Air Traffic Management

In introduction e-learning 2009 version

and in 2010

what can this mean?

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I have just learned of a new e-learning module developed for the SESAR Joint Undertaking that aims at describing SESAR and the SJU.

I found the presentation as very fresh and informative. The technology used in this presentation is quite innovative and very well polished. It is worth to look at for both the aesthetics and also for its content.

I could not embed the presentation, so click on the image to access the presentation.

In brief, the presentation is divided into three sections: an introduction by the SESAR JU CEO, Patrick Ky, an introduction to the SESAR programme and an Introduction to the SJU.

I personally found that the introduction by Patrick is very well made. So is the introduction to the SESAR programme part. It gives in a brief and simple manner the challenges of aviation and air traffic management and the objectives of the programme. I found that the part describing the SJU was a bit less well made. There are considerable portions of this part where the narrator is reading extensive passages of text that are being type simultaneously on the screen. I did not know what to concentrate on: reading or listening? [this effect was not present in the previous part of the presentation]

The SJU calls this module an e-learning module, while I tend to call it a multi-media presentation. The reason I say this is that even if it is very ‘flash’ and polished, it severely lacks in interaction with the user as well as on feedback mechanisms which for me are necessary elements in learning. The navigation is also very basic, i.e. that of a standard video. I would expect a better pedagogical approach for an e-learning module. The presentation could be at least divided into three chapters – even if it is within the same video. Chaptering would enable direct access to a part you would like to go into again. Also I do not know if it is the streaming server or my receiving server which was particularly slow, but at one point the presentation blocked and no matter how many times I tried to rewind or forward the navigation pointer, it stayed blocked until I refreshed the screen.

As a conclusion, this presentation for me opens a new way of presenting things in the multi media environment for air traffic management. The approach and the look and feel are very fresh and made well in simply and succinctly presenting some complex ideas. There is some more work to do to turn this kind of presentation into an e-learning module mainly interactivity with the user [which for example could be an extra part of the web page on which the video is embedded] and better navigation mechanisms which would improve the direct access of certain information time and time again.
Finally I think the presentation was developed by Emakina [the video is hosted on their server]. Well done EMAKINA for the graphical effects!

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Here are two videos explaining the military flying in the Single European Sky

Part 1

and

Part 2

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For those who are in the business, the air navigation services [ANS] world is known for the awkward selection of acronyms which make up our daily jargon. However, through random or forced attempts, we do sometimes manage to come up with meaningful [or apparently so] words.  And there we go, finding ourselves making bridges between the ANS world and the private one outside, because of these phenomena…

SWIM stands for System Wide Information Management [now I don't know what came first, whether it was the term or the acronym... maybe you do, in which case, please do let me know, tnx]. It ss a concept that once put in practice would enable enhanced information sharing between different actors in the Air Traffic Management [ATM] system [yes I am watching my acronyms today].  Some have compared it with the ATM System’s intranet.

The concept for me makes sense, even if there are practical challenges to put it in practice.  From what I understand, the idea is that the ATM community sets to define and apply a series of protocols that enable different information types to be shared across a network and made available in an easy [but secure, reliable, etc.] manner to those who need it; at the right time and in an effective way.  A series of services would then be able to be developed [maybe not unlike web services] that would be able to extract the right information necessary for the particular actor to get the job done or to take a decision.

Basically SWIM stands on three principles:

1. The enhancement of the sharing of information
2. A common interface [or protocols]
3. A series of services which are developed to extract the information at the right place and the right time.

Would you like to know more? SWIM is still a concept and the descriptions I could find available to the general public are still quite fuzzy, however, I suggest trying the SESAR Concept of Operations; D3 [it is not an easy read, but it has some interesting parts if you know the trade and if you stick hard enough to it!] that you can find at the European ATM Master Plan portal: www.atmmasterplan.eu, in the info box called: Popular Documents.

… and yes now that the bridge is made, everytime I think of something as pleasurable as swimming, I find myself thinking of the ATM’s intranet.  I absolutely prefer unpronouncable, meaningless acronyms.  FOIPS anybody?

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One of the techniques which aims at providing gains in efficiencies in the future will be ASAS.

Needless to say that introducing airborne separation will be a major evolution in air traffic control.

A lot of R&D is being carried out at the moment to identified the tools and procedures which will be necessary to provide sufficient situational awareness to pilots [who at the present point in time the little they have translates into what is presented to them via TCAS and their radio] and to controllers [who at present control all the aircraft which are active in their airspace].

One of the main future challenges will be to train both controllers and pilots in the direct and indirect skill sets that they will need to accommodate ASAS.

Having 100% control of your airspace can be very challenging, especially in busy and/or complex traffic situations, however having 80% control of the same situations will probably be even more challenging.  The skill to accommodate a mixed mode of aircraft using ASAS and others which don’t will need to be learned, and even though I am sure that future controllers will be assisted by state of the art technology to do so, it will still be a challenge.

This will be part of the future paradigm shift that controllers have to make:  they need to be more flexible and accept more variation.  This means that even from very early future controllers need to be trained in a different way.  Probably they have to be also selected on different criteria.

This in turn means that the trainers, and those specifying training objectives need to understand and appreciate the new challenges and introduce them into training at the right time.  Those delivering training need to be kept enough in the loop to be able to provide advice to the new students. All this will not happen overnight, however knowing how long it takes to initiate, discuss, propose and approve training specifications and then develop and deliver training material, I think now is right about time to start.

I think that the SESAR development phase should take this work, and other related to it which will change the ATC tasks, on board as part of the Human Performance roadmap: Adapting Selection, Training and Licensing to enable the achievement of the ATM target concept.

As for the pilots, I think that similar work needs to be done.  The principle of ‘aviate, navigate and communicate will have to be changed to aviate, separate, navigate [or navigate, separate, depending form where you see it] communicate.

So, interesting times ahead, but it is better if we start preparing now to enjoy it later!

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