Air Traffic Control Altitude Alerting System
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Air traffic controllers face challenges in monitoring aircraft altitude changes, leading to potential overconsumption and unnecessary altitude adjustments due to the lack of alerts for intermediate flight levels, which diverts their attention from other critical tasks.
Innovation Solution
A device that receives aircraft data, displays trajectories, and generates configurable alarms when an aircraft approaches a critical altitude level, allowing controllers to focus on other tasks while ensuring timely decision-making.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the controller periodically monitors the altitude of the aircraft to prevent unnecessary level changes, then the aircraft can avoid overconsumption and unnecessary altitude adjustments, but the controller must monopolize a large part of his attention in monitoring the aircraft, diverting attention from other critical tasks
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables self-monitoring of aircraft altitude by automatically comparing actual altitude with flight plan altitude, generating alerts when deviations are detected. This automated self-service mechanism eliminates the need for continuous controller monitoring while maintaining reliable detection of unnecessary altitude adjustments.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements continuous feedback by monitoring aircraft altitude in real-time, comparing it with the flight plan, and providing immediate alerts to the controller when the aircraft approaches or exceeds authorized altitude levels. This feedback loop ensures reliable detection without requiring constant controller attention.
2Loss of time
If the controller sends a new altitude instruction before the aircraft arrives at its planned intermediate level to prevent unnecessary stops, then flight time and fuel consumption are reduced, but the controller may forget to give the new instruction due to workload and focus on another point
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by automatically calculating and preparing alert conditions based on the flight plan and current aircraft state. It proactively generates alerts before the aircraft reaches critical altitude levels, giving the controller advance notice to issue new instructions without requiring the controller to anticipate or remember timing.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements continuous feedback by monitoring aircraft altitude in real-time, comparing it with the flight plan, and providing immediate alerts to the controller when the aircraft approaches or exceeds authorized altitude levels. This feedback loop ensures reliable detection without requiring constant controller attention.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the controller gives an intermediate flight level to allow time for coordination with adjacent sector, then proper coordination can be achieved, but the aircraft must stop at this intermediate level causing overconsumption of fuel and time
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by automatically calculating and preparing alert conditions based on the flight plan and current aircraft state. It proactively generates alerts before the aircraft reaches critical altitude levels, giving the controller advance notice to issue new instructions without requiring the controller to anticipate or remember timing.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The device, intended for air traffic controllers and for assisting the tracking of aircraft ascents and descents, includes: a means for receiving data transmitted by an aircraft, said data including at least the spatial position of the aircraft and requests that are optionally transmitted by the crew; a display making it possible to display the path of a moving aircraft with a view to returning to a first altitude; and a means for giving the aircraft crew permission to reach a second altitude. The device includes an alarm manager that is configurable according to at least one aircraft flight condition calculated on the basis of the first altitude, thus enabling transmission of an alarm at a point in time when the condition is fulfilled.