Colloquium: Alexandru Măgdălinoiu (C&O)

An important bottleneck in managing inbound traffic capacity is the limited size of the Terminal Maneuvering Area, which should not become crowded by aircraft arriving from the Control Area. This is done by arrival metering, a process entailing sending aircraft through the Initial Approach Fix (IAF) at pre-established Expected Approach Times (EAT). Currently, area controllers are required to deliver aircraft at their EAT ± 120 seconds. Reducing this window would allow less buffer times between aircraft, increasing capacity. This research aims to produce a visual decision support tool to aid achieving EAT adherence at the IAF, compatible with the operational interface in the Amsterdam Area Control Center. To avoid significant changes to the modus operandi of controllers, the aim is showing operational constraints to the user and focusing on expediting traffic. An experiment was conducted to assess the developed tool, indicating less deviation from the EATs and lower participant workload.

Supervisor: Clark Borst