- 1-AN ASSESSMENT OF A CONTROLLER AID FOR MERGING AND SEQUENCING TRAFFIC ON PERFORMANCE-BASED ARRIVAL ROUTES

Controllers managing merges on area navigation (RNAV) arrival routes with high traffic density deal with unpredictable wind and complex speed differentials because of the altitude change along the arrival paths. The topology of a merge (the number of turns and the length of each route prior to the merge) requires more effort and creates a higher workload to identify a potential merge problem early enough to prevent vectoring an aircraft off the RNAV procedure. Furthermore, merges may occur just within the boundary of a control position and may require prior sequencing coordinated by other controllers. To assist in sequencing and merging aircraft on RNAV routes, MITRE has devised an automation aid which takes an aircraft’s position on an RNAV route and estimates its position along another RNAV route. This aid allows for an aircraft’s position on an RNAV route to be displayed on another route based on defined merge points. The routes can be complex multi-segmented routes defined by noncollinear waypoints and circular arcs defined by Radius-to-Fix (RF) legs. This aid properly accounts for aircraft flight paths through the turn segments of each route. The aid has been demonstrated to numerous air traffic controllers and traffic management coordinators and has received very positive feedback. Sequencing aircraft for runway configuration changes, Traffic Management Coordinator (TMC) flowing and sequencing, early awareness for building and preserving slots, and allowing aircraft to remain on RNAV routes by using speed control have all been identified as potential uses and benefits during the course of the demonstrations. The use as a training tool for controllers operating in the new required navigation performance (RNP) RNAV terminal environment is also another significant application of the aid. This paper reports on a specific application proposed by Potomac Consolidated TRACON (PCT) controllers during the course of the demonstrations and operational application development. The operational application is an RNAV arrival procedure involving coordination of the south and west arrival streams at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA). The application was adapted, tested, and assessed by PCT controllers. Human-in-the-loop simulations and benefits analyses were conducted and the results are presented in this paper.