Automation Capabilities Analysis Methodology for Non-Controlled Airports

Advanced technologies will be needed to enhance and improve the current transportation capabilities of the nation’s small aircraft transportation network, and thus help relieve congestion at hub airports. To achieve this goal, current operation concepts and procedures will have to be changed and improved, or perhaps even replaced. This paper proposes a decentralized Air Traffic Management approach, centered on the design of an automated arrival/departure system for non-controlled airports. A hybrid system is introduced that is a fusion of distributed air traffic management and centralized control. A new functional description of the airport terminal area infrastructure named Multi-layer Air Traffic Space is introduced, and automated terminal operations and procedures are addressed. Several types of intelligent agents with negotiation functions are developed in the automation system, and simulation methodology is presented, containing a full hardware and software description.