current Middle East Region grew into seven following the 1950 meeting, with additional centres in Nicos ia, Bahrain and Teheran, and to eight in 1958 with addition of an FIR with the centre in Lod. By the end of 1959 an Eastermed FIR - covering the airspace over Lebanon, Syria and Jordan - and FIRs Jeddah and Kandahar were included in the plan.

Following the 1968 meeting the concept of an Eastermed FIR was temporarily abandoned due to Jack of agreement among the States concerned and the revised plan provided for three new FIRs with centres in Beyrouth, Damascus and Amman, increasi ng the total to 13. Two of these are now outside what is called the Midd le East Region. Upper flight information regions with centres in Beyrouth, Cairo, Nicosia, Lad and Bahrain became part of the plan in 1958/1959 but were deleted following the 196S meeting on the grounds t hat thei r lateral limits had become the same as for the corresponding lower FIRs. As a parallel devel~p~ent, a large number of adjustments were made to the lateral l1m 1ts of the FIRs. Some of the changes to the original plan were based on technical and operational considerations, as ag reed to in prin ciple by all ICAO contracting States and reflected in Annex 1 1 to the Chicago Convention as well as in the ~ J anning c riteria agreed to by the delegates at the various meetings. Many of the changes however were dictated by non-technical factors and by the inability t~ reach agreement on technically and operat ionally desirable solutions. The ultimate result was that, with a few notable exceptions, the FIRs were modified to encompass the ai rspace over individual States and the lateral limits changed so as to co-i ncide with national boundaries.

Control Zones The 1946 meeting made recommendations for control zones at particular locations and with specified dimensions, and the 1946 and 1950 meetings made recommendations tor ter~inal control areas at particular locations with specified dimension~- Subsequent meetings however confined themselves to making recommendations of a more ~eneral nature regarding th~ need for controlled airspace around airports and left the dime_n~ions to be determined by individual States. The principle of iomt co_nt~ol zones or terminal control areas for aerodromes in close proxim ity was recognized at a very early stage and led to several specific recommendations.

Airspace Organisation The 1946 meeting d id not formulate any plans for contro ll ed airspace for flights en-route between airports. Late r meetings, however, developed plans for a network of ATS routes and recommended that the routes be encompassed within controlled airspace, either in the form of airways or con trol areas w ith larger lateral dim ensions.

The need for close co-ordination between civi l and military authorities in the planning of the airspace was also recognized

21

at a very early stage and recommendations were made, and reiterated, with a view to fostering optimum utilization of the airspace without undue penalties for either group of airspace users.

Nevertheless, there were repeated cases where prohibited, restricted and danger areas prevented the most rational airspace planning and where the interests of international civil aviation were not accommodated.

Problem Areas The current problems relating to airspace planning for the Middle East can be classified under the following main headings: - Problems created by the fact that technical and operational considerations are overshadowed by non-technical considerations.

Examples of such problems are difficulties in reaching agreement on adjustments to FIR boundaries for the purpose of keeping frequency changes, position reporting and inter-centre coordination to a minimum; difficulties in reaching agreement on re-alignment of existing ATS routes or establishment of new routes for the purpose of saving fuel; and difficulties in reaching agreement on the establishment of joint terminal control areas or control zones in the interest of safety. Problems of this nature have been so persistent that the Assembly of ICAO, which consists of delegations from all Contracting States, have found it necessary to emphasize in several Resolutions - last in Resolution A22-18, Appendix N - that "the boundaries of ATS airspaces, whether over States' territories or over the high seas, shall be established on the basis of technical and operational considerations with the aim of ensuring optimum efficiency and economy for both providers and users of the services" and that "any Contracting State which delegates to another State the responsibility for providing air traffic services within airspace over its territory does so without derogation of its sovereignty".

- Problems created by the absence or inadequacy of machinery at a national level for co-ordinating and balancing the needs of civil and military users of the airspace. Examples of such problems are the difficulties in reaching agreement on realignment of ATS routes or establishment of new routes due to the number and size of prohibited, restricted and danger areas. _ Problems created by the fact that certain new aerodromes have been planned and constructed without sufficient thought to the need for related airspace and air traffic services planning at an early stage. Examples of such problems are the difficulties in establishing approach, departure and co-ordination procedures. _ Problems created by the fact that States do not sit down and negotiate with other States directly concerned tn order to resolve operational difficulties at an early stage, i. e. before the difficulties become acute, or by the failure to follow-up on agreements reached. _ Problems created by inadequate implementation of airground and point-to-point communications to support the planned airspace structure and permit the provision of efficient air traffic services.

Solutions The future solutions to past and current airspace problems can only be found through intensified national and international efforts based on willingness to negotiate, to accept compromises, and to co-operate in accordance with agreed technical and operational criteria. To this end, I would like to offer the following specific comments: - The establishment of a national Airspace Co-ordinating Committee within each State is a pre-requisite to sound airspace planning and optimum airspace utilization. The Committee should have sufficiently high-level representation from the various airspace users, civil and military, and sufficient authority to enable it to take firm decisions and impose them on the parties concerned. In addition to examining and deciding upon the needs for airspace for aeronautical purposes, it should also be charged

22

with the task of examining requests from non-aviation authorities, such as the army and the navy, scientific research organizations, or commercial enterprises, for the temporary or permanent use of portions of the airspace for rocket - or missile-firing, operation of unmanned free balloons, or floating of tethered balloons for broadcasting or TV purposes.

- The need to apply agreed technical and operational criteria in any airspace planning exercise must be emphasized by the aeronautical authorities and the airspace users at all times and efforts must be made to promote understanding and acceptance of the internationally agreed principles and criteria among nonaeronautical policy-making authorities and bodies. I have in mind here the principles embedded in the Chicago Convention, and its Annexes - in particular Annex 11 - in the Resolutions of the ICAO Assembly and Council, and in the statement of operational requirements and planning criteria developed by ICAO's Air Navigation Commission and accepted by recent air navigation meetings.

- The establishment of an integrated air traffic control organization within each State charged with handling civil and military traffic in a well co-ordinated and balanced manner is recognized as the ideal solution to many of the problems encountered today and should be pursued with vigour.

- The machinery available in ICAO for resolving airspace and air traffic services problems should be used to the fullest extent: The medium of informal meetings arranged by, or with the help of, the ICAO Regional Office in Cairo is a particularly good means of resolving problems. In fact, some 13 informal meetings have already been arranged by ICAO in the period 1961 to 1975 to deal with certain aspects of the Middle East airspace plan. It is essential, however, that the representatives attending such meetings be given sufficient authority and flexibility to work out compromise solutions which will later be accepted by the Administrations.

The medium of formal meetings is less satisfactory in the current situation but could be advocated as and when the conditions become more rel~d.

The provision of technical advice and, if need be, of technical implementation assistance is available to States from the Regional Office in Cairo, or throught the Technical Assistance Programme of ICAO. The resources of the Regional Office are admittedly limited, but Special Implementation Projects have been and can be arranged, and the resources which can be drawn upon through the Technical Assistance Programme are quite extensive, as evidenced by, for example, the current programme in Saudi Arabia.

Control Agencies One can of course visualize a number of other and more radical steps at improving the airspace planning and utilization process for the whole of the Middle East Region, such as the establishment of a regional planning group and a multinational air traffic control agency. Experience in other parts of the world shows, however, that such mechanisms will only work effectively in areas where the political and economic structure is relatively homogeneous and where States are fully prepared to accept a compromise between their national interests and those of a larger international community. In the circumstances which currently exist in the Middle East, I believe it would be premature to consider such steps and that it would be far more profitable to concentrate on measures which stand a reasonable chance of being successful, such as the ones I have already mentioned.

In closing, I would like to quote a few words from a recent address by the President of the ICAO, Dr. Assad Kotaite: "We are living today in an era in which the airspace of our planet is shrinking as greater demands are being placed on it by technology. In this field, there is a growing need for a joint approach and for co-operative solutions. This is a fundamental question of international co-operation and the primary objective of ICAO to which its 143 Member States are committed." •

The DATASAAB ATC Simulator in Moscow, USSR A Full-Scale Training System for Automated Air Traffic Control

by Hakan Westermark, Datasaab, a Corporate Member of IFATCA

The following paper, presented al the 181h Annual Conference of IFATCA, Brussels 1979, describes the advanced ATC simulator which is now in full use by Datasaab-trained Aeroflot staff at Vnukovo Airport, Moscow. Probably the most complete ATC training system existing today, this simulator is a part of the big TERCAS contract (Terminal and En-Route Control Automated Systems) awarded to Datasaab (then Stansaab) in 1975. Today the TERCAS simulator is the keystone in the training of some 1000 controllers from Moscow, Kiev and Mineralnyje Vody for the new centres and the revolutionary new techniques.

Introduction REALISM - Keystone in ATC Training The rap id growth and inc reasing complexity of air traffic over recent years have brought about demands for improved aids in ATC training. Controllers must be trained not only to handle t he normal flow of air traffic at peak hours, they must also be able to cope with any conceivable traffic situation and " irregularities " of different types. It is essential that training is carried out und e r very realistic conditions. Historically the demand for realism has been met by " on-the-job" training. However. OJT training, often a bottleneck for air traffic and a nuisance to controllers, does not - hopefully - offer many oppo rtunities for tra ining in situ ations other than routine.

Simulators are the ideal solution to these confli cting requirements, allowing t rainees to be confronted with any foreseeable traffic situation with out interfering with or jeopardizing actual operations.

Again, a simul ator is the o bvious so lution. Or is it? Perhaps too often is too little c onsideration given to the training aspects of introdu ction of new sophisticated eq uipment. Generally, introduction of new equipment also means that new contro l techniques have to be applied. Thus the step into automation is always a big one, and one which sh ould be p receded by c om prehensive and effective training. T he effects of inadequ ate training is a l?n g " shake-down " period of reduced ATC capacity, quite possib le aggravated by an unfavou rable attitude towards the new syste m from t he controller's side.

Simulating the f low of live ai r traffic and giving contr~llers and ass istants the possibi lity to handl e this traffic in an operat1 o~al · t h' h · ·d nti'c al o r very sim ilar to the one for wh ich env1ronmen w 1c 1s 1 e , . . d . . f et a no more radical approach than tra 1nthey are traine 1s, in a , . ing pilots in advanced f light sim ulato rs, which for . many years roced ure for airline companies. Yet this . has been t h e rou t 1ne p approach is ve ry rare in the ATC world.

One Giant Step .. . .

Training for Automation Realistic training is also essential for successfu l introduction of new procedures and automation into ATC. Ideally, implementation should be stepw ise to al low for gradual famil iarization by the AT C staff. However, a new route structure, control techniques or equipment (poss ibly in a new control room) do not normally lend themselves to gradual transition - it's once and for all.

Indeed, simulator traini ng as outlined above is exac tly the way training was pla nned fo r the new AT C centres in the USSR. True, the step from the outdated manual centres to new facilities with highly sophisticated equipment is enormous , possibly a bigger step than anywhere else up to this time. Not only shou ld the co ntro ll ers adapt themselves to a modern radar p icture . use of alphanumeric displays. key board inputs and automated fli g h t plan 23

Starting with three months of intensive training in English in Moscow, this group spent some 13 weeks at the Swedish ATS Academy at Sturup learning modern radar and non-radar ATC procedures and instructor theory, four weeks at the factory in Stockholm, then in Moscow for specialized system theory and finally five weeks of mainly practical training in the new sim ulator installed at Vnukovo Airport, Moscow. These rea lly qualified instructors then assisted Datasaab teachers at courses held for local instructors from the centres in Moscow, Kiev and Mineralnye Vody, which are schedu led to become operational in 1979 and 1980. The Russian controllers are now fully responsible for the simulator training of their 1000 c lleagues and will also serve as supervisors for the practical training on-site at the four centres.

No less than 36 simulator courses are planned within the program.

The Simulator System Simulator Overview. " Pilot" positions and Exercise Supervisor' s suite in foreground. Simulator, ACC and TCC are in the same building.

handling, they had to do so from a stage where control techniques were based on diagrams (used in Europe until the mid -50s) and rudimentary radar displays. More than 1000 controllers had to be trained in the t heory of flight progress strips and then (no delay!) learn how the process is automated! This was the formidable training challenge faced by Aeroflot and Datasaab. Although the training program is not yet completed, today one may say that the prospects for success are good, and that the principal ideas behind the program we re correct.

One of these ideas was that the simulator, perhaps better described as an "ATC t rain ing system", shou ld be specified as a true copy of the operational centres, with identical working position layout, same type of equipment and same set of input functions as its counterparts in the real environment. Even the automated flight plan handling process, with automatic printing and distribution of flight strips, alphanumeric d isplays, flight time calculat ions, and radar label association was copied in detail. The use of the simulator for practical training has been invaluable.

Since the difference experienced to real life wil l be minimal, a very short period of time is expected for transition from the simulated environment to the actual control centre for students who have successfully completed their training with the simu lator.

Another fundamental idea in the training program was to give a group of some 20 specially selected, young Russian controllers a broad and comprehensive training preparing them for future tasks as instructors and supervisors in training thei r colleagues.

Training this nucleus group was the responsibility of Datasaab.

Working Positions The number of control posit ions in the simulator is 28. They are equipped for simulation of the following units in the real environment.

• • •

Moscow Area Control Centre (ACC) Flow Management Unit of Moscow ACC Moscow, Kiev and Mineralnye Vody Terminal Control Centres (TCC), including Zone control units.')

In addition to these units "pilots" also function as simulated Towers for cooperation with TCC and ACC. Thus, the whole

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can be simulated. Any area covered by the said centres, and any combination of sectors within the respective units may be used in exercises.

The simu lator also contains working positions for preparation and supervision of exercises and for simu lation of the pilots' role in the real environment. There are a total of 19 pilot positions.

Information Sources The fundamental principle in successful ATC simulation is that "external" data sources must be simulated, whi le the equipment and facilities for contro l of air traffic remain as simi lar as possible to those in the real environment. For a s imple analogue or digital radar simulator, plot generation and control is a relatively simple matter; for a complex ATC "system" simu lator w ith the interaction between flight plans and radar information, s imulation of data sources is a far more intricate task.

The followi ng pictu re s hows the flow of information from external sources to a particular ATC centre.

A description is given below of the simulation of t he external information sources. The conclud ing parts of the pape r give a short description of how an exe rc ise is prepared and realized.

Pil ot's EDD pi cture . This pilot controls seven airc raf t, listed in the centre of the di splay. A report for one of the aircraft appears on the upper par t of the d isplay, w hile extended f light data f or another aircraft, selected by the pilot for " active control", i s displayed on the low er part.

24

'l Having no Western world equivalent, the Zone Cont rol units are responsible for arriving as well as departing traffic between 200 - 1200 meters GND.

Simulation of Flight Plan Data The basic flight plan messages in the USSR are the FPL (filed flight plan), PPL (preliminary flight plan; for flow management purposes), and RPL (repetitive flight plan). The equivalent in the simulator to these three messages is the Simulated Flight Plan, SIMPLN. In principle, the SIMPLN contains the same information as the normal flight plan. As for the FPL, PPL and RPL in operational centres, the SIMPLN provides the basis for information in tabular lists, on flight progress strips and for the flight plan information in radar labels. Unlike operational centres, however, the SIMPLN also forms the basis for radar track generation and control, it therefore contains additional information necessary for this purpose. Thus, the SIMPLN is subdivided into two parts; the "flight plan" (FPL) and the " track plan" (TPL). These two parts have some items in common, e.g. the route description and the SSR code, if any.

Finally, the SIMPLN is the basic information source for the pilot "flying" the aircraft and it therefore contains some additional items necessary for the pilot to carry out his task.

As the operational centres flight plan information is not displayed to controllers until the flight is "activated". Activation is automatic for departing flights, while input of EST (by an assistant controller) is required to update FPL data for arriving flights and to form a basis for flight time calculations. For departing flights this basis is formed by a subsequent input of ATD made by the

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Moscow Terminal Control Centre, TCC. E igh teen sectors are ava i lable.

In addition, the simulator contai ns four "Zone Control " sectors and one sector for Flow Control. In the foreground one of the Zone Sectors handling departing and arriving traffic in the immed iate vicinity of the four major Moscow aerodrom es.

Simulation of Radar Data Each target taking part in an exercise must have its own track plan, TPL, giving all necessary data on the route to be foll owed, aircraft type and speed (to be adjusted by wind). These basic data may be adjusted by input of a deviating route received in a clearance issued by a controller, and by heading and speed directives.

These inputs are made by the "pilots".

Three primary and co-located secondary radar stations can be defined in the system. Detailed radar characteristics are spec ified in parameters. Plot symbols for up to 150 targets are displayed in accordance with information on transponder equipment specified in each SIMPLN. Raw and/or synthetic radar pictures may be selected by the controllers. In addition, a combined, mosaic pi cture can be displayed.

Simulation of OF Information

IN FORMATION SOURCES IN TIIE REAL ENVIRONMENT

"TWA pilot". (Four such pilot positions may be defined in an exercise to simulate, for instance, the four major Moscow aerodromes.) In addition, and like the Revised ETD, which is also entered by this pilot, ATD also serves the purpose of sorting flights in time order and departure status in the "Departure list".

This list, displayed to TWA and TCC controllers, is used in the completely non-verbal coordination process between the two units.

One direction finder is available. It is defined by means of system parameters specifying the geographical position. Each controller has access to the facility, which is activated when messages are t ransmitted ove r " radio" on the frequency selected by the controller.

The radar track is displayed based on info rmation in the TPL. Association between flight plan data and radar data is made according to the same procedures as those used in operational centres. This means that a label based on the FPL is immediately displayed when the track appears for a flight carrying the USSR type or ICAO 4096 transponder. For other flights the association must be made manually by the controller by indicating the track and referring to the corrensponding list element.

The FPL part of the SIMPLN may be updated by controllers and assistants. As in the real environment a modification of a flight plan will not in itse lf affect the track behaviour, but on ly the flight plan information as displayed in li sts, on strips and in labels.

Exceptions from this rule are modifications of flight plans entered by controllers in the flow management unit. SIMPLN's used and possibly modified in a flow management exercise may be used in their modified shape in a subsequent exercise involving operational sectors to evaluate the results of the unit's efforts.

ACC Sector in the simulator. Students (radar controller. procedu ral controller and assistant) control simulated traffic in a sector soulhwest of Moscow. Radar picture is purely synthetic, but raw radar information can be selected if so desired. Strips are printed and distributed automatical ly Updated flight plan information is also shown on elec tronic displays placed above the flight progress boards.

25

Verbal .. radio.. & intercom

Inputs/Display

,.,-reports requested

reports requested

~i----"'

reports

reports

<!---0

~

~

COMPUTER

PILOT

The Pilots' Role The pilots have a vital function in the system, simulating not only the pilots in the real environment but also control towers and adjacent ATC centres.

The pilots' main functions are to communicate reports and to input clearances and orders received by "radio" or intercom from the controllers.

Reports to be given are displayed on alphanumeric displays (EDD) and communicated to the controller by radio or intercom.

Clearances and orders received from the controller are entered by means of keyboard. Such inputs will override the route directives contained in the SIMPLN and influence the track behaviour as presented on the radar display.

The initiation of a report on the pilot's EDD may be automatic or the report may be requested by the pilot. Radio reports are automatically initiated when, for instance, the flight passes reporting points, certain boundary lines, reaches its assigned level or completes an ordered turn. whereas intercom reports are initiated when, for instance, the aircraft is ready for engine start-up or take-off. A frequency change will always initiate a position report to the pilot using the new frequency.

The contents of radio may be requested by the pilot, when for example asked by the controller to report when passing a certa~n level or to report his position. In the latter case the computer will answer the pilot's question without delay, while in the first case the report will be displayed when the condition is fulfilled.

Preparation and Realization of an Exercise The realization of an exercise requires that a large amount of data be available in the system. These data are of both permanent (i.e. common for all exercises) and of temporary nature (i.e. valid only for the exercise in question). . .

Permanent data are defined and stored within the systems as parameters. For instance, the following data are typical examples of permanent data: e Airspace structure (such as sectors) • Aircraft performance data • Radar characteristics e Route and traffic procedure library, such as airways, holding patterns with entry and exit procedures, SIDs and STARs. •

Map information.

Temporary data, such as participating trainee positions, radar to be used and wind characteristics, are defined in the EXEPLN (exercise plan), which is required for each exercise. Reference Is made in the EXEPLN to SIMPLNs used in any particular exercise.

26

A large number of SIMPLNs and EXEPLNs may be stored in the system. Input of plans (or selection, if already stored) is then carried out from the Simulator Operator suite.

The operational supervision of an exercise is carried out from an Exercise Supervisor suite. The supervisor also acts as the chief instructor. Various exercises can be run simultaneously. The Exercise Supervisor can select any desired exercise and start, stop or "freeze" it. He can introduce radar failure and emergencies to increase the pressure on the students, or slow down simulation speed or delete targets to ease the pressure. By selecting the radar picture of a student for display on his own PPI he is able to closely monitor the actions of any student. A special communication system connects the supervsior with the instructors sitting behind the trainees. Simultaneous recording of voice communication and radar picture can be carried out, and the sequence replayed for demonstration and discussion. m

U K gives up second Gatwick Runway The British Airports Authority (BAA) has agreed with the local government officials not to build a second runway for London's Gatwick Airport.

In exchange for BAA's commitment not to build a second runway in the next forty years at Gatwick, the West Sussex County Council agreed to support BAA's plan for an emergency runway and that it would accept a second maintenance and ancillary area at Gatwick.

Current plans at Gatwick include a second passenger terminal capable of increasing the airports capacity from 16 million, presently, to 25 million and widening of the existing taxiway for use as an emergency runway. Capacity limit is expected to be reached by mid-1980s.

* New Airport for Tenerife The Queen of Spain opened a new International Airport in the South of Tenerife and named it, after her, "Reine Sofia Airport".

The new airport required an investment of over 2500 million Pesetas (about $37 million) and can accept the largest aircraft operating today. Its main runway is 3200 mtrs, with a parallel taxi track and illuminated apron for 10 jumbos. It is situated in the south of the island a little above sea level.

The old airport is situated on a plateau, 600 mtrs above sea level and is often invaded by mists - cause of the Tenerife disaster of two jumbos on the runway two years ago.

New ICAO Annex 5 In an effort to standardize aviation units of measurement, the ICAO Council had approved major amendments to Annex 5 becoming effective late in 1981. It covers all units of measurement applicable under the International System (SI), extended to facets of aeronautics and not Just to air ground communications as until todate. As a result, the new Annex 5 Is entitled, UNITS OF MEASUREMENTS TO BE USED IN AIR AND GROUND OPERATIONS.

The question of the units of measurement to be used in interâ&#x20AC;˘ The scope of the Annex is extended to cover all aircraft, air national civil aviation is one that goes back as far as the origin and ground operations; and, of ICAO itself. At the International Civil Aviation Conference held â&#x20AC;˘ The SI is introduced as the basic system. at Chicago in 1944, which led to ICAO's founding Convention, the importance of a common system of measurements was realized Metric System adopted in 1795 and a resolution was adopted calling on States to make use of Before describing Amendment 13, it is worthwhile briefly conthe metric system as the primary international standard. sidering the SI itself. The system has evolved from units of length A special committee was established to look into the question and mass (metre and kilogram) which were created by members and, as a result of its deliberations, the First Assembly of ICAO of the Paris Academy of Sciences and adopted by the French in 1947 adopted a resolution recommending the early issuance of National Assembly in 1795 as a practical measure to benefit a system of units of measurement as an ICAO standard. Stemindustry and commerce. The original system became known as ming from this resolution, the First Edition of Annex 5 to the the metric system. Scientists realized the advantages of the Chicago Convention was adopted in 1948. This contained an ICAO table of units, based essentially on the metric system, but system and it was soon adopted in scientific and technical circles.

International standardization began with an 1870 meeting of it also contained four additional interim tables of units for use 15 States in Paris that led to the International Metric Convention by those States who were unable to use the primary table. in 1875 and the establishment of a permanent International Bureau Thus, it was evident from the beginning that the achievement of Weights and Measures. A General Conference of Weights and of standardization in units of measurement would not be easy. It Measures (CGPM) was also constituted to handle all international may be noted also that this first Annex 5 was applicable only matters concerning the metric system. to units to be used in communications between aircraft and In 1889, the first meeting of the CGPM legalized the old protoground stations. type of the metre and the kilogram as the international standard Many attempts to improve the level of standardizatian -were for unit of length and unit of mass, respectively. Other units were made in the following years and a number of amendments to agreed in subsequent meetings and, by its 10th Meeting in 1954, Annex 5 were introduced. States nevertheless still sought a the CGPM had adopted a rationalized and coherent system of greater degree of standardization and several more Assembly units based on the metre-kilogram-second-ampere (MKSA) sysresolutions were adopted urging continuing efforts to achieve tem, which had been developed earlier, plus the addition of the unification of the systems of units of measurement. kelvin as the unit of temperature and the candela as the unit of The problem has always existed that a number of non-metric luminous intensity. units - for instance, the "foot" and the "nautical mile" - have The 11th CGPM held in 1960 with participation by 36 States, become deeply entrenched in aviation from its earliest days, to adopted the name International System of Units and laid down the extent that such units are often used in aviation in States rules for the prefixes, the derived and supplementary units and which are otherwise entirely metric. The nautical mile continues other matters, thus establishing comprehensive specifications for to have the valuable property for navigational purposes that it is international units of measurement. approximately equal to the length of one minute of arc subtended The 12th CGPM in 1964 made some refinements in the system, at the equator (although this is no longer the definition of the and the 13th CGPM in 1967 redefined the second, renamed the nautical mile). unit of temperature the kelvin (K) and revised the definition of Furthermore, the present system of aircraft vertical separation the Candela. The 14th CGPM in 1971 added a seventh base unit, is based upon flight levels expressed in easily remembered round the mole (mol) and approved the pascal (Pa) as a special name multiples of feet. These units tend to be used in isolation from for the SI unit of pressure or stress, the newton (N) per square other units and therefore no conflict of safety issue arises where metre (m 2 ) and the siemens (S) as a special name for the unit they continue to be used in parallel with a different system of units. of electrical conductance. In 1975 the CGPM adopted the becquerel (Bq) as the unit of the activity of radionuclides and the Although most people in the aviation community instinctively feel that general standardization is a desirable objective, it is gray (Gy) as the unit for absorbed dose. difficult to justify changes to well established units for this reason alone, especially In view of the practical difficulties and costs The SI provides Coherence involved in making the transition.

The SI contains units of three types: base units, supplemenDuring these recent years, it became apparent that there was tary units and derived units. Each base, supplementary and deriva distinct movement among States not already using the metric ed unit with a name has a standard symbol associated with it. system to introduce the SI for general purposes other than aviaThe following seven independent base units have been defintion. In response to the Assembly resolutions and taking account ed: of this development in states, a renewed effort to achieve unimetre fication was made by the ICAO Air Navigation Commission in (length) kilogram 1977. A proposal for a completely new edition of Annex 5 was (mass) second developed and sent to States for comment. (time) kelvin Taking account of these comments, Amendment 13 to Annex 5 (temperature) has recently been adopted by the Council and will become apampere (electric current) plicable on 26 November 1981. This amendment is described in mole (amount of a substance) more detail below, but it introduced two major changes: candela (luminous intensity)

27

The two supplementary units are the radian (plane angles) and the steradian (solid angles).

All other units are derived from algebraic combinations of these base and supplementary units or other derived units. Some common derived units have been assigned special names - for example, the unit of force is the newton and the unit of pressure is the pascal.

The SI has the fundamental properties of coherence and uniqueness. By coherence is meant the fact that all units in the system are related by unity. Thus, a force of one newton exerted through a length of one metre produces an energy of one joule.

If this energy is produced in one second a power of one watt is developed.

The system is unique because each quantity has only one unit. For example, power is always expressed in watts whether it results from the flow of an electric current or whether it is developed by a steam engine or in any other way.

Another virtue of the SI is that it greatly facilitates the distinction between mass and weight. In the past, it has been common practice to use the expression "weight". when what was really meant was "mass". This is understandable since the units for both quantities had the same name (kilogram or pound). Now that different unit names exist - kilogram for mass and newton for force (weight), the distinction will be much simpler.

Associated with the SI itself is a code of practice which covers the use of the system. This involves the use of prefixes to denote multi:;>les of SI units and the way in which combinations of numbers and unit symbols should be written, either alone or in algebraic expressions, to avoid ambiguity.

In summary, the great advantages of the SI are its simplicity and the ease with which it allows calculations to be made, features which will greatly ease the learning process for future generations.

Amendment 13 broadens Annex 5 As previously mentioned, Amend~ent 13 extends th~ sco~e f Annex 5 to cover all aspects of air and group operations m~tead of only air-ground communications. It is logical that if there is to be standardization, it should be extended to all aspects f aircraft operations and a large majority of States who como ted on the proposed amendment agreed with the basic formen · · f mat. There was widespread agreement also on the princ1p 1e o . using the SI as the basic system.

In addition to the SI units, the Amendment recognizes a number of non-SI l!nits which may be used permanently in conjunction with SI units in aviation. These include the litre, the degree Celsius and the degree for measuring plane angle.

Th amendment also recognizes, as do the relevant Assembly a special reso Iuet·10 ns , that there are some non-SI units which have . place in aviation and which will have to be retained, at lea~t are the bar, the naut1t empora rily. Included in this latter category . d. . d ·t and knot, the foot and certain ra 1at1on re 1ate um s. ea I· m1· 1te nded that dates be fixed and pu bi"1sh e d .in A nnex 5 on It is in e ·11 b . d e terminate . .ch th use of these temporary units w1 W hI e f d. . "t s, sueh T 0 ke e P in step with the major users o · ra ·1at1onf um th as the world Health Organization, the termination o e us? ~ f 1985 and 1t 1s th ese no n-SI units has been planned for 1 January • • d.ff. not believed that the transition will cause any 1 1cu 1ties since they are little used in aviation. . . . . .

The unit BAR, in the form of the millibar, 1s widely used •. ho~ever, it will be replaced by the SI unit hectopascal, which 1s numerically equal to the millibar. It is. not e~p~cted that any problems will arise over this transfer which will in effect be only a name change. Nevertheless, a body of experts is to be established to assist ICAO in organizing the changeover, which for planning purposes is expected to take place on or about 31 December 1985. The change will be co-ordinated with the World Meteorological Organization.

Some problems do arise in the termination of the use of the units nautical mile and the associated unit knot and their re-

28

placement by kilometre and kilometre per hour. The nautical mile was originally defined as the length subtended by one minute of arc at the Earth's equator and as such it naturally proved a very convenient unit for navigation purposes, using maps marked with the normal lines of latitude and longitude. In fact, this definition proved to be insufficiently precise and the nautical mile is now defined as being equal to 1,852 metres, although for manual navigation purposes the old definition still suffices.

It has been argued that since there is no interaction between the use of the nautical mile as a unit of measurement for navigational purposes and the use of the metre or kilometre for other measurements of length or distance, there is no reason why the nautical mile should not be retained for this specialized purpose - especially in view of the physical problems and costs involved in changing.

However, against this, in addition to the acknowledged desirability of having a truly uniform system of units, it can be argued that with the increasing use of automatic navigating devices, the unit used is becoming less important. Furthermore, the kilometre is already used successfully in some States while in others the statute mile is in use.

In view of these questions, it has not yet been possible to fix a termination date for the use of the nautical mile and knot. It has been agreed that a panel of the Air Navigation Commission will be established to investigate all aspects of the change and make recommendations accordingly.

Based upon the findings of this panel, the Commission will decide upon a termination date as appropriate. In order that all concerned may plan for the near future, it has been agreed that no changeover will be made before 31 December 1990.

No problems are envisaged in changing to the use of the metr_e f~r shorter lengths or distances except in the particular appllcat1on of measurements relating to height, elevation, altitude, etc.,. for which feet are currently used. The present flight level system, which helps to ensure vertical separation between aircraft, is based upon levels measured in easily remembered round numbers of feet (e. g., Flight Level 330 = 33,000 ft).

I!

these levels are expressed in metres, it is not possible to retain the property of easily remembered round numbers without either increasing or decreasing separation. Decreasing separation is o~ ques~ionable acceptability from a safety viewpoint, whereas increasing separation is equally unacceptable in many areas because of difficulty in accommodating all the traffic. In fact, the present system, using feet, is approaching saturation in some places and moves are already under way to see if separation can be safely reduced.

A further problem with the metre is that, for obstacle-clearance purposes at low altitudes near airports, it is a large and somewhat coarse unit.

It is apparent, therefore, that neither the foot nor the metre is an ideal unit for altitude/elevation/height measuring purposes.

In these circumstances, it has been agreed that efforts should be concentrated on finding a new unit, based upon the SI, which overcomes the difficulties mentioned above. A body of experts is to be established to undertake this task.

The form that such a unit might take has not been prescribed; it could be some sub-multiple of the metre or it may not be a sim~le length measurement at all. It has already been suggested, for instance, that a unit based on a pressure increment could fulfill the requirements. Alternatively, the solution may lie in some form . of electronic height-measurement system, perhaps using satellites.

For the time being, therefore, both the foot and the metre will remain as units permitted for use in the measurement of height, altitude and elevation.

In Etddition to prescribing the base, supplementary and derived units to be used in civil aviation, the new version of Annex 5 will prescribe which units are to be used for many commonly occurring qualities. For instance, thrust will be measured in kilonewtons, pressure generally in kilopascals. The Annex also spe-

cities the multiple and sub-multiple prefixes to be used with the unit symbols; thus, one megawatt (MW) = 106W, one nanosecond (ns) = 10-9s.

The Annex will now have three attachments containing guidance material. The first will give the historical background to the development of the SI system, the second will deal in detail with the conventions to be used in applying the system and the third will consist of a comprehensive list of factors for converting from units commonly used at present to SI units. With these attachments, the Annex will become a self-contained document giving all the required information for application of the SI to civil aviation.

It is believed that Amendment 13 to Annex 5 represents a

major step forward in the difficult process of standardizing units of measurement in international civil aviation. Although complete standardization will still not have been achieved, the foundation has been laid for resolving this problem which has been recognized by ICAO since its inception.

It is hoped that present plans for dealing with the temporarily retained non-SI units will eventually result in either complete standardization with the SI, or else a decision to retain more of such units permanently. In any case, a very large degree of standardization will have been achieved between civil aviation and other scientific and engineering communities and indeed with general usage as the trend towards use of the SI accelerates.

•

AERO PP Message & Data Switching Systems for Aeronautical Operations lndroduction The Philips organization has been closely associated with the development of telecommunications facilities for civil aviation for over fifty years, both as an equipment supplier and as a contributor to standardization programs. Since the institution of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the Aeronautical Fixed Telecommunications Network in the late 1940's, ·Philips has installed over forty message switching systems in twenty-seven countries. Through membership in the Teletypewriter Panel, and later as an advisor to the ADIS (Automated Data Interchange System) Panel, the company has assisted in the formulation of standards and recommended practices since the early stages of the network's development.

The original Electronic Storage (ES) systems, many of which are still in service, embodied the most advanced systems design of its time. More recently, the accelerating demands for higher traffic handling capacities and more sophisticated services led to the introduction of stored-programme-controlled systems at key points in the network. Philips DS-714 fully computerized centres are in AFTN operation in the United States, Canada, Malaysia, Belgium, Singapore and Zaire; these include both dedicated centres serving one network with a specific message format and procedure, and multi-user centres serving two or more networks with different message-handling requirements.

The ADIS Panel, established by the ICAO Air Navigation Commission in 1967 to study and prepare recommendations for formalized standards and guidance material, dealt with the development, application and operation of an international ground-to-ground automated data interchange system for the exchange of aeronautical messages between data processors. Special attention was paid to the flow of data at medium and high modulation rates (including the interface with telecommunications systems operating at low modulation rates), and to the international automated air-to-ground data interchange system compatible with ground-toground system. As a result of the Panel's work, the concept of a Common ICAO Data Interchange Network (CIDIN) was prepared for international consideration. The implementation of this digital communications network will open the way for coordinated interconnection of the many essential services which support national and international airspace security.

The far-reaching requirements of CIDIN as outlined in the ADISP reports - flexibility in handling different codes, speeds and

message formats, and modification or expansion capability without sacrifice of efficiency - are fundamental to the structure of the Philips AEROPP systems.

Designed primarily to meet the growing demands of the Civil Aviation Administrations, the AEROPP systems also extend to meet those of other concerned bodies. They not only satisfy

Figure 1 - AEROPP System Architecture

....

- - - - - - - - - - - A E R O P P I Program AEROPPI • Dual Processor • 2 Core Memory Modules (32 Kwords) per Processor • Dual Fixed·Head Discs e Dual MIXMUX Low· and Medium·Speed Multiplexer • 2 Magnetic Tape Units

1 • 2 Additional Core Memory Modules (32 Kwords) per Processor

1

I • 2 Additional 1 Magnetic Tape Units I • Additional Line Control

Units In MIXMUX (as needed)

1

Services Basic: AFTN Optional: OPMET (Note 1) METEO (WMO) Flight-Plan Processing Radar Data Switching

I 1

: 1

' :

:~~~~~----1---~----------""'--------.AEROPP

II Program

Same as extended AEROPP I with addition of: •Augmented Disc Facilities •Line Printer e Dual CIOM Low·Speed Multiplexer (Note 2) •Dual MIOM Medium-Speed Multiplexer (Note 2)

Services Basic: AFTN OPMET (Note 1) METEO (WMO) Automatic Air/Ground MOTNE Loop Control Automatic MOTNE Bulletin Compilation Facility CIDIN 1 '• 4 Addltlbnat. Gore Memory M_odules I . (64 Kwordl!)'p&r'Processor (Note S) 1 Automatic Telex Interface A~dttibnat Multiplexers · Optional: Flight-Plan Processing 1 (&S needed) : Radar Data Switching 4' Additic?nlll M~gnetlc :r.ape l!,lnlts 1

l

I• I

l

1, _ . _(as needfl'.d) ___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ .._ ___ l:

NOTES: 1. Operational METEO enveloped according ro AFTN. WMO or MOTNE standards 2. Replacement for MIXMUX 3. Typical core memory requiremenr for AEROPP II cenrre: memory can be exrended to 1 Mwords

29

handling of the OPMET requirements, but can also provide enhanced Meteorological Centre facilities, as outlined by the World Meteorologi cal Organization (WMO) for their GTS, global telecommunication system.

The AEROPP Systems Two categories of integrated hardw are/ software system , referred to as AEROPP I and AEROPP II, are available for use in aeronautical telecommunications networks. Both employ the latest generation of the powerful DS-714 switching system, which has gained an unparalleled reputation for flexibility, reliability and long techn ical lifetim e in the course of over ten years of operation in some of the w orld 's most demanding applications.

The AEROPP system architecture is designed to permit gradual, economi c growth from a small initial installation handling only AFTN traffic to a powe rf ul, multi-user centre providing a full range of aeronautical telecommunications services. As shown in Figure 1, the AEROPP I basi c building block may be initially configured to meet very low throughput requirements, and extended in steps to a traffic handling capacity of approximately three messages per second. The low/ medium-speed multiplexer (MIXMUX) may be equ ipped only fo r the number of circuits required at the t ime of installation, and expanded by the addition of plug-in line control units to its m aximum capacity of 64 low-speed and 4 medium-speed lines or other low/ medium-speed c ombinations. The basic AFTN function c an be augmented with OPMET, METEO and Flight-Plan Processing services by adding software elements and core memory modules when needed.

When throug hput requ irements exceed the capacity of the AEROPP I syste m, o r w he n air-ground and/or CIDIN operation must be added to the fu nct ions of the centre, the basic system may be converted to AEROPP II level by adding disc faciliti es and introducing the more powe rful AEROPP II software. A flexible range of communi catio ns mul tiplexe rs is available to provide interface and con tro l facilities for ch anging combinations of line types, transmissi on speeds, and operating pro cedures as the cent re an d the network evolve.

or readout devices. Devices which are not duplicated may be connected to either processor via the channel switching equipment. Since the stand-by processor is not required to execute the complete operational program, it is available for offline activities such as statistics generation and analysis, program maintenance or alteration etc.

Transfer from the on-line system to the system in hot stand-by is automatically carried out in the event of certain types of failure or performance degradation, and may also be accomplished manually at the option of supervisory staff.

A simplified block diagram of typical AEROPP system configurations is given in Figure 2; the system is made up of several functional groups of subsystems, each of which is assigned to, and optimized for, a specific portion of the overall system task.

System Supervision and Control The supervisory interface with the system provides the AEROPP operational and technical staff with a secure, straightforward means of monitoring, controlling and modifying the operation of the centre. This supervisory interface is divided into a number of logical facilities which are functionally sorted into three groups to provide a degree of protection against error or misuse, and to increase flexibility and operation c onvenience : 1. Network control facilities 2. Supervisory control facilities 3. Technical control facilities

Figure 2 - Simplified System Block Diagram

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System Functions The prec ise range of serv ices performed by an AEROPP system w ill depend upon networ k requireme nts, the numbe r of user groups invo lved, and the system configuration. In general terms, an AEROPP I system is capab le of analyzing , formatting and routing A FTN, OPMET and METEO (WM O) traffic automatically in acco rdance with t he appli cable !CAO and WMO specifications while A EROPP II can also p rovide MOTNE loop co ntrol and bulle;in co mpil ation system-supported air/ ground services, CIDIN med ium-speed data ope ratio n and subsc ri ber station fac ilities o n

J.IJJdl.

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ci rc uit-switchin g networks.

System Configuration A typ ica l DS-714 instal lation f or an A EROPP system c omprises two control sect io ns, generally referred to as processors X and Y, and an array of input/output eq uipment available for use by either processor. One of the two processors is norm ally handling traffic, w hi le th e othe r is in hot stand-by.

Incoming messages are received by the dupli cated communi cat ion multip lexers, which send t hem to the co re memori es of the two ce ntra l processors. Th e stand-by processo rs executes only the port io n of the system prog ram which is required to ensure duplicate storage of incomi ng data. For data w hi ch require safe in-transit storage two fixed-head disc subsystems operate in parallel on the same processor. A d isc fai lure therefo re has no effect on system operation. If the on-line processo r fai ls, both disc subsystems are auto matically t ransfe rred to the stand-by processo r by means of a hig h-speed channel switch.

Both central processo rs are equipped with ch anne l units for the transfer of data to and from the high-speed peripheral sto rage

30

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NOTES: 1. Low- and medium-speed multiplexing fac ilities s hown are typical for AEROPP II. Jn an AEROPP I system. these lacilities would be provided by a MJXMUX. 2. Unbracketed numbers are typi cal quantities for AEROPP 1 systems: numbers in brackets are t ypical for AEROPP II 3 c::::::J A EROPP 11 only c::::::JOptional

:(II

1. The network control facilities exercise control over the various services provided by the centre, and afford a means for correction of messages. The number of devices (teleprinter or visual display units) required to carry out these functions will depend on the number of interactions and the required dedication in the case of more than one user network.

2. The supervisory control facilities supervise the system hardware, and receive the operational and traffic reports produced by the system either automatically or as a result of a request from the operating staff. The large number of system, status request and service commands available to the supervisory staff, and the sophisticated reporting facility, represent the applicatio n of extensive telecommunications experience. The interface is supported by stored-program routines which analyse, execute and confirm the supervisor's commands.

Functions can be grouped on the same devices (teleprinter or VDU) in accordance with staff availabi lity and operating convenience.

3. The technical control facilities provide access to the system hardware and software for such functions as start-up, processor monitoring, test-program input, program development, etc.

The position typically includes the following devices : Processor Control Unit (visual display unit) 8-Unit Teleprinter with keyboard Paper Tape Punch and Reader Message Logging and Retrieval In order to satisfy retrieval requests, messages are logged on disc subsystems for fast (short-term) retrieval , and on magnetic tape for long-term retrieval.

Statistics The generation and accumulation of statistics for·· reporting purposes occurs at a number of levels within the AEROPP systems, and includes two distinct categories of information: (a) On-line statistics as a set af counter and status indicators are sent by the on-line processor to the report printer either on demand or on a regular basis. (b) Off-line statistics are generated by means of a set off-line program s used to create statistics tapes from raw data produced by the on-line processor

Figure 3 - Integration of Flight-Plan Processing AEROPPI

FLIGHT-PLAN PROCESSING SYSTEM

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'l=:J' L - - .J

Visual display un1 t( sJ

Up to 6 fhght· prog ress stnp printers o r Elecuon:c Dala Displays

with alphan umeric keyboard

System Maintenance The philosophy applied in the AEROPP systems is based on achieving optimum maintainability by incorporating extensive fault location and isolation capability within the system itself, and providing for the deferment of on-site repair by using rapidly replaceable units and equ ipm ent modules. Procedures and supporting documentation have been developed in such a way that maintenance technicians with a minimum of technical training, or even operating personnel , can carry out corrective maintenance quickly and effectively without the assistance of a specialized technician. In most situations an on-call service which may be provided by Philips will satisfy the maintenance requirement.

Training In addition to complete installation, maintenance and any programming services which may be required, training courses are availab le for all aspects of management, programming, operatio ns and maintenance. Courses are normally conducted at the Philips facility, but if the training is to be operational , it is gene rally done on the actual system as installed on-si te.

Telecommunications Network Engineering Availability The availabi lity figure of a DS-714 installation for the AEROPP systems, derived from the level of redundancy and the stringent design and manufacturing criteria, is better than 99.999 %.

The professional skills and experience of Philip"s engineering staff, demonstrated in applications ranging from small centres to so me of the world 's largest and most complex message and switching networks, are available to assist customers in the engineering, operation and administrative aspects of network design, and in the development of procedural techniques which wi ll take full advantage of the flexibility, speed and traffic handling capacity of the AEROPP system s.

•

Flight-Plan Processing The AEROPP systems have the unique capability of integration with flight-plan processing equipment. Using data from both local and A FTN inputs the system automatically produces either fl ight progress strips or alternatively presents the information on electronic data displays as appropriate.

A service position utilizing a visual display unit may be used tor checking and correction of flight-plan messages received via the AFTN and entering of local inputs, as shown in Figure 3.

In addition to increased efficiency. integrating the flight-plan process ing with the message switching function provides automatic logging of all inputs and outputs on magnetic tape, and thus produces a permanent record of flight-plan transactions.

The flight-plan processing system can be suppli ed in configurations of varyi ng sophistication . The necessary interfaces and the software required are components of the standard AEROPP system s, and the flight-p lan processing function may therefore be incorporated into the cent re with maximu m economy.

AGE 60 PILOT RETIREMENT SAFETY MATTER: Analysis of point retirement at age 60, issued recently by Air Transport Association, says issue is not matter of age discrimination but of safety. ATA believes safety of flying public co uld be compromised if Congress overturns FAA rule. Analysis notes both ATA and FAA have pointed out there are "sig nificant differences of opinion " in the medical field as to whether effects of ag ing can be detected reliably by medical examinations as proposed in the legislat ion. Age 60 as mandatory retirement age was adopted in 1959 based on medi cal opinion and studies. At the time. FAA safety authorities recognized probability incapac itation i ncreases wi th age and medical science could not then predict likel ih ood of incapacitation with enough accuracy to allow pilots to fly past age 60, according to the report.

31

..--y

FLYING

..:- ..

From Power to Manual

The "Albatross" over the British Channel.

Could it be destiny, chance or coincidence that the world's flying pioneers have had some kind of relationship with bicycles?

The Wright brothers, C lement Ader, Glenn Hammond Curtiss and finally this year's flyer Californian cyclist Bryan Allen, all dealt with bicycles in one way o r another.

America's Gossamer Albatross team o n June 12 this year wrote themselves into hi story by achieving the first manpowered flight from England to France exactly 76 yea rs after the first powered f light was registered in aviation history by the Wright brothers near the Kill Devil Sand Hill, North Caro lina.

After pedalling his fli msy aeroplane for nearly three hours at about 75 RPM giving him an average speed of 10 MPH, Californ ian raci ng cycl ist Bryan Allen touched down on a small sandy beach north of Cap Griz Nez, France.

Bryan took off shortly after dawn below the chalky cliffs of Folkestone in his strange looking structure, something like a dragonfly, with diaphanous wings spanning to 96 feet. The strange looking monster which weighed not more than 75 lbs won the American team £ 100,000 prize money offered by the British businessman Henry Kremer. The press, at the time, gave wide publicity to the event and some looked at the whole affair with humour, as for example a British cartoonist sh owed a frenchman exclaiming: "mon dieu, there really must be a fue l shortage in England. " Could this be a constructive illustration towards a solution of the fuel problem? Time only will tell.

Although numerous attempts have been made, and continue to be carried out by enthusiasts of manual powered flying, this latest achievement of Bryan Allen provides an exce ll ent opportunity to run through history and see the achievements of the first-ever flyers, for the benefit of the readers of THE CONTROLLER. However, before we go into such detail let us briefly examine how a nd why manual-powered flying has been promoted by organizations and individuals alike. It is suggested by some that the enhancement of thi s kind of adventurous flying had been caused ~Y H enry Kremer's £100,000 prize money which was deservedly claimed, as stated above, by the Gossamer Albatross.

This may be the main reason for the encouragement of such flights though challenge may be the most reasonable answer, that is a chal lenge similar to sailing. Engines drive boats faster just as planes fly with the power of the engines.

/

l1·~ .

32

-

I

Icarus Whenever anyone examines flying historically one is compelled to be sent back into history, as far back to Greek mythology to Daedalus and Icarus; the latter's wings melted and fell into the sea on his return trip to Athens from Crete. Leonardo Da Vinci is also said to have made an unsuccessful attempt to fly, followed by Page and Moore, then the Peugeot competition, the Lippisch competition and so on, until the first "Man-Powered Aircraft Group of the Royal Aeronautical Society" was founded in 1959. Through this Group, the Kremer competition gave the necessary impetus for world-wide activity and projects were announced in many countries with two outstanding ones, one from Japan with a "Stork B" aircraft which achieved in January, 1977, a record distance of 2094 and from the United States the Gossamer Condor (same designer as that of Gossamer Albatross Pau l Mccready, aeronautical engineer from Pasadena, California) w hich won the £50,000 Kremer prize money in August of the same year.

The statement made earlier that manual-powered flying is being motivated by sheer adventure may easily be overruled by Orville Wright's statemen t that, "if we worked on the assumption th at what is accepted as true is really true, there would be l ittle hope for advance." In fact this philosophy seems to have guided him and his brother Wilbur into the construction of the first-ever powered aircraft.

This latter sophistication gives me the j ust ification to escape from the temptat ion to continue with these modern adventurists advocating "aged ideas" such as manual flying and return to the objectives of this artic le - flyi ng pioneers.

The First Flights in powered Heavier-than-Air Aircraft Exactly 76 years ago, i. e. on the 17th December 1903, the first powered-fl ight of an aeroplane was effected, though in a very much different way than what th e world had witnessed six months ago when the Albatross crossed the Channel; there was ~o ~elevis~on or press to cover this history-making event. Indeed 11 will be impossible for anyone to describe the most magnificent moment in aviation hi story other than the person who s uccessfully executed the first-ever powered flight. Orville Wright s hortly after the ~vent wrot~ to the Aeronautical Society of Great Britain.

Quoting from his letter, published in the Society's Journal, April 1904: "· · · the first flight was short. The succeeding flights rapidly in creased in length and at the fourth trial a flight of 59 seconds was made, in which time the machine flew more than half a mi le through the air and a distance of 852 feet over the ground. "

The Wright Brothers The "Flyer" was the first powered heavier-than-air-aircraft to fly. Following an unsuccessful attempt by Wilbur on the 4th December, Orville managed to put th e " Flyer" into the air and kept

it airborne for 12 seconds covering a distance of a little more than 36 meters - a distance about half the lenght of a Jumbo.

Not until after four years the Wrights first flew their "Flyer" at Kitty Hawk did anyone compare their flying endurance with that which the American flyers achieved.

By 1907, the Wrights man aged to keep themselves airborne for 38 minutes until Wilbur achieved a reco rd flying time of 2 hours and 20 minutes on the 31st December, 1908, over France. By then, Wilbur created also a world altitude record of 110 meters (360 ft).

Louis Bleriot Not very long after, in 1909, came the adventurous yet courageous Louis Bler iot w ho lacked the patience of the Wright Brothers and in consequence acq uired a reputation for his repeated and spectacular crashes. These crashes in fact were not suffici ent ground to stop Bleriot from his dangerous attempts, finally building up experience which helped him construct his perfected "Bleriot XI", which is basically todays's light aircraft configuration. July 25, 1909, was the big day for Bleriot as well as for the yet-to-be born commercial aviation.

Loui s Bleriot, with providence help, crossed the English Channel from France to England. May be this fact encouraged the British businessman Henry Kremer to declare his £ 100,000 competition for the first man to cross the channel by manual-powered flying.

The great jump of Bleriot marked th e beginning of commercial air travel which we are fortunate to wi tness in its full develop. • ment, today.

"THE FLYER" The first powe red heav ier-than-ai r airc raft to fly.

France offic ially recognised Ader's claim as being the first man to fly by issuing a stamp o n the 50th anniversary of the assumed flight. It shows a twin-en gined plane in f lig ht w ith a ghost-like image of Aders twin-engined " Avion No. 3 " behind it.

Ad er's c lai m as being the first to fly brings another first Glenn Curtiss, t he man who built the fi rst sea plane, the f irst US navy plane and the first plane w hich crossed the Atlantic.

Like the Wright brothers and Ader, Curtiss was another bicycle make r, whose genius f ou nded aviation. Glenn Hammond Curtiss was born in Hammondspo rt NY, in 1878. After taking over a local bicycle agency , he managed to bu il d a car out of old engine castings which in 1908 won him the first round the wo rld automobile race.

It was in 1907 when Curtiss became inte rested in flying, when he, together with associ ates J. E. Selfridge, J . A. D. Mccurdy and F. W. Codey founded the Aerial Experiment Association .

..ADER 's Avian No 3" - A ghostly image.

The "EOLE" The ach ieve ment of the Wright brothe rs could not have passed through hi story without internati onal contest, disputing the fact that they were really the fi rst to fly a contro lled, powered airc raft. Ge rm any·s Karl Jatho was o ne such instance. However, the strongest claim, ag ainst the Wri ghts, is being put forward by France in favour of Clement Ader as the f irst man ever to fly. The French claim that the first hi storic flight was made at Seine-etMarne, in France by Clement Ader on October 9, 1890. This c laim is made by Charles Dollfus based on material he c ollected and p repared for th e special issue of " ICARE " in spr ing 1974. In th ese papers, Dollfus c laims th at Clement Ade r flew his air machine the "EOLE" in th e park of the Ch ateau d'Arm ainvilliers cove ring a d istan ce over the ground of 50 meters.

Unfortun ate ly for Ade r, his flight was co ndu cted secretly befo re very few witn esses - the inh abitants of the c astl e. The lack of official w itnesses have left some doubts, th ough some facts, such as a text in Patent No. 205-155 of August 1890 gives a descriptio n of the "Eole" , a short non-signed report found amo ngst some papers of Ader, a sworn statement made in 1954 by A lfred Pereire desc ribing the fl ight that he had witnessed in 1890, may prove the asse rtio n.

In me mory of Lou i s B leriot and the Wright brothers the above s tamps were i ssue d by France an d th e USA respectiv e ly

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Solar Power In 1908, Curtiss before official witnesses makes a mile-and-ahalf airborne distance to win a trophy offered by the weekly "Scientific American" for "the first heavier-than-air machine" to fly a distance of one kilometer in a straight line. This victory encouraged Curtiss to compete the following year in France to win again this time the Gordon Bennet speed race with his "Golden Flyer". Curtiss again, in 1910, won the New York "World" newspaper award of $10,000 for flying along Hudson river from Albany to New York in his "Hudson Flyer" at an average speed of 52 MPH. Curtiss is said to be father of naval aviation, being the earliest designer of planes used by the navy, and of the first flying boat,

in 1912. It was Curtiss JN4-D, nicknamed "Jenny" which won him the biggest production for training World-War I pilots.

Coming back to our generation, particularly the end of the year 1979 with its energy crisis and the Albatross event dying away, it seems that posterity will be deprived of another flying pioneer using, this time, solar energy. The Royal Aeronautical Society of Britain has recently been supervising flying tests conducted by a British architect, pilot Dowes, by using solar energy.

Dowes' tests took him until now to circuit flying, but he is optimistic and insists that when he gets sufficient funds he will be able to develop a 60-mile-an-hour plane which will enable him to cross the Atlantic. His prototype looks very much like a glider and is powered with batteries charged by sunlight.

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Introducing IFATCA's New Corporate Members ADB of Belgium History ADB's industrial activity started in 1920 with manufacture of electrical regulating equipment. A long apprenticeship in this part of electrotechnics set the Company towards other activities such as aerodrome lighting and electrification, the development of which really started from 1949 onwards.

The creation of this very specialized field required research into many different kind of technology.

Many years of theoretical and practical studies enabled the company slowly to present to the users a substantial engineering advantage to which few companies are able to lay claim.

To-day, this highly technical field of activity is not only unique in Belgium but is shared with a very few other companies in the world.

AOB, in addition to design engineering, has a thorough opera. al knowledge and thus is in a position to specify the equipt 1on . d h ment best suited for a particular pro1ect an t en to produce it.

Aiming at safety, research has b~en. ~entred upon development f stems offering increased rehab1hty, performance and ease ~f ~:stallation. High quality and reliability are the factors which set the policy.

R ular and constant progress of the Company and its presen;; in all foreign markets is proof ~f the confidence users have placed in ADB ever since it~ foundation.

ADB has obtained the assistance of Dr. .E. S. CALVERT 0.B.E. as its Scientific Adviser. This nam~ ~lone 1s a guarant~e of d" g our engineers and technicians constantly aim at goo d st an m . . ·n· Id 1·19 ht"mg equ1p. · · development and progress m a1 1e g1vmg new . · h' f' Id to their long practical experience m t 1s 1e . · men t th an k s b · · For the user this is the guarantee of always o taming equ1p'th the most recent technical improvements. There are no men t w1 d I . I I b . short cuts taken in our photometric an e ectnca a oratories.

Each new development is subject to patient and careful research and testing. .

ADB treat each new project as a unique and separate problem for which a team of specialists determines the most cost effective solution.

ADB's assistance can begin from preparation of the specifications up to supervision, installation and maintenance of complete projects. As 95 % of ADB's production is for export all over the world, ADB specialists are accustomed to local problems and particular local specifications and standards. As opposed to

34

larger cornpanies, ADB has maintained adaptability which enables the Company to respect particular tender specifications instead of imposing set standards.

ADB also trains technicians from foreign administrations and often welcomes in its factory trainees from all countries of the world.

Production Programme ADB manufactured equipment has been supplied to more than 450 civil and military aerodromes worldwide. ADB VASIS have been installed in more than 80 countries. ADB manufactures, in its own factory, the complete range of day and night lighting systems ·for aerodromes, stolports and heliports. The components of the electrical supply systems as well as those of the control systems and of the fittings are adapted to the latest developments in technology.

Our equipment has been designed to work satisfactorily in all climates and conditions, from the Arctic tundra to the Arabian deserts.

Approach Lighting Systems •

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Elevated or inset lights, uni- or omnidirectional, low or high intensity for non-instrument, instrument approach or precision approach runways, category I, II or Ill. Capacitor discharge light, unidirectional for sequence flashing lights system.

Visual Approach Slope Indicators Visual approach slope indicators used in: •

e • •

two or three-bar, two-colour VASI and AVASI systems.

PAPI (Precision Approach Path Indicator)_ T-VASI and AT-VASI systems.

H-PAPI systems specially developed for heliports and stolports.

Runway Threshold Identification Capacitor discharge light, uni- or omnidirectional for REIL System.

Runway Edge - Runway Threshold & Wlngbar - Runway End - Stopway Elevated or inset lights, high or low intensity for non-instrument, instrument approach or precision approach runways, category I, II or Ill.

Runway Centre Line Inset lights, high intensity, bidirectional.

Runway Touchdown Zone Inset lights, high intensity, unidirectional.

Beacons and Signals

e • e e

Aerodrome Beacon.

Heliport Beacon.

Identification Beacon flashing morse signals provided by an electronic coder.

Illuminated Landing Tee. Illuminated Wind Cone.

Taxiway Edge

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Elevated o:- inset lights, low or medium intensity, omnidirectional for taxiway serving non-instrument, instrument approach or precision approach runways category I, II or Ill.

Ground Guidance and Signalling

Taxiway Centre Line - Stop Bars - Clearance Bars Medium intensity inset lights, uni- or bidirectional for taxiways serving non-instrument, instrument approach or precision runways category I, II or Ill. Emergency or portable Lighting • •

e

• • • •

e

Elevated transformer/light, low intensity, omnidirectional.

Battery operated light, omnidirectional, low intensity.

Visual approach slope indicators.

Portable constant current regulators.

Wooden cases for storage of transformer/lights with their mounting accessories.

Trailers with cable drums.

Airfield lighting cables fitted with moulded plugs and sockets.

Diesel generating sets.

For the control of vehicular traffic on airfield and guidance of aircraft: Traffic lights.

Distance panels.

Taxiway guidance signs.

Obstruction Day Marking and Lighting Day marking sphere for overhead lines.

Single or double obstruction light for marking of towers or other obstructions to air traffic. Hazard beacon flashing signals provided by an electronic coder.

Remote Control Desks - Control Panels & Medium Voltage Switchboards All the remote control desks, panels and switchboards are generally made up to meet the particular requirement of each airport.

ADB engineering versatility and many years of practical experience enable ADB to meet the most exacting demands.

Size, shape and finish of the sheetwork required as well as the components to be housed can all be catered for.

Heliport Lighting The wohle system consists of: Marking of perimeter.

Surface or relief marking.

• Landing direction marking.

• Approach lighting.

Floodlighting of the landing area.

• Visual Approach Slope Indicators (H-PAPI).

• Illuminated wind cone.

• Heliport beacon.

• Obstruction lighting.

• Constant current regulators and isolating transformers.

e e

e

Isolating Transformers Th~se t~ans.formers insulate the lighting fitting from the H.~. primary series c~rc1.11t and ensure the continuity of the primary loop m case of lamp failure. These transformers are fully protected in a polychl.oroprene-moulded sheath. The primary and secondary cables are an integral part of the transformer body.

Plugs and Receptacles - Junction Accessories • • • •

Polychloroprene plugs and receptacles moulded on one or two-core cables.

Watertight couplings.

Connector kits: sets allowing easily installed plugs and receptacles for bulk cable.

Double junction box for series system airfield lighting cables.

Specifications ADB manufactures equipment compliyng with various international specifications, both civil (FAA, ICAO) and military (NATO, STANAG, MIL).

FAA appro~al is, for the customer, a guarantee of quality, performance and adapt1on of the equipment to their needs. ADB is the first non American manufacturer whose products have been FAA approved.

ADB equipment is also approved for use by other national aviation authorities, both civil and military.

Engineering A.~B ~an offe.r a complete design service, preparation of drawin~~· s~e­ c1f1~at1ons, bill~ of quantities for aerodrome lighting and electnf1cat1on pro1ects. ADB expertise allied to the quality of their products an.d respect for delivery terms has led ADB to become the world leaders in this very specialized field.

Recent contracts awarded to ADB have included not only the airport and heliport lighting equipment but also the design and supply of equipment for complete electrific~tion, viz: • Main power supply 11 kV network including underground power distribution.

•

generators.

Low voltage power supply by underground network.

Solid state uninterruptible power supply systems. .

Remote control and monitoring of H.V. and L.V. distribution.

• Apron floodlighting.

Street lighting of the whole complex. t . . . public address sys em.

• Fire detection. visual and acoustic alarms, d . · 1 • Quartz controlled master clocks and distribution up to an me usive

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Mounting Systems

e e

For all elevated and inset lights, ADB has the appropriate mounting systems:

e

• • •

Conduit elbow to be sealed in a concrete block.

Galvanized steel bases.

Anchor stakes.

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sa.fety masts (type SMIA) for installation for approach lights at heights from 2 to 25 m.

Power supply (Diesel driven generators) up to 5 MW.

9 «No-break» and «Short-break.. supply by means of Diesel driven

•

of all slave clocks. . . the prime generators, 400 Hz and 28 V DC supply to aircraft including rtin rectifiers. Etc ... special underground distribution cables and sta g etc ...

Constant Current Regulators - Circuit Selectors - Auxiliary Equipment •

• • •

Const.ant current regulators for the supply and control of brilliancy of series circuit airfield lighting.

- Step~by-step brightness control (Type NBF).

- C~ntinuous brightness control (Type SCF) FAA approved.

- Bng.htness controlled by thyristors (Type TCC) special model de~1gned for feeding small circuits i.e. heliports, portable lighting, hehdecks, stolports, etc ...

Circuit selectors for the alternate or simultaneous supply of one or more series circuits utilising only one constant current regulator.

Earth Fault Detector for series circuits. Indicates the existence of an earth fault and shows the approximate location.

Burnt-out Lamp Detector Alarm indicates when a certain percentage of lamps in a series circuit have failed.

Installation and Maintenance · · . · a job for specialists. ADB's Installing an airport lighting system is . . ce in this field engineers have extensive a~d varied practical ex~e~~~iency anywher~ 0 Their teams can operate with the same degree. the best advic in the world and are highly qualified so as to give you e in all circumstances.

THE PACKAGE SYSTEM This is most often justified because aerodrome lighting and electrification systems are particularly specialised. . .

The aviation authority often prefers to deal 1ust with one company who will undertake complete responsibility for installation.

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Goodwood Data Systems Limited Goodwood Data Systems Limited develops and manufactures airport information processing systems for air traffic control, weather forecasting and passenger movement.

Goodwood systems are now in use at international airports at Montreal, Quebec; Toronto, Ontario; Ottawa, Ontario; Winnipeg, Manitoba; Edmonton, Alberta; and Vancouver, British Columbia.

The following INFOCOM systems provide realtime display of airport navigational aid status and weather conditions.

The Operational Information Display System (OIDS) keeps air traffic control abreast of critical fligth control data from a wide variety of remote and local sources. Categories of information are assembled as sets of pages which are accessible by means of keypacks and video display screens.

The Status and Meteorological System (SMS) collects, processes and formats vital meteorological and flight status data for display, as required by key airport personnel. SMS is equipped for both on-line and off-line diagnostic routines and contains fault alarm and recording mechanisms.

The Flight Information Display System (FIDS) provides air terminal passengers and personnel with scheduling and routing information. In addition to obvious passenger benefits, FIDS reports directly to operations and administration personnel with information concerning terminal traffic patterns.

The NETCOM system provides a modular store and forward system for Aeronautical Fixed Telecommunications Network (AFTN) and World Meteorological Organization data as an integrated part of other systems or as a stand-alone.

The Flight Strip Processing and Display System separates the flight plan processing, printing, display and transmission as a stand-alone feature. It allows a modern, low-cost flight strip printing system and is a step forward to flight plans on cathode ray tubes.

The Weather Radar Display and Forecasting System provides the basis of a regional forecast centre or search/rescue centre in

the display of current rain situations and a three-hour forecast for runway conditions.

The Satellite Weather Processing and Forecasting System provides the basis of an integrated weather system into an enroute control centre. The modules of coverage of 2000 km/1600 km with rain delineation to 4 km or 8 km.

SATCOM is a remote maintenance monitoring system for I LS, TACAN and radars and may be used as stand-alone or integrated into the weather collection system for centralized status reporting.

Goodwood manufactures the following key components of systems: GDS 300 Cluster Controller GDS 366 Multi-Channel Intelligence Terminal GDS 400 Terminal GDS 2700 Data Acquisition Unit GDS 232C Serial Data Communications Analyzer GDS 8000 Distributed Processing Elements In. addition, Goodwood provides expert personnel services for: (a) program management (b) system design and configuration (c) software (d) training (e) full documentation (f) installation and field maintenance (g) complete quality assurance program In 1975, the employees of the Computer Products Division of l.P. Sharp Associates bought out the division and formed Goodwood Data Systems Ltd. as an employee-owned company.

Goodwood has maintained a profitable position in the last three years. Most recent product developments have included the AFTN and Flight Plan processing.

Quality products and systems have now established Goodwood as a recognized and competent supplier of airport information systems throughout the world

News from Corporate Members Cossor Electronics Limited CAA Order more Monopulse lnterprogators from Cossor The Civil Aviation Authority has exercised an option to order eleven secondary surveillance radar interrogators from Cossor ~le~tronics. The interrogators will incorporate monopulse direction finding techniques for bearing measurement and follow an initial order for nine announced in May. The value for the total order of 20 is approximately ÂŁ1.4 million.

The eleven interrogators will, like the first nine, form part of th~ major Air Traffic Control Radar Replacement Programme being undertaken in the United Kingdom by the Civil Aviation Authority. However, whereas most of the first nine are to be installed at new sites, all eleven interrogators in the second part of the order will be installed at existing sites to update present systems.

The interrogators will be fitted in pairs, to form dual systems at St. Annes, Clee Hill and Lowther Hill, with one fitted at Blatchley for trials and testing. They will be replacing Cessor 5G secondary radar interrogators which have been in service since the mid-sixties The Cessor SSR 700 interrogators at Burrington and Stornoway will also be replaced.

36

The new interrogator will be the Cessor SSR 950, a new equipment based on the existing CEL 850, but with a monopulse facility and the additional advantages of side lobe suppression in both the receive and interrogate modes, reflection suppression and programmable gain time control.

Installation of the full 20 systems is scheduled to commence in mid-1981.

Mon~pulse has been selected because it offers greater accuracy of bearing measurement than present secondary surveillance radars an important factor in the future in controlling increased densities of traffic. At present aircraft bearing is determined from the number of transponder replies received from the aircraft as it is swept by the antenna beam of the ground station interrogator. Its position is then calculated as being the centre of the received replies. The method can lead to error if the transponder replies are lost or interrupted by those from other aircraft.

Monopulse helps to ovecome the problems. By using two antenna patterns and more advanced digital processing techniques, it can determine an aircraft bearing from a single transponder reply. Because it does not rely on an 'average' calculation, interference from other aircraft is very significantly reduced, and in addition it reduces the need to interrogate as frequently.

Monopulse has been tested and proven as part of ADSEL, the selective address system that Cossor Electronics is developing, with the Civil Aviation Authority, as a future air traffic control system. As this order indicates, monopulse can be incorporated into present day

secondary radar systems with no changes to the existing airborne transponders, and likewise these new installations will be capable of expansion to ADSEL in due course.

Hollandse Signaalapparaten B. V. New Facilities for Eurocontrol's International Air Traffic Control Centre Maastricht EUROCONTROL, the European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation, has awarded an important contract to the Netherlands company Hollandse Signaalapparaten B.V., for the renewal of the operator input and display system (ODS) in EUROCONTROL's Maastricht Upper Area Control Centre (UAC).

The contract which is worth just over D.FI. 19,5 million provides for a phased replacement of the existing ODS of the Maastricht Centre's most effective automated data processing and display system known as MADAP. The ODS provides the interface between the man and the machine. It enables the air traffic controller to input messages and to call down information for presentation on synthetic radar displays and tabular display units to give a complete view of the current air traffic situation.

The present display system, ordered originally in 1968, has reached its limits in terms of display capacity. Its replacement, which includes the installation of a stand-by radar processor to augment the level of system reliability and the interfacing and integrating with the central computer complex of the existing MADAP system, has to be effected in the context of maintaining the Maastricht UAC fully operational. This project is expected to extend over a period of 31/2 years.

The display which will be driven by Philips P 857 minicomputers with 256 K bytes of MOS memory will present a bright synthetic picture suitable for operation at a high level of ambient lighting. The viewing units, as ordered, are for monochrome operation but the system is being designed to allow a later transition to colour presentation should this prove operationally advantageous in the future.

The Maastricht UAC, located at the South Limbourg Airport in the Netherlands, and one of the world's most advanced ATC centres, is at present responsible for the provision of air traffic services to general air traffic in the upper airspace over Belgium, Luxembourg and the Northern part of the Federal Republic of Germany.

International Air Carrier Association Air Berlin Joins IACA Air Berlin USA has been accepted by the International Air Carrier Association (IACA) as an associate member. The airline, which is based at Tegel airport in West Berlin, operates B-707s and its main activity is passenger charter transport in Europe, mainly to the Mediterranean Basin and North Africa.

We recall that the members of IACA are: Aviogenex (Yugoslavia); Con air (Denmark); Euralair (France); lnex Adria Airways (Yugoslavia); Maersk Air (Denmark); PanAm (United States); Quebecair (Canada); Spantax (Spain); Starline (Italy); Sterling Airways (Denmark); TAE (Spain); Transavia Holland (Netherlands); Trans International Airlines (United States) and World Airways (United States).

Philips Aviation Facilities Upgrading in Paraguay Expanded Philips' Telecommunications has received an expansion order of her turnkey project in Paraguay for the amount of approximately 3.5 million Dutch Guilders (more than 1.5 million US Dollars). The order includes communications equipment, navigational aids, a power supply for Asuncion airport, mobile radio and a paging system and more ATC-recording channels.

Philips Awarded 10 Million Guilder SITA Contract Philips Telecommunications has been awarded a contract to provide message and data switching equipment and related peripherals worth approximately 10 million Dutch guilders (5 million U.S. Dollars) to SITA - the Societe lnternationale Telecommunications Aeronautiques. The contract encompasses an addition to existing SITA switching equipment in New York as well as extensions of Philips switching equipment in the London and Frankfurt SITA centres. The New York, London and Frankfurt locations are part of the nine-centre, "high-level" packet-switching net¡work operated by SITA, of which two additional centres, Paris and Amsterdam, also employ Philips switching equipment. The SITA network is utilized by over 200 airlines for distribution of operational data ranging from flight schedules and passenger reservations to information on lost and found luggage.

The centre in New York will be equipped with the latest, most powerful version of Philips DS-714 switching system - the Mark 111/81 - a dual processor configuration with 172K words of memory and associated peripherals. Nine multiplexers will also be supplied capable of handling the 9600 bps connections to the high-level network and TOM equipment as well as for control of low-speed circuits to satellite SITA computers in North and South America which form part of the "low-level" SITA network.

The primary application of the system will be handling the centre's sharply increasing volume of "Type A" traffic - typically, enquiry-response transactions between airline offices or travel agencies and central reservations computers. The system will also be partly responsible for routing the centre's "Type B" (teleprinter) traffic. The DS-714 system will be installed during 1979 and is expected to be operational by the beginning of 1980. In London and Frankfurt, the capacity of the Philips DS-714 processors employed by the centres will be extended with the addition of medium-speed multiplexing equipment (five multiplexers for London and six for Frankfurt) together with storage discs and other peripherals. All units are duplicated. The extensions to the systems are scheduled to be operational by the first quarter of 1980 and are also designed to handle increased enquiry-response (Type A) traffic.

Selenia SpA Mexican ATC Contract Selenia of Italy has recently been awarded a major Air Traffic Control System contract for the north-west part of Mexico, the Mazatlan centre. This new contract was won by Selenia after the successful completion of the acceptance test of the Selenia ATCR-33 S-band radar in Mexico City. The radar is installed in a very difficult radar environment with very heavy ground clutter.

The TMA radar contract was awarded to Selenia in 1978 and the radar was turned into operation in July this year.

Phase I of the new project, valued about 10 Million US Dollars, consists of an ATC radar system with distributed intelligence, i. e. dual-channel Selenia manufactured minicomputers wherever computing power is required. The system includes a radar head with a dual channel ATCR-22 Long-range L-band primary radar, a dual-channel all-solid-state SIR secondary radar, and a dual channel PTS radar head processor and narrow-band transmission system.

The computing power includes dual channel radar data and flight plan processor, plus a display processor in each display.

All processors in the entire system are the Selenia designed and manufactured NDC-160 minicomputers.

Furthermore, the system includes strip printers, disk units and other peripheral equipment.

The system approach, with distributed intelligence, is believed to be the most cost-effective available to-day.

This brings the total sales of Selenia ATC Primary Radars up to 260 radar channels and the number of ATC systems to 65. spread over the whole world.

37

News from the Federation Taking a Chance At the London Executive Board Meeting in June last the Board were taken in surprise when they found themselves attending a London Branch meeting of the United Kingdom Guild of ATCOs with one single agenda item - IFATCA. The meeting had not been prearranged to coincide with the presence of the Board in London - it was simply accidental.

The meeting took place outside London in one of the lecture rooms of Rolls Royce's establishments. It was, as anticipated, a perfectly organized meeting with a most capable chairman, Gordon Dogget, and main speakers on the IFATCA Conferences, Ian Finlay on Committee A, Walter Pye on Committee B, Peter Wilde on Committee C and Bob Adderley, Software Sciences, on technical matters and panel.

Gordon Dogget, eloquently presented IFATCA's functions using illustrations as well as documents in support. The orga-

nisers or the meeting very humbly made mention of the guild's participation in the Federation's work, but avoided to elaborate the importanr.e of their involvement and of course the amount of work and the benefit other Member Associations derive from the Guild's wide experience particularly in technical matters.

Standing Committee I, which is the major, if not the only provider of technical studies at annual IFATCA Conferences has been chai red since the Guild's affiliation by Guild members such as Arnold Field, OBE, and now by John Saker. The Guild 's contribution, under the IFATCA flag, to ICAO has always been appreciated and on many occasions, where air traffic control matters were the issue, IFATCA's opinion was adopted.

The London Branch of the British Guild deserves to be congratulated for this initiative to inform its members of IFATCA and its work in the international community and their example is worth following by other associations. The Board left a perfectly organised meeting, wiser and impressed.

The IFATCA Executive Board Meeting in Tunis WOULD IT BE PARAMARIBO? ,..~ . ~ ),

-

The Board In session.

For the fi rst t ime in the Federation 's history the postal bal lot - under its Constitution it can only be used in emergency cases - will be used to solve a major problem and relieve the Exec utive Board from its dilemma, i. e. whether or not IFATCA '80 would take place in Suriname, the country where the Directors at the B russels Annual Conference confi rmed it to be held . An unfortunate development which was in fact building up since well before the Brussels Conference, eventually to materialise into an enigma that no one could foresee its outcome.

The decision to use the posta l b allot was taken by the Executive Board of IFATCA at its October scheduled meeting, which was held from the 23rd to the 26th at the Office Des Ports Aeriens de Tunisie (OPAT) . With an ever increased agenda the Board dealt with s uch items, in ad d ition to normal administrative issues, as the Italian Controllers' claim for civilianization, lack of navig ation fac ilities in the Sudan and the Sudanese Controllers' action, the IFATCA reg ions, relationsh ip with national and international organizations, etc. There cou ld have been no better cho ice of venue for the Board and no better opportunity to w itness the progress an African country had ach ieved in aviation a nd aviation safety in 38

particular. The entire African Continent, was thought, is the most neglected area with regard to navigation facilities and lacked properly organized civil aviation training centers. But in this very vast and very neglected continent, the presence of a leadercountry becomes more noticeable and indeed more impo rtant.

Tunisia, one may confidently claim, is such a leader in the civil aviation field with facilities that other cou ntries will envy (Because in THE CONTROLLER issue 1/BO the Tunisian Av iation wi ll be covered in a comprehensive article no further details will be given in th is).

Because of the fact that IFATCA's Annual Conferences are normally considered as the most outstanding events in the Federation's life which culminate the year's activities, the agenda for this particular Board meeting was drafted in such a way so as to allow for extra time to consider IFATCA '80, Paramaribo Conference. An Annual Conference is onehundred-per-cent the Host Assoc iation's responsibility, regarding organization and expenditure, with the Federation subsidizing where this may be deemed necessary. A venue for an Annual Confe rence is proposed by the Host Association at least two years before the Conference will take place with the Directors' provisional approval to be confirm ed one year after. With Param aribo the procedure was adhered to and Surinamese Controllers' sizeable presence at the Bru ssels 1979 Conference encouraged a unanimou s "Go-ahead " to them, desp ite the hidden doubts in the Treasurer's Report to the Conference o n his visit to Suriname. These doubts, on matters such as transpo rtation of delegates to and from Suriname, cost, hotel accommodation, exhibition space, secretariat facilities, etc., became more obvio us as time passed by and the Host Association could not come up with any concrete information that the Board could furnish Member Associations. The Host Association undertakes to meet with certain dates on certain matters and if these are not met the Board puts pressure on the organise rs for action.

A second member of the Board, this time the Vice-President Administration was sent to Suriname for an on-the-spot investigation of the progress so far. The Vice-President's Report largely agreeing with that of the Treasurer, was c ons idered at the meeting, hence the postal ballot. The Conference, unless shifted to another place by the postal ballot, is schedu led to be held at the Torarica Hotel, Paramaribo from the 5th to the 9th May, 1980. Together with the ball ot sheets, Member Assoc iations are given the full facts available to the Board so far and upon these they are asked to exercise their discretion. Should there be a favouring vote

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The President, the Board decided, will visit during the next two or three months Member Associations in Central America and Sri Lanka.

Visits and Courtesy Calls

Mr. Haissa (second from the left). Chief ACC. taking the Board around at Tunis ACC.

against the confirmed venue, the alternative one could be Toronto, Canada. Ballot sheets should be with the Executive Secretary, the latest, on the 30th of November. Though not expressly provided for, under these special circumstances, in the Federation's Constitution, it may reasonably be presumed that a simple majority vote will decide the issue.

Relief The Italian Controllers marathorr struggle to resolve their problems, major of which are the civilianization of air traffic controllers from the military ranks, the updating of equipment, salaries, etc., seems to have come to an end. Following a strike by the Italian controllers in Octobe r and their threat for a mass resignation from air traffic control to another area of employment in the military service, the Italian Government, through its President, promised to satisfy the controllers' claims "in full" and for this a special Ministerial ad hoe committee was established.

IFATCA has repeatedly found itself involved in the whole issue and on many occasions members of the Board fo und themselves in Rome negotiating with Government officials. The Italian controllers long term struggle adopted various methods of action such as flow control restrictions over Italian airspace, threats of mass resignation, etc., to achieve their aim. The appointment, last year, of a Parliamentary Committee to study and resolve th e controllers' problems in Italy proved to be a very slow process, which resulted in a more definite and stronger action by the controllers in Octobe r. The Brussels Conference of IFATCA, had resolved that " the Federation should express its strong concern on the inadequate military air traffic control system and conditions existing in Italy," and charged the Executive Board to take all possible steps to bring about a civil air traffic control system in Italy.

Though , until the Tunis Board meeting no detailed information cou ld be made available, the expressed thanks of appreciation by an Italian controller when he spoke to the Executive Secretary on the phone from the Roma ACC, when the Board members were visiting the Tunis ACC. is sufficient indication of a favourable ag reement for the Italian controllers.

As it is customary, the Board meets with the local association 's executive before Board Meetings start and visits to Officials are arranged. Tunis, being no exception, enabled the Board of IFATCA to meet with the Director-General of Civil Aviation Mr. Moncef Ayadi and OPAT's Director-General, Mr. Mohamed Hedi Merchaoui; the latter's organization been responsible for the airports, air traffic services and other relevant facilities. The Board visited the very modern and new Aviation Academy which is situated about twenty kilometers outside Tunis at the Borj El Amri Airport, the Tunis ACC and the Control Tower, which are housed into ultramodern buildings.

The Executive Committee of the Tunisian Air Traffic Controllers' Association (TATCA) during their meeting with the Board explained the way civil aviation authorities function in Tunisia and also the problems which the Association faces as a body as well as members individually. Because of the present system of scaling of salaries the controller's status was not been given proper recognition. Answering to Preside nt Harri Henschler's comments on the issue, the Director-General Mr. Merchaoui said that "one does not always achieve what may be logical".

Doubtless to say in co nclusion that the Tunis Meeting was a very successful one, both with regard to the work done by the Board at sessions as well as with regard to contacts with aviation officials in Tunis.

* Carlos Olmos Mendoza The New Regional Councillor for North and Central America Carlos Olmos MENDOZA of Mex ico is the new Regional Councillor for North and Central American Region succeeding Bill Robertson of Canada.

Other Agenda Items "The Controller" cha nging of printing houses was left to be decided at the next Board Meeting, which is planned to be held in Rome next February. Such a change is found to be necessitated by the high costs of printing in Frankfurt which, unavoidably will lead the Board to increase subscription and advertising rates .

The Vice-President Technical was asked to visit the ICAO HQ and the Organization's President, Dr. Kotaite, with whom an appointmen t was fixed during the last week in November.

41-year-o ld Carlos is a well known personality within IFATCA for his activity in the Federation¡s affairs nationally and internationally. He was born in Real del Mo nte, Mexico, where he received his primary education, later on to col lege in Mexico City 1960 sees young Carlos as a cadet co ntroller attending his first air traffic control course in Centro Internacional de Adiestramien39

to de Aviacion Civil (CIAAC), the training centre established by ICAO to serve the needs of the Central American and Caribbean states.

Carlos, joined the Air Traffic Services of Mexico in 1963 after giving up his job as station manager of Aero-Mexico in Acap~lco.

Carlos is a founder member of ACTAM, the new Mexican ATCA, now serving as the Association's Secretary on Technical matters and issues ACTAM's Quarterly CONTACTO.

Aircraft Accidents.

His new office in IFATCA will impose no difficulties to Carlos as he had always been Bill's right-hand man in Central America, actively assisting and accompanying Bill on visits to Member Associations in the region. This contact with Member Associations in the area makes Carlos a sui.table substitute being conversant with the region's problems.

THE CONTROLLER wishes Carlos every success in his new ~~

.

This Could Also Happen To Me

Incident reporting provided it is factual and objective, may be described as one of the most effective means of accident prevention.

The more we be~ome aware of the incidents that do occur, the easier It Is for us to Identify the potentials for such occurrence with which we may be involved.

• f th k f I c · g from this issue THE CONTROLLER aims at providing Its readers with such factual mformation or . e sa e o prevent ng ommencm ' · h ' any 1nc1"d en t s th at In their opmlon should be made similar future occurrences and invites readers to report, anonymously If th ey Y/IS available to those whose objective is safety in the air.

O'Hare Airport Accident - October, 1978 American Airlines Flight No. 410 was stopped on the Outer taxiway waiting for traffic to clear so he could proceed to his gate. A food service truck on service- road that crosses the Outer taxiway attempted to pass behind the stopped American B727.

The truck struck the center engine of the aircraft.

At the time of the accident the Inbound Ground Controller heard someone on his frequency say; "Call the equipment, the American in front of me has been hit by Dobbs." Because it was dark, the controller was unable to see the accident so he immediately replied; "Who said that?" The reply was; "This is Braniff XX on the Outer by T-3. The fire department was called within 20 seconds of the first transmission by Braniff. The Braniff jet was eventually towed away from the area because he was unable to taxi clear of the area. After the fire dept. was dispatched the controller said; "American 410 the equipment is on the way." An "OK" was heard for response. It is interesting to note that American 410 never did say anything over the frequency when he was hit.

As best as can be determined, immediately after the impact, smoke entered the rear cabin of the B727. The flight crew started to evacuate onto the wing of the aircraft prior to the emergency chutes being open. Some of those people on the wing jumped to the ground. This is where most injuries occurred. It is also interesting to note that when this started to happen, the Braniff said over the frequency; "American, put your flaps down. People are jumping off the wing."

The controller was immediately relieved. He eventually listened to the tape along with the facility President, and wrote a simple statement. As best as it can be determined that the controller acted calmly and properly. No deviation from procedures has been noted. Up to this date the NTSB has not requested to interview the controller.

This is a common type accident at O'Hare. However, all previous accidents of this type have involved small aircraft. It was at least the fourth ground vehicle/aircraft accident in 1978.

General Aviation Accidents The United States National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) In a safety Information bulletin, issued on May 31, this year, on a study of more than 17,000 general aviation accidents, has raised safety questions for which the aviation industry should seek answers through research and analysis.

In adopting its study, the Board emphasized that it is not "evidence that any of the aircraft are unsafe or that certain of these manufacturers build aircraft that are not safe." The Board 40

said further data which are not yet available must be considered before conclusions can be drawn from the study findings.

The study, which covered accidents involving single-engine, propeller-driven, fixed-wing general aviation (non-airline) aircraft, found that. ..

- The aircraft of one manufacturer, had a mean (average) fatal accident rate that was "significantly lower" than the rates of aircraft built by five other manufacturers.

- Three aircraft types of as many manufacturers accounted for one-third of all in-flight airframe failures, and all three had average airframe failure rates "significantly higher" than the average rate of all aircraft studied.

- Two aircraft types accounted for almost half of the in-flight collisions.

- Tailwheel aircraft had a total accident rate more than double that of tricycle-gear planes, and older aircraft models "appeared to be associated with high rates of fatal and nonfatal accidents."

The Board said that such findings reflect numerous factors.

But "additional research is required by the appropriate governmental agencies and the aircraft manufacturers," the Board said, to determine the influence of the pilot, type of aircraft usage, manner of aircraft operation, and aircraft engineering design and fabrication methods.

The Board was unable to fully analyse pilot factors in the accidents studied because the Federal Aviation Administration does not have comprehensive data on all pilots with which to compare them. The Board said, however, that the pilot was cited as a cause or factor in 86 percent of the total accidents and 90 percent of the fatal accidents which were studied. The airframe was cited in less than 1 percent of all accidents and in 2 percent of fatal accidents.

Noting both the lack of data and the fact that all of the study aircraft meet FAA certification standards for safety, the Board said: "In light of this and the unknown effects of the roles of the pilot, of the weather and terrain, of the operation, maintenance, design and manufacture of these aircraft, the Board does not view this report as a criticism of any manufacturer, and stresses that these findings should not be construed as evidence that any of the ... aircraft are unsafe or that certain manufacturers build aircraft that are not safe."

To obtair. the needed pilot data, the Board recommended that FAA make a "stratified sampling of general aviation pilots" which would provide data on individual flights, including pilot age, occupa~ion, type of license, medical waivers, and both total time and time in type of aircraft.

The Safety Board studied 17,312 accidents, of which 3,517 were fatal accidents causing 6,941 fatalities. Analysis by type of aircraft was limited to the 33 makes and models which numbered

500 or more active aircraft in the 1976 general aviation fleet.

Planes designed for crop-dusting were excluded. The analysis nevertheless covered 80 per cent of the 17,312 toal accidents.

The study showed that Cessna-built aircraft had an average rate of 1.65 fatal accidents per 100,000 hours. The rates of other manufacturers' aircraft were Piper, 2.48; Mooney, 2.50; Beech, 2.54; Grumman 4.13; and Bellanca, 4.84.

"Differences in the pilot groups flying the aircraft manufactured by the Piper Aircraft Corporation and the Cessna Aircraft Company could possibly account for a part or even all of the differences in the fatal accident rates of these two groups of aircraft," the Board said. "Obviously, it would be desirable to learn what unique factors or characteristics associated with the Cessna aircraft, their pilot population, or the operation and usage of the aircraft, including, the environment, contribute to the lower Cessna mean fatal accident rate."

In-flight failure of the airframes of the Bellanca 14-19, Beech Bonanza Model 35 (V-tail), and the Piper PA-24 accounted for about one-third of the 185 such accidents studied. The Bellanca rate of 1.49 airframe failures in every 100,000 hours was eight times the average rate of all 33 aircraft; the Beech rate of 0.58 was three times of the overall average; the Piper rate of 0.42 was more than twice the all-aircraft average.

The Board cited "structural problems," weather, and operation of the aircraft beyond its capabilities as possible causes and factors involved in the in-flight airframe failure findings. Without exposure data, pilot factors could not be assessed, and study of detailed cause/factor tables "provided no immediate answers," the Board said.

In the 196 in-flight collisions studied the Board found that 97 involved either a Cessna 150 or a Pipe~ PA-28. The Board noted that both types are "flown significantly" as trainers, and thus often are in high-density traffic areas. The Board said there was no "strong association with a particular landing gear or wing configuration."

Safety Level in Air Travel Closeto Record High The level of safety achieved in scheduled passenger services !n 1978 was close to the record high safety levels of 1977 according to preliminary information received from ICAO Contracting States.

The ICAO Council in its latest report states that there were ~~ fa~al aircraft accidents in 1978 involving 652 passenger fatalities in scheduled services. The corresponding figures for 1977 were 24 fatal accidents and 516 passenger fatalities. The number of passengers surviving fatal accidents was 592 in 1978 compared with. 169 in 1977. Relating passenger fatalities to the volume of traffic, t~e number of passenger fatalities per 100 million passenger-km increased slightly from 0.07 in 1977 to 0.08 in 1978. The numb~r of fatal aircraft accidents per 100 OOO aircraft hours flown fell sh?htly from 0.18 in 1977 to 0.16 in 1978, and the number of fatal aircraft accid en t s per 100 OOO landings . . declined from 0.24 in 1977 to 0.22 in 1978.

Safety Levels by Type of Aircraft ¡ 'f'1cantly different . f The . safety levels are s1gni for the various types aircr~ft operated on scheduled passenger services. For instance, in turbo-jet aircraft operations, which account for about 95 % of the total volume of scheduled traffic (i.e. passenger-km performed), there were 9 accidents with 450 passenger fatalities.

In turbo-propeller and piston-engined aircraft services which accoun.t for about 5 % of the scheduled traffic volume, the~e were 14 accidents with 202 passenger fatalities. Thus, In spite of the larger number of casualties, the fatality rate for turbo-jet aircraft operations is far lower than for propeller-driven aircraft. This differ~.nce may, to some extent, be explained by the superior reliability of turbojet aircraft, and the fact that the route patterns and the operating environment for turbo-yet aircraft are usually more favourable than for propeller aircraft.

0

Non-scheduled and Charter Flights Compared with 1977, there was also a noticeable decline in the number of passenger fatalities in non-scheduled and charters operations. Data available to ICAO on the safety of non-scheduled passenger operations show that in 1978 there were 30 fatal accidents with 464 passenger fatalities compared to 40 fatal accidents with 832 passenger fatalities in 1977. The main reason for the distinctly high number of passenger fatalities in 1977 was the single most serious accident in the history of civil aviation at Tenerife Airport in the Canary Islands, when two Boeing 747 jets collided resulting in 560 fatalities.

General Aviation Complete statistical information on safety in general aviation operations - that is flying other than scheduled and non-scheduled air transport - is not available on word-wide basis. In 1978, according to preliminary data, general aviation in the United States, which accounts for over 75 % of all general aviation activity in the world, had 741 fatal accidents resulting in 1 525 fatalities. This compares with 658 fatal accidents and 1 281 fatalities in 1977. For the United States in 1978 the rate of fatal general aviation accidents per 180 OOO aircraft hours flown was about 2.2 â&#x20AC;˘ as compared with 2.1 in 1977.

DC-10 "IN" Again A Demonstration of Confidence Back in service after 7 weeks grounding the DC-10 received a spontaneous proof of confidence. The McDonnell Douglas Corporation recently reported a record number of passengers travelling aboard DC-10 tri-jetliners during the month of August 1979.

More than 4.6 million were transported by DC-10s during the 31-day period. This total - the highest for any single month of worldwide DC-10 service - is more than 400,000 or nearly 9 per cent greater than the best previous month, which was last March.

The passenger totals are derived from data supplied by airlines.

Currently 41 airlines are operating a total of 283 of the widecabin McDonnell Douglas DC-10.

During August approximately 150,000 passengers flew in DC-10s daily, compared with 137,000 in 266 DC-10s last March. This means that average daily passenger load per aircraft in August also was greater than in March. Since entering airline service in 1971, the DC-10 has carried more than 233 million passengers.

DC-10s presently serve more cities worldwide (168) with more daily flights (825) than any other wide-cabin jetliner. There are more DC-10s in service with airlines in the United States (140) than any other wide-cabin jetliner.

The DC-10 is manufactured at McDonnell Douglas' Long Beach, California, facilities. With receipt of an order for two DC-10s from Aeromexico in September, McDonnell Douglas had booked firm orders for 346 commercial DC-10s and conditional orders and options for 53 others, bringing the overall total to 399 aircraft of which 290 had been delivered.

* Controller Helps Science Museum To Acquire 2nd Oldest DC-3 Controller Peter Berry serving at Prestwick airport Tower and captain Kelly Rogers of the Irish Aviation Museum have helped the British Science Museum in London to acquire an early Douglas DC3, thought to be the second oldest surviving example. Originally the aircraft was delivered to United Airlines in December, 1936 under the Registration No. NC16071, recently based at Shannon, Ireland, as El-AYO. The DC3 will be restored to its pre-war configuration before is being put on display.

41

Universal News The ICAO Council Limits Future Use of Noisy Jet Aircraft The ICAO Council has urgently requested all its Contracting States not to take any measures aimed at banning, before 1 January 1988, flights by subsonic jet aircraft registered abroad which enter or leave their territory without complying with ICAO noise certification standards, and to limit to airports particularly sensitive to noise any bans they may impose after that date.

The Council thus completes the provisions concerning noise standards applicable to all big subsonic jet aircraft which appear in Annex 16 to the Convention on International Civil Aviation. At present, first-generation jet aircraft (B-707, B-727, B-737, DC-8, DC-9, etc) which were designed and built before 1 January 1976 are not bound by ICAO noise standards.

As a result of this decision by the Council, the airlines which operate such aircraft on international routes will have the possibility up to 1988 of replacing them by more recent aircraft or of converting them by installing less noisy or quiet engines to permit their utilization at airports sensitive to noise.

In compliance with the ICAO decision, the States whose aircraft operate a substantial proportion of international services throughol'.t the world will by and large see a solution to the problem of noise from jet aircraft by 1 January 1988. This result will be obtained by gradually introducing new aircraft types, the conversion of older versions, noise abatement measures, the utilization of appropriate operating procedures or a combination of these various measures. Some States would not accept a total ban on the aircraft in question for they do not consider that noise is a problem a~ their airports. Elsewhere, the problem may be substantially reduced in various ways, for example by land use planning, certain changes to operating procedures, the use of preferential runways and other measures independent of engine design and engineering.

The role played by ICAO in fixing noise limits - under the provisions of Annex 16 - is part of its general mission which is to promote the development of aviation while at the same time protecting the environment.

* First New Saudi Airport to Open July 1980 Saudi Arabia's massive program to develop three new international airports is nearing partial completion, with the first phase of the New Jeddah International Airport scheduled to be ready for operation by July 1, 1980.

At the recent Middle East Civil Aviation Conference in Amman, Saudi officials laid out for the first time a specific time schedule for completion of the Jeddah airport, as well as the New Riyadh Airport, due to open in 1983, and the New Eastern Province Airport in Dahran, scheduled for completion in 1988.

Traffic projections for the first of operations at the new Jeddah facilitiy call for approximately 5.5 million passengers, escalating to 11.3 million by 1990. Operational designs of the three airports will vary significant, with Jeddah primarily functioning around a mobile lounge system, Riyadh a unit terminal concept and a satellite design for the Eastern Province facility, according to Mohammed Dahman, deputy director of the Saudi International Airports Projects.

With a specially configured staggered dual runway system, the New Jeddah Airport will be able to accommodate nearly 80,000 aircraft movements in 1980, to a projected total of 119,000 in 1990, Dahman said.

The airport's South Terminal will handle both international and domestic traffic while the North Terminal will be used princip-

ally by international carriers. Parking aprons will accommodate 46 aircraft for loading and unloading, and fueling will be accomplished by an underground system, he added.

The Jeddah airport will have a total land area of 47 square miles, with 515 miles of paved surface, and one of its main features will be the special 105-acre Haj terminal, to be used only during Octobers for the annual Haj religious pilgrimage. some 700,000 pilgrims are expected to use the special tent-like terminal in October 1980, with increases to 1.5 million anticipated by 1990.

The airport, if operational by next July, would be ahead of its schedule for completion. Construction began in August 1974.

* Collision Avoidance System Development at Critical Point FAA program to develop and implement a collision avoidance system is at the critical point, beyond which both government and industry will be required to make large investments and commitments, said Rep. Thomas Harkin (D-lowa), chairman of the House Science and Technology subcommittee on transportation aviation and communications. At his subcommittee's hearings 0 ~ collision avoidance systems this week, Harkin said he wants to assure through the hearings that the best possible CAS is developed and brought into use. FAA officials related the history of CAS development and the agency's present plans to implement a three-pronged CAS effort. FAA will return for subcommittee panel questions at a later date.

FAA's plan calls for three systems to aid air traffic control system in assuring aircraft separation - active beacon collisio avoidance syste~s (A~BCAS), full capability BCAS (Full BCAS~ and the automatic traffic and advisory system (ATARS) that will be an outgrowth of the developing discreet address beacon system (DABS).

Due ~o a signal . overload problem in high-density areas, A-BCAS is best used m enroute and low-density areas, said Norman Solat, communications division assistant chief. Experimental A-BCAS unit~ being . b~ilt by MIT's Lincoln Labs will be flight tested at Nat1on~I Av1a.t1on Facilities Experimental Center in September, Solat said. A fmal A-BCAS standard will be published in October 1980.

~ull B~AS, pr~viding more detailed aircraft position and

a~oidance information, and capable of operating in more dense airs.pace than A-BCAS, will be available after A-BCAS. Request for mdu~try proposals was issued in April, and final replies should be rec~1~~d next month, Solat said, adding that FAA plans to award m1t1al hardware contracts around January 1980.

ATARS is further down the road, depending on implementation of DABS ground radar sites, with initial ATARS sites now scheduled to be commissioned in late 1984. Simplified, DABS/ATARS uses a ground-based computer to track aircraft, and with prior kno~ledge o~ the aircraft's ATC flight plans and intention, find possible traffic conflicts and issue avoidance warnings via the ~AB~ data link. This system can be used in heavy traffic s1tuat1ons.

New e~timates of user costs to equip with appropriate avionics put the price of an ATARS unit at $2,126 for general aviation aircraft, and $12,179 for air carriers. ATARS with A-BCAS would cost general aviation $7,126 per installation, while carriers would spe~d $2:,179. ATARS and Full BCAS, intended only for air earners, will cost $74,679.

* 42

¡

ICAO Approved New Large Scale Technical Assistance Projects ICAO will undertake nine large scale technical projects at a total cost of over US$10 million. These projects are financed by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in the Arab Republic of Egypt, Ethiopia, Jordan, Mozambique, the Philippines, Tanzania, Uganda, Venezuela and the Yemen Arab Republic. In addition, three large-scale projects are being executed by ICAO, following arrangements with Iraq, the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya and Saudi Arabia with funds provided by these governments under the Trust Funds arrangements.

ensure its improved self-reliance. The UNDP will contribute $2,670,844 and the Government the equivalent in kind of $1,245,000.

The three other projects include: •

Iraq - Six aerodrome engineers will be provided under a Funds-in-Trust arrangement, in addition to the five already working in various specialized disciplines related to airport development. Operational since September 1977, project terminates in December 1980. Cost of the present extension: $1,110,702.

•

Libyan Arab Jamahiriya - Open-ended 1975 project, financed under a Funds-in-Trust arrangement provides assistance for further development of the Department of Civil Aviation. Total cost to-date: $4,007,797.

•

Saudi Arabia - Designed to ensure the development, upgrading and modernization of the civil aviation structure and to meet training requirements, this project has been operational since 1973 under a Funds-in-Trust arrangement. Some 80 expert/advisers are presently on duty in various aeronautical fields of specialization. Total cost of project for 1979 will be $9, 159,159.

ICAO Bulletin

The nine UNDP projects approved involve the following: •

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

Arab Republic of Egypt - Improvement of the MISR Flying Institute and the Civil Aviation Training Centre to meet the national needs for trained civil aviation and airline personnel, as well as serving the increasing needs of other countries in the area, the assistance of UNDP/ICAO has been obtained to provide experts, equipment and training. Operational since July 1978, the 42-month project will receive $732,600 from the UNDP and the Government will contribute $2,362,560 in local currency.

Ethiopia - Amended project aims to assist the Government to achieve a high level of maintenance and operation of the air navigation facilities and services and to establish a continuous programme for basic and intermediate training personnel. The UNDP will contribute $497,874 and the Government $340,813 in local currency.

Jordan - New four-year project will expand and upgrade the Civil Aviation Training Institute so as to meet immediate and long-term personnel requirements. The UNDP contribution is $2,061,938 while the Government will contribute $7,432,887 in local currency.

Mozambique - Assist Government to establish a national training unit to provide courses in air traffic control and radio maintenance and to upgrade skills of the national air traffic controllers. The project also comprises the repair of inoperative ILS systems. It has been operational since July 1978 and has a duration of five years. The UNDP contribution is $931,044.

The Philippines - Immediate objectives of the project of the expand, update and upgrade the training capabilities of the Air Academy with a view to the expansion and modernization of civil aviation services in the country. Contributions in kind by the Government will be to a value of $609,280 and the UNDP will contribute 8862,870.

Tanzania - Assistance to provide expertise, operational assistance and training for developing the needed civil aviation management, air transport, technical and flight safety services.

Operational since September 1978, the project has an expected duration of three and a half years. It will be financed from a UNDP contribution of $839,678, the Government providing in kind the equivalent of $288,636.

Uganda - Objectives of the project are to provide for the reorganization and effective operation of Uganda Airlines and the Civil Aviation Department through the development of rules, regulations, equipment services and facilities as well as sufficiently trained technical personnel. The UNDP will contribute $950,465 and the Government the equivalent in kind of $294,675.

Venezuela - Large-Scale revision of a project to assist the Government to improve, modernize and expand air navigation services and facilities by way of strengthening the Civil Aviation Training Centre and the Ofice of Civil Aeronautics through the training of personnel. UNDP contribution to the extension of the project will be $513,881 and the Government will provide a contribution in kind equivalent to $7,501,500.

Yemen Arab Republic - Project aims include the provision of a national legal framework for the regulation and administrative control of civil aviation operations and the strengthening of the operational capacity of the Civil Aviation Authority to

* Transportation Study Forecasts Substantial Fuel Savings in Future Aircraft A recently released transportation study forecasts that improvements in aircraft design and control will cut fuel consumption by 32 % to 40 % by the year 2000. In its report on the country's transportation needs, the National Transportation Policy Study Commission said six innovations will result in the substantial increase in fuel efficiency. The six innovations are: (1) engine component improvements; (2) supercritical wing design; (3) active controls technology; (4) energy-efficient engines; (5) composite materials in primary structures, and (6) air traffic control improvements.

Component improvements in turbofan engines should increase fuel efficiency by 5 % in addition to reducing maintenance, noise and emissions. Use of a supercritical or transonic wing "increases the stability of airflow over the wings, reducing drag and thereby saving fuel," the commission states. The supe•critical wing on a medium or long-rang widebody could provid•.; fuel savings of about 5 %, while the use of such a wing on a short-range aircraft would be much less, according to the report.

Active controls, which are operated by linking sensors on certain wing surfaces to a computer that automatically limits unwanted stress and motion, also could reduce fuel consumption by 5 %. Active controls also would improve the "ride quality" in turbulence.

The commission hopes energy-efficient engines will increase fuel efficiency by 12 % to 15 O/o, but the next generation of turbofan engines will probably not go into service until the 1990s, the report says. "Two barriers exist which could delay introduction of the engine: the high capital costs associated with engine development, and the need for major innovations in manufacturing to make engine performance gains affordable." the commission states.

Use of light-weight composite materials in primary aircraft structures such as the wing and tail could reduce aircraft weight by 20 % to 30 Ofo and fuel consumption by 10 Ofo to 15 °/o. However, extensive use of composite materials "is not expected until the 1990s because long-term flight experience is required to prove the reliability of composites.·· Additionally, composite materials now cost quite a bit more than aluminum, but the price is expected to fall.

Finally, improvements in air traffic control are expected to increase the capacity at airports. The report suggests that the spacing between aircraft could safely be reduced from the current 43

four or five miles to 2.5 miles. Hopefully a ground-based sensor system to help controllers detect hazardous wake vortices will be in use by the year 2000, the report says.

TRANS WORLD AIRLINES International Fuel Contract Prices, By Station July 1, 1979 (In Cents)

Increase (O/o)

43.8 46.0 51.0 68.0 46.0 45.5 45.0 42.9 46.0 46.0 46.0 49.5 45.3 41.4 51.5 45.6 64.1 53.9 40.6

87.5 83.5 85.2 70.2 70.4 71.8 114.0 68.5 83.6 82.8 70.5 73.5 69.5 64.3 122.7 67.9 102.0 85.8 54.1

99.8 85.9 67.0 3.2 53.0 57.7 153.3 59.7 81.6 80.0 53.3 48.5 53.4 55.4 138.3 48.8 59.1 59.1 33.3

42.8

65.9

53.9

42.8

70.0

63.5

December 1978 (In Cents) Athens Barcelona Cairo Casablanca Dublin Frankfurt Lisbon London Madrid Malaga Milan Nice Paris Rome Santa Maria Shannon Tel Aviv Vienna U.S. Gateways Average Contract Price Average Price Including Spot Purchases

* NGATC Relations with DA,LPA on Verge of Disharmony A letter by the Dutch Air Line Pilots' Association to the Dutch State-Secretary of the Ministry of Transport may be the beginning of a lengthy technical battle and dissension between the Netherlands Guild of Air Traffic Controllers and the Dutch Pilots.

Following IFATCA's President urge to Member-Associations to promote closer links with local pilots Associations, Wim Roosman, Vice-President of the Dutch Guild, in response, said that "at the moment, I think it is true to say, we do not see much

future cooperation between our associations and the present Board of the Dutch Pilots Association ... " The obvious reason, as explained by the Guild, is the attitude adopted by the Dutch Pilots in favour of the present "Eurocontrol" system for the entire airspace of Europe and the fact that the Pilots Board did not consult with the Guild when they put forward their claim for the Dutch Air Traffic Control Authority passing to Eurocontrol Maastricht.

The Dutch Pilots' Association in a letter dated 22nd June, 1979 to the Dutch State-Secretary of the Ministry of Transport expressed concern on the "unwillingness of the Dutch Government to cooperate internationally in order to come to one Air Traffic Control Unit (Eurocontrol) in Europe".

In their letter, the pilots further blamed the government for "not following the Eurocontrol Convention of 1963 and, therefore, not taking the opportunity to: 1. enlarge the safety in the air, 2. improve the flow of traffic, and 3. save money on air traffic control equipment instead of developing the country's own unintegral table system".

In conclusion, the Dutch Air Line Pilots urged the Government to adhere to the Eurocontrol Convention and release the Dutch airspace to the Maastricht Center. This letter, the Dutch Guild of Controllers allege, was sent to the State-Secretary prior to her meeting the ad hoe Parliament Committee for Eurocontrol relations and contrary to the already existing agreement between the two Associations that each Association will "respect each other's fields" of function and that they will not publish anything concerning or regarding the other without prior consultation. This agreement came by after the Dutch Guild took industrial action two years ago when the Dutch Pilots Association sent a similar letter to the Dutch Authorities.

The Dutch Guild of Controllers, in letters sent to local aviation authorities refuted the pilots' views on the issue and said that the DALPA were "ill-informed on the technical aspects, as well," and suggest that the present system of air traffic control was in fact built to take into account other neighbouring systems, also.

The Guild reports that the State-Secretary's reply to the Guild's letter expressed astonishment "by the one-sided viewpoints put forward by DALPA" and pointed out that she, the State-Secretary, could not accept the arguments of the pilots in favour of transferring Dutch air traffic control to Maastricht Center.

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44

Corporate Members of IFATCA A.D.B., Zaventem Belgium AEG-Telefunken, Frankfurt a. M., Germany AMECON Div., Litton Systems, Inc., College Park, Maryland, USA ANSA, Advisory Group Air Navigation Services, Westerngrund, Germany Applied Research & Development, North Troy, USA B & W Elektronik AS, Lystrup, Denmark Cable & Wireless Ltd., London, England CAE Electronics Ltd., Montreal, Quebec, Canada Cardion Electronics, Woodbury, N.Y., USA Computer Sciences Europe SA, Brussels, Belgium Cessor Radar and Electronics Ltd., Harlow, England Dansk lmpulsfysik A. S., Holte, Denmark Datasaab AB, Jarfalla, Sweden Decca Software Sciences Limited, London, England ELECMA Divisions Electronique de la SNECMA, Suresner, France ELTA Electronics Industries Ltd., Ashed, Israel Ferranti Limited, Bracknell, Berks., England Goodwood Data Systems Ltd., Ontario, Canada Ground Aid Group, Esbjerg, Denmark International Aeradio Ltd., Southall, England International Air Carrier Association, Geneva, Switzerland Jeppesen & Co. GmbH., Frankfurt, Germany Lockheed Electronics Company, Inc., Plainfield, N. J., U.S.A. The Marconi Radar Systems Ltd., Chelmsford, England M.B.L.E., Brussels, Belgium The Mitre Corporation, McLean, Virginia, USA N. V. Hollandse Signaalapparaten, Hengelo, Netherlands N. V. Philips Division ELA, Eindhoven, Netherlands Philips Telecommunicatie lndustrie B.V., Hilversum, Netherlands The Plessey Company Limited, Weybridge, Surrey, England Racal Recorders Limited, Southampton, England Redifon Computers Ltd., Crawley, England Gustav A. Ring A/S, Oslo, Norway Selenia - lndustrie Elettroniche Associate S. p. A., Rome, Italy SEL - Standard Elektrik Lorenz, Stuttgart 70, Germany Societe Artistique Franc;;aise, Paris, France Societe d'Applications Generales d'Electricite et de Mecanique, Paris, France Societe d'Etudes & d'Entreprises Electriques. lssy Les Moulineaux, France Sofreavia, Paris, France Software Sciences Ltd., Farnborough, England Sodern, Paris, France Sperry Univac Germany, Sulzbach/Ts., Germany Sperry Univac, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA Thomson - CSF, Paris, France Ulmer Aeronautique, Clichy, France The International Federation of Air Traffic Controllers' Associations would like to invite all corporations, organizations, and institutions interested in and concerned with the maintenance and promotion of safety in air traffic to join their organization as Corporate Members.

Corporate Members support the aims of the Federation by supplying the Federation with technical information and by means of an annual subscription. The Federation's international journal "The Controller" is offered as a platform for the discussion of technical and procedural developments in the field of air traffic control.

45

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List of Hotels granting discounts to IFATCA members upon production of their valid membership card AUSTRIA Parkhotel , G raz Hote l Maria The res ia, Innsbruck Hotel Europa, Inn sbruck Hote l Tyro l and Touringhau s. Inn sbruck Ho liday Inn, Inn sbruck Hote l Tourotel , Linz Ho tel Sportkl ause Niederau-Wildschonau, Tirol CYPRUS Amathus Beach Hote l, Limassol Appo lonia Hotel, Limassol Nissi Beach Hotel, Ayia Napa Paphos Beach Hotel. Paphos D ionyssos Ho tel, Paphos CANADA Seaway H o tels: Montreal, Toron to. O ttawa, Halifax, Kingsto n Hyatt Regency: Montreal, Vancouver, Vancouver Airport Hilto n Canada : The Q ueen Elizabeth Mon trea l, A irport Hilton Montrea l, Toronto Airpo rt, Harbou r Castl e Hilton Toronto, Quebec Hi lton.

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LUXEMBOURG Holiday l r.n, Luxembourg Hotel Empire. Luxembourg MEXICO Hotel l as !-iamacas, Acapulco Acapulco Imperial NEW CALEDONIA Hotel Le Nouvata. Noumea Noumea Hotel. Noumea NEW ZEALAND Hotel Ch ateaux Commodore, Christchurch Colonial Inn M ote l, Ch ristchurch Ambassador Travel Hote l, Wel lington South Pacif ic Moto r Inn, Lower Hutt The City Hotel, Dunedin Angus Inn Motor Hotel. Hastings Bungalow Tourist Hotel, Rotorua

Travelodge Austra lia Ltd all T ravelodg es and Pa rk royals through out the South Pacific PERU Hotel Crillon. Lima PORTUGAL Lisboa Penta Hotel, Lisbon

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Detai led info rmation as to rates and h o tel addresses are available a t the IFATCA Secretariat and wi l l be p rov ided to interested m embers o n request.

47

TAIL PIECE - Traffic Overload in Europe: Problems and Tentative Solutions Traffic jams are not limited to overland transport, and are now part ?f the air transport scene in peak periods at European airports. When their natural causes are accidentally compounded by t~chnic~I failures or industrial unrest w~ich unexpectedl~ -~odifies how. the capacity of can th e capac1·1y o f con t ro 1 cen t res, all those responsible for keeping air .traf1c. flowing wonder . . control . . fac1llt1es . be adapted to traffic demand. There is no question, of course, of adapting It to maximum traffic demand: d1mens1omng air traffic · o f the peak hour on the peak day would be, economically speaking, just as wrong as to make European con t ro I syst ems on th e b as1s motorways wide enough to keep the great masses of traffic departi~g in t~e summer flowing smo~t~ly. However, given t~e difficulties · · f rom o ne summer to another with the growth in traffic, governments and airlines dread at certain times the Wh 1.ch are mcreasmg saturation of centres and the congestion of airports and airways: how can these threats be averted?

Overload and Safety The main objective in air navigation still is to maintain a high safety standard. No European State and no airline disagrees with this. But this constant objective is not easy to reconcile with the heavy traffic in European skies at certain times. It need hardly be recalled that the characteristics of the Europe region are the most representative of the trend in world air traffic: a crossroads for the very dense air traffic flows between the New and Old World. between countries with a warm climate and northern latitudes. Europe, with its high standard of living, its dense urbanization and the large number of its States. also has an air traffic between capitals which is exceeded only be that of the United States.

In the present situation. the only method used to solve the difficult problem of reconciling safety and an excessive number of movements is to decide on "limitations" which cut the flow of aircraft in the airspace controlled by a centre threatened with an overload: these limitations initially involve take-offs from the airports in the area controlled by the centre; when they are no longer sufficient. they result in limitation on the rate of entry into the controlled area (for example, one aircraft every thirty minutes instead of three aircraft an hour). These limitations finally affect adjacent centres and, from one link in the chain to another, move back up to the departure aerodromes. It is a well-known fact that passengers at London get impatient when Palma is saturated.

The less superficial effects of such congestion are quite familiar by now: waiting times at the two ends rise, short and medium-haul turn-rounds are disorganized, and aprons are saturated; in a word, chaos sets in with all its avalanche-like effects.

Peak Days At the present time. operators have complete freedom in programming their flights. A flight plan is never negotiated. Authorization to start up the engines is tantamount to acceptance of any flight by all the centres crossed. from the ·departure to the destination aerodrome. The centres are therefore almost completely unaware of the traffic with which they will be confronted.

As we have just seen, their only defence is to impose limitations: when this stage has been reached, the situation has already become critical. Such limitations are obviously not decided on a random basis. They are generally related, in each State, to statistical data; they impose acceptance rates at entry points _th~t are as far as possible proportional to traffic demand. But this is the only rule: and the rest depends on how pessimistic the outlook is at the time. The extrapolation of historical data has only a subjective reliability. For although it is quite accurate in the case of the scheduled commercial traffic component, it is uncertain for non-scheduled flights as a whole which. as their name suggests. vary with the year and the country.

What solutions can be given for this problem? The following: The centre threatened with an overload would know beforehand the volume of traffic which it would have to take on. A system of prior applications ceasing 24 hours before the flights 48

would avoid decisions being taken in real time. At the time of registration. each flight would be examined: either it would be included without difficulty in the forecasts, or it would occur in an overload period, in which case it would be subject to a shift of time or place. Step by step, the overloads would be eliminated and limitations would become obsolete.

It must not be though that such action is radically new: it comes in addition to provisions which already exist, particularly in the case of international flights, and which are aimed at harmonizing schedules as far as possible.

Implementing such a method would no doubt be more of a problem than simply stating it, for the contract would have to be respected by both parties: "the user" (the airlines) and "the State supplying services" (control centres). It would not be infallible, but the advantage of having data on future traffic would make it possible to define acceptance rates better adjusted to demand and to absorb overloads more efficiently.

Temporary Capacity Reductions An overload in a centre may occur outside peak periods. The data proces3ing systems providing automatic assistance for control are vulnerable, and go-slows do exist; in a word, the reasons for overloads in periods with normal or even limited traffic are not lacking.

A State which has set up a system of prior registration in the way we have just described would know the structure of demand and could thus adjust its limitations.

Let us go one better.

Suppose that several European States adopted the same system, with uniform methods and homogeneous equipment. The last step can then be taken: these States would create a European centre for processing flight applications. This single centre would be responsible for prior registration of flights. the resulting processing operation (acceptance or shift) and would provide the centres in good time - at the least the day before with the information on the traffic they would have to take on every day.

In the event of an accidental drop in capacity in a centre, the European Centre would help the State to define the maximum flows to be planned for the traffic to be processed as efficiently as possible, with the limitations being respected. This approach on a European scale would avoid the major criticisms levelled today by airlines against the States which unilaterally fix acceptance rates in which the cut-back, step by step, causes through excessive precaution limitations out of all proportion with the real situation.

Towards a Concrete Solution Imagining what could be done is something of a game. But nobody wants to play with flight safety.

It is for this reason that the States. going further than academic assumptions. have already started studying the feasibility of such a European Centre for processing flight applications.

This reflection, which is intended to be down to earth, is already under way within the European Air Navigation Planning Group (EANPG), an ideal setting for such cooperation, for the EANPG is an offshoot of the ICAO Europe Office. It includes the States supplying services in the Region and, through IATA representatives, the airlines. Basically, the EANPG has endeavoured since its creation in 1972 to correct the imperfections in the ICAO Regional Plan.

En route air traffic control needs (capacity of centres, i.e. number of sectors. personnel strength, etc) and traffic demands in particular were not covered in the plan - an unfortunate omission since there are a particularly high number of centres in Europe and the one with the smallest capacity blocks the system.

Without going into details which would be irrelevant to our subject, the EANPG has proposed to offset these shortcomings by defining and developing a shifting five-year plan, updated annually, which would take into account in particular the capacities of centres. Its concept is now so well accepted by the different partners responsible for its creation or approval that these partners, who more or less already consider it as an established technique, are even trying to improve on it. At the justified insistence of IATA, traffic regulation should be the first of these improvements.

This apparent digression is simply intended to state the context to the creation of the system for prior flight registration, which is the first stage in the tentative solutions we have just presented. In this still quite roughly defined stage, the term flight should be taken in its widest sense (all flights and overflights).

The Federal Republic of Germany and France are both endeavouring to set up as soon as possible such a system on a national scale.

It is a safe bet that their example will be followed by others and that, in 1980, with the results of the initial experiments and the encouragement or assistance of international bodies likely to participate in the creation of this system, the processing of flight applications on a European scale will develop from the embryonic stage and grow into the cherished offspring of commercial aviation in the next two decades.

• Jean-Yves SAVINA in ITA Bulletin

this: O'Hare. Kennedy. Newark. LaGuardia. maybe Atlanta. I don't have to tell anyone how good I am: if I work at LAX they know it.

Failure to the FA.\ to accept this and take advantage of it has caused most of the problems of the past several years.

The author detected a high degree of mutual respect between controllers, especially those that have made the grade. while at the same time trainees are given a bit of a hard time before they are admitted to the club.

There are several instances of unspoken communication with the pilot. those times when the phraseology sounds routine but what you're really saying is that we're both in trouble, but with a little help from you we'll work it out.

The joy of a job well done is often contrasted with the pressure derived from having so many lives riding on a single decision.

Some familiar themes come through. such as the inadequacy of the equipment. the understaffing, the unresponsiveness of the "Agency.'· and the deficiency of the procedures book. I suppose it would not be a true recounting of a controller's outlook if these complaints were not included; but 1t would have been a more complete picture if the supervisors and facility chiefs were given their share of the spotlight.

Perhaps the most serious problem I have with the book 1s that Don Biggs chose to use ficticious names for the controllers. His intentions were good.

He felt that to do otherwise would invade their privacy: but I think that a good controller should have the recognition he deserves. Sometime a history of the ATC system should be written that gives the working troop the praise he deserves. Such guys as Bill Parenteau. who was a giant of a chief to a young trainee and an innovative genius before we were so soph1st1cated: and Herb Rausch. who vectored aircraft with the precision of a surgeon: and Bob Flanagan, who brought new life to an oceanic sector and a compassion that gained the U.S. many friends internationally. These guys are gone now. but somewhere they. and hundreds more like them. should be remembered It is difficult to assess how interesting the book will be to a noncontroller. The several pages of radio transmissions might become tedious. a reader might get lost trying to follow the constantly changing picture: but as for me. every once in a while I got that little nagging pain in the stomach J L

WORLDWIDE SPACE LAW BIBLIOGRAPHY by Kuo Lee Li, LL.M., M.L.S. Published by the Institute and Center of Air and Space Law. Hard Cover. price US :-.\ 38.A must for scholars. practitioners. specialists and those interested in space activities and law, this comprehensive bibliography assembles in an impressive book of 750 pages. 20.000 entries by 2.500 world authorities. It contains analysis and classification of materials. such as monographs. serials. articles. pamphlets. proceedings of conferences. symposia and governmental documents. as well as those issued by international inter-governmental or non-governmental organizations. It covers such documents as those published by the United Nations (on space exploration and use): UNESCO (on satellite communications); IMCO (on nav1gat1onal satellites): ICAO (on its role and participation in space application). and ELDO. ESRO. and ESA documents (on European space cooperation) Assisted by a table of contents. sub1ect index. author index and a list of abbreviations. items of interest to the reader can easily be found. Moreover. supplements with both new titles and items not yet included will be published on a regular basis. in order to maintain continuity and orderly control of space law materials.

Publications Review PRESSURE COOKER. The Story of the Men and Women who Control Air Traffic, by Don Biggs. Published by W. W. Norton & Co., Inc., 500 5th Avenue. New York, NY 10036; 1979, 243 pages. hard cover, Price $9.95.

Don Biggs has written the book that many of us knew we were going to write - one of these days. It is the story of air traffic control as it is actually practiced by living, breathing controllers in the Los Angeles Tower. Los Angeles TRACON, and Los Angeles Center. Biggs took his tape recorder and for six months visited the facilities. sat through entire shifts. talked with controllers on breaks. visited their families. and joined them in the bar for the traditional cooling off period. The result is a pretty decent description of what the job is really all about.

The book begins with a short history of the system's growing pains and then reviews in detail the midair collision over the Grand Canyon. which changed the course of our professional world. The rest of the story pretty much_ concentrates on the hot positions (local. ground, the Downey approach pos1t1on. departure control. sector 19 in the center). telling each story in terms of the controller at the mike. The only asides are the retelling of the O'Hare crash between a taxiing Delta aircraft and a departing North Central DC-9. and the very near miss between a climbing American Airlines jet and a TWA over the Great Lakes Both are used to show what could go wrong.

Several themes run through the narrative. One is that controllers come to LAX not just for the money, but also for the prestige. An unnamed controller 1s quoted: 1·ve got to admit that the main reason I came to LAX was so I could say I played in the big leagues. l think you do it to prove to yourself that you're big league quality. It's status. There are four or fives places like

Kuo Lee Li is a Master of Laws and a Master of library Science of McGill University. He has the advantage of working within the world's most complete library of space law and of being assisted by researchers with knowledge of the subject matter and of the languages used by the authors cited in this bibliography

Letter to the Editor Dear Sir There must be a fund of humorous incidents amongst Controllers relating to their dealings with their Medical Examiners. If any of your readers have such stories to relate. I would be most grateful to hear from them.

Yours faithfully Victor 8 Maxwell, Authorised Medical Examiner and Sessional Medical Officer, Civil Aviation Authority. Manchester Airport.

Gatley Health Centre Old Hall Road Gatley Cheadle Cheshire SK8 4DG

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