Virtual Block Control and Separation Bubbles – Evaluation in Cockpit Simulator Trials

Abstract

Under contract of EUROCONTROL, the German Aerospace Center (DLR), together with its partner institute the National Aerospace Laboratory of the Netherlands (NLR), carried out research activities on the selection and evaluation of candidate concepts for advanced operations under low visibility conditions making use of the surveillance function of Advanced Surface Movement Guidance and Control Systems (A-SMGCS). These activities were carried out for the Airport Unit (AP) of the Centre of Expertise for Air Traffic Management (CoE/AT) of EUROCONTROL. As part of this research, two candidate concepts, Virtual Block Control and Separation Bubbles, have been evaluated in real-time cockpit simulator trials in the Generic Cockpit Simulator GECO of DLR in Braunschweig in May 2009. Virtual Blocks and Separation Bubbles are simple and low cost additions to the A-SMGCS surveillance function. They are aimed to increase airport throughput capacity in low visibility in a safe way. During the cockpit trials, pilots from major airlines taxied in the GECO within a simulated Rotterdam Airport environment. Aircraft were under control of a pseudo-controller applying Virtual Block Control with support of Separation Bubble Alerting. The main objective of the cockpit trials was to find out about the perception of the described procedures by pilots when taxiing under low visibility conditions. Different options for markings on the taxiways that are meant to support pilots in identifying the positions of virtual holding points were also investigated. The trials revealed that the concepts work down to the lowest visibility at which taxiing is possible at all. Pilots favoured Virtual Block Control supported by Intermediate Holding Lights as markings for holding positions and supported by Separation Bubbles as the best solution.