This site describes the "Ground" side of NLR’s Free Flight research. This work is being carried out in collaboration with NASA and FAA from the US, and the Netherlands Department of Civil Aviation (RLD). You can also jump directly to the Free Flight with Airborne Separation Assurance web site.

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Click on a link for details

  OVERVIEW The Free Flight Concept, From an ATC Perspective

  HUMAN FACTORS ATC Issues in Free Flight

  OPERATIONAL CONCEPT Rules of the Road

  RESEARCH Past Results, Future Plans

  IMAGES

  GLOSSARY Need to know your ASAS from you EFR?

  

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Conclusions from the first study

Free Flight seems to reduce controller workload, especially under high traffic;

Under Free Flight, lack of manoeuvre intent information does not worsen controllers’ ability to predict traffic changes;

Intent information in general seems to benefit controllers’ acceptance more than their workload;

Controllers query the system more under Free Flight, although are more likely to do so if manoeuvre intent information is provided;

Controller acceptance of the Free Flight concept might be fairly high;

Display considerations will have to be further addressed in developing controller tools for Free Flight.

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For further information on the ATC Free Flight research, contact: B. Hilburn

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To Airborne Separation Assurance Project

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