JP3086828B2 - Airfield control support system - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an airfield control support system that mainly supports a control operation relating to a runway change (change of a takeoff and landing runway) in an airfield control.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As is well known, when an aircraft performs takeoff and landing, it is desirable for safety to be a headwind (especially during landing). Therefore, it is necessary to change the use direction of the runway in accordance with the change in the wind direction so that the takeoff and landing of the aircraft are performed in a headwind. This change in the direction of use of the runway is referred to as "runway change" in traffic control operations. In Japan, there are many airports located near the coast due to noise problems. At airports near the coast, land winds, sea breeze, and land breeze usually change during the day, so
A runway change is required twice a day.

If a runway change is required,
In the conventional control operation, the timing of a runway change is determined and executed in the following procedure.

(1) A controller of an airfield controller notifies a controller of a terminal controller by voice communication that a runway change is to be performed by a certain time (**: **).

(2) Upon receiving the runway change request, the terminal controller's controller looks at the terminal radar screen and determines, based on the spatial relative position of the arriving aircraft in the terminal airspace, the arriving aircraft that changes before and after the runway change. Estimate the temporal relationship, determine which of the arriving aircraft will be changed after the runway, and communicate the flight number of the arriving aircraft to the air traffic controller by voice communication.

(3) The air traffic controller views the terminal radar screen (tower bright), estimates the arrival time of the arriving aircraft before and after the runway change, and prepares the departure aircraft for the runway change.

In the above procedure (2), the task of estimating the timing of a runway change that minimizes the delay of the arriving aircraft or estimating the hold time required for each arriving aircraft. At present, the task of estimating the arrival time of aircraft arriving before and after a runway change is based on the advanced experience and skills of the controller. For this reason,
Conventionally, the work load for performing an accurate runway change that minimizes the delay of an arrival machine is extremely large, and support requests for this work are increasing.

Further, a plurality of types of control consoles are installed in the conventional control room, and each control console is fixed in advance to a function corresponding to the control content. For this reason, even if the runway change is performed, the combination of the functions of the control desks used in the control room, the display contents at each desk, and the like are fixed. As described above, at present, the functions of the respective control consoles are not always in an optimal combination and display content / display arrangement for the control operation for the take-off and landing runway.

For example, at a general airport, as shown in FIG. 7, a FD (Flight Dat
a: Flight plan adjustment) control console, GC (Ground Control:
There is a control console for airport surface control) and a control console for LC (Local Control: takeoff and landing control).

[0010] Here, the controller of the FD (flight plan coordination) receives the IFR aircraft flight plan distributed from the airfield control unit, requests the control unit to approve the control, and sends the control approval contents to the IFR departure coordinating seat. Perform communication and so on. In addition, the processing of VFR aircraft flight plans provided by the traffic control officer,
Report to takeoff and arrival to ATC. It will also provide business support for other controllers.

[0011] The controller of the GC (Airport Control) receives the pushback of the departure aircraft, accepts the taxi request, determines the departure order, determines the taxi route, determines the departure runway, and guides to the runway. For the arriving aircraft, guidance is provided from the runway to the spot.

[0012] The controller of the LC (takeoff and landing control) receives the report of the completion of takeoff preparation of the takeoff aircraft, and performs a departure coordination with the IFR departure coordination seat and a takeoff permission notification. In addition, a landing clearance for landing aircraft (instruction to return to landing) and air traffic control in the airspace are performed.

In guidance of an aircraft at an airfield, guidance during landing is more important than during takeoff. For this reason,
It is desirable that the position of the LC control console be located on the approach side of the arrival aircraft from the viewpoint of the LC business. This is because if there is an LC control console on the other side, the GC controller and the FD controller will not be able to see when the LC controller checks the arriving aircraft silently. Because.

However, since the conventional control console is configured by a combination of display devices (hardware) corresponding to each controller, even if the use direction of the runway is changed by a runway change, the control console is not used. The functions could not be changed, and an optimal environment for control operations could not be realized. Further, after the runway change, it is necessary to reset display information such as a wind direction and anemometer and an RVR (Runway Visibility Range) meter in accordance with a change in the use direction of the runway. This resetting must be done in a short time, which also puts a burden on the control work.

[0015]

As described above, in the conventional airfield control support system, the determination of a runway change relies on the rules of thumb of the controller, and it is impossible to make an accurate determination without gaining experience. Met. Further, even when the control consoles are arranged in a plurality of control consoles in the control room, the functions of the individual control consoles are fixed, so that it is not always possible to perform optimal business support when a runway change is performed.

The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-mentioned problem, and automatically calculates an optimum time for performing a runway change without depending on the rule of thumb of a controller, and displays the optimum time in a format that is easy for the controller to recognize. It is a first object of the present invention to provide a traffic control support system capable of supporting traffic control operations related to runway change.

Further, according to the runway change, the function combination of all the control consoles and the display contents and display arrangement of each console can be optimally changed for the take-off and landing runway,
A second object of the present invention is to provide a control support system that can reduce the control work load.

[0018]

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention has the following characteristic configuration.

(1) Information necessary for a plurality of control consoles installed in a control room to support airfield control operations requiring a runway change that changes the use direction of the runway in accordance with changes in wind direction and speed. In the airfield control support system that displays, the weather information including at least wind direction and wind speed information around the airfield, and runway reservation information indicating the runway occupancy period of the aircraft using the airfield, and from the weather information The runway change end prediction is performed by estimating a runway change end limit, and obtaining a period during which the idle time of the runway can be maximized before the end limit prediction time from the runway reservation information. Means and the optimal execution time of the runway change predicted by the runway change prediction means. Characterized by comprising the optimal implementation period display means for displaying at least one of control console.

(2) In the configuration of (1), the runway change predicting means inputs runway reservation information indicating a runway occupancy period of the arriving aircraft, and inputs information of all arriving aircraft from the present to the runway change end limit. For the interval, the runway change feasible period shall be obtained, and the runway reservation information in the current runway use direction and the runway reservation information in the case where the runway use direction is reversed after the runway change is obtained, The time width between the runway occupancy end time of the last arriving aircraft before the change and the runway occupancy start time of the first arriving aircraft after the change is calculated for each of the arriving aircraft, and the calculated time width is used to execute the runway change. The condition that the runway occupation start time of the first arriving aircraft after the change is earlier than the runway change end limit Runway change when there is judged to be, it is determined that possible runway change, and time width and selects the runway change feasible time when the maximum as runway change optimal implementation period.

(3) In the configuration of (1), the runway change prediction means predicts the runway change end limit by obtaining a wind direction / wind speed prediction line from current wind direction / wind speed information, and this line is used as a safety limit. 2. The airfield control support system according to claim 1, wherein the arrival time is a runway change end limit.

(4) In the configuration of (3), the wind direction
The wind speed prediction line is obtained by performing an extrapolation process on the actual measured values of the wind direction and the wind speed up to the present.

(5) In the configuration of (3), the wind direction
The wind speed prediction line is obtained by superimposing past wind direction / wind speed statistical data on actual measured values of the current wind direction / wind speed.

(6) In the configuration of (3), the wind direction
The wind speed prediction line is characterized by being obtained from a local weather prediction model around the airfield created by weather observation data, topographic data, and the like.

(7) In the configuration of (1), when the optimal execution time display means displays the runway change optimal execution time, it also displays the hold time for each arrival aircraft.

(8) In the configuration of (1), when it is necessary to change the order of the controllers before and after the execution of the runway change, the function of each of the plurality of controllers is adjusted to the order of the controllers. Control console function switching means for switching to an optimum combination corresponding to the use direction of the takeoff and landing runway is provided.

(9) In the configuration of (8), the control console function switching means performs the runway change at the time of execution of the runway change.
The display content and display arrangement of each of the plurality of control consoles are optimally switched with respect to the use direction of the take-off and landing runway.

(10) In the configuration of (8), any one of the plurality of control consoles is a general console, and the general console obtains time width information of the optimal execution time of the runway change from the runway change predicting means. The controller is provided with a function of presenting it to the corresponding controller and providing the determined time to the controller function switching means in response to a runway change time determination input within the time width of the controller.

[0029]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows the overall structure of an airfield control support system according to the present invention.
12, 113, 114,... Are displayed / operated items and their display sizes / arrangements, etc. according to the control table name and the control status of the take-off and landing runway, respectively (eg, airport surface information, wind direction / wind speed information, RVR ( Runway Visibility Range) information, etc.)
Can be changed optimally, and each control console can be changed to a conventional control desk (TW (tower watch) control), FDE (flight
data east: Deputy control desk, CDA (clearancedelivery)
A: Control approval notification) desk, GCE (ground control east)
: Ground control) desk and LCE (Local Control east: takeoff and landing control) desk).

The console configuration determining unit 12 transmits information such as the combination of the control consoles corresponding to the runway to be used, the display items and the display layout to each integrated control console unit (excluding the control console) at the time of the runway change. In addition, it has a function of exchanging aircraft information necessary for control (hereinafter, referred to as “aircraft information”) in accordance with the combination of the integrated control consoles.

The runway change prediction unit 13 inputs information such as the wind direction and wind speed provided from the weather observation facility through the weather information input unit 14, and also receives information about each aircraft sent from the separately connected runway reservation system 15. Of the runway change information and the like, a runway change optimal time is calculated in a time width from the information, and the calculated runway change time is transmitted to the table configuration determining unit 12.

In this embodiment, it is assumed that the integrated control console unit (TW console) 111 corresponds to a general console capable of executing a runway change by inputting a runway change execution time. In addition, the table configuration determination unit 12
Sends the runway change optimal time information sent from the runway change prediction unit 13 to the integrated control console unit 111 corresponding to the control console, and receives the information input at the integrated control console unit 111 corresponding to the control console. It has a function of sending runway change execution time information to each integrated control console unit (excluding the control console) 112, 113, 114,...

The processing operation of the above configuration will be described below.

First, the runway change prediction unit 13 fetches information such as wind direction and wind speed from a meteorological observation facility through the weather information input unit 14, and receives runway reservation information and the like sent from a separately connected runway reservation system 15. In addition, the optimal runway change time is calculated in a fixed time width. The information is sent to the integrated control console section 111 corresponding to the conventional control desk via the console configuration determining section 12.

The controller, at the integrated control console 111,
The runway change execution time is determined from the runway change optimal time information, and input to the table configuration determination unit 12.

When the inputted runway change execution time comes, the console configuration determining unit 12 sends the information on the change of the function combination of each control console corresponding to the runway to be used, display items, display arrangements, etc. to each integrated control console unit. (Excluding the control desk) 1
12, 113, 114,... Each of the integrated control consoles 112, 113, 114, ... optimally changes the display / operation items and their display layout, etc., according to the control console name and the control situation such as takeoff and landing runway, based on the information. I do.

FIG. 2 shows the control operation of the console configuration determining unit 12. First, the runway change prediction unit 13 is accessed to determine whether a runway change is scheduled (S
1). If there is no schedule (NO), the system is in a standby state until the schedule is entered, and when the schedule is entered (YES), the runway change time is displayed on each of the integrated control consoles (excluding the control console) 112, 113, 114,. Control signal and runway change time information are transmitted (S2).

Subsequently, it is determined whether or not it is a runway change time (S3), and until the runway change time comes (N
O) Returning to step S1, it is monitored whether there is a next runway change schedule. When the runway change time comes (YES), each integrated control console unit (excluding the control console) 11
The control signal corresponding to 2, 113, 114,..., And a control signal for switching to a display item and a display arrangement optimal for the used runway after the change are transmitted (S4). Further, the aircraft information is exchanged between the integrated control units whose control console names have been changed (S5), and the process returns to step S1 to wait for the next runway change.

Here, the processing content of the runway change prediction unit 13 which is the core of the above configuration will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

First, the wind direction / wind speed information of all the runways is inputted from the weather information input unit 14 as needed (S11), and the future wind direction / wind speed is predicted from the trend of the information (S12). As an example of the prediction method, extrapolation processing such as first-order approximation or second-order approximation as shown in FIG. 4 can be considered. From this prediction result, if the wind direction / wind speed value is expected to exceed a preset safety limit in the near future, it is determined that the runway change needs to be completed by that time (S13). The time obtained here is used as the final limit of the runway change.

Subsequently, a runway change executable time is calculated according to the following procedure.

First, the runway reservation system 15 inputs runway reservation information of the arriving aircraft (from when to when the aircraft occupies the runway) (S14), and the terminal from the present to the runway change end limit. The number of arrivals (n) in the control area is calculated (S15). Since the runway change is performed between any of the arrival aircraft, (n-
1) There are several ways.

Next, the runway reservation information in the current runway use direction and the runway reservation information when the runway use direction is reversed after the runway change are input from the runway reservation system 15 and changed. The runway occupancy end time of the last and last arriving aircraft and the runway occupancy start time of the first arriving aircraft after the change are calculated, respectively (S16 to S18). FIG. 5 shows a specific example. In FIG. 5, the runway occupancy end time of the last arriving aircraft before change is 16:40, and the runway occupancy start time of the first arriving aircraft after change is 16:47.

Finally, the calculated time width (in FIG. 5,
16: 40-16: 47) is longer than the minimum time required to execute the runway change, and the runway occupation start time of the first arriving aircraft after the change (16:47 in Fig. 5) It is determined that the runway change is possible only when the condition before the runway change end limit shown in FIG. 4 is satisfied, and the runway change executable time when the time width is maximum is set to the optimal runway change execution time (in FIG. 5, 16: 40 to 16:47) (S19). The optimal runway change execution time and the hold time for each arriving aircraft obtained by the above processing are output to the table configuration determining unit 12 (S20), and a series of processing ends.

The operation of each section will be described below with reference to the example shown in FIG.

First, upon receiving the information on the optimal execution time of the runway change from the runway change prediction unit 13, the console configuration determining unit 12 determines the optimal execution time of the runway change by using the integrated control console unit corresponding to the conventional control console (TW). Output to 111. The integrated control console unit 111 outputs the optimal runway change execution time sent from the console configuration determining unit 12 on a screen. As an example of the screen output, as shown in FIG. 5, the optimal execution time of the runway change is displayed together with the runway reservation information of the arriving aircraft. At this time, as shown in FIG. 5, if the hold time required by the arrival aircraft is also displayed, the controller can instantly grasp the hold time caused by the runway change. Thus, it is possible to appropriately notify and guide the runway change to each arrival machine.

Here, the TW controller operates the integrated control desk section 111.
After seeing the above screen output, contact the terminal controller to determine whether or not to make a runway change as shown on the screen output, and integrate the runway change execution / non-execution information. Input to the table 111. The integrated control console unit 111 outputs the runway change execution / non-execution information to each configuration determination unit 12.

Next, when the runway change execution / non-execution information is received from the integrated control console section 111, the console configuration determining section 12 sends the runway change to the integrated control console sections 112 to 114 when the information indicates that the runway change is to be executed. Outputs information on the optimal execution time of the change. When the runway change is not performed, the information of the optimal runway change execution time is requested to the runway change prediction unit 13.

When it is time to execute the runway change optimally, the console configuration determining section 12 functions as shown in FIG. 6 so that the control console becomes optimal for the runway (runway 16) used after the runway change. (FD, GC,
Control signal for switching LC) is transmitted to the integrated control console 11
Output to 2-114.

Integrated control console section 112 to integrated control console section 114
Then, the functions of the control consoles are switched between the integrated control consoles based on the control signal from the console configuration determining unit 12, and the aircraft information (flight plan information etc.) is also exchanged accordingly.
In the example of FIG. 6, the functions of the FD and the LC are exchanged between the integrated control console unit 112 and the integrated control console unit 114. In addition, the display of the wind direction / wind speed value and the RVR value in the integrated control console unit 112 to the integrated control console unit 114 has been switched from the runway 34 to information necessary for the runway 16.

Therefore, according to the airfield control support system having the above-described configuration, the optimal runway change timing which has been conventionally determined from the experience of the controller based on the terminal radar information and the state of the aircraft to be controlled in the airfield is automatically calculated. Therefore, the work load of the controller can be reduced. In addition, the combination of all control consoles and the display content of each console can be set optimally according to the runway used, and they can be changed automatically in response to runway changes, making the control console easy to use. Can be optimally set for the conditions such as the runway used, and also in this respect, the work load on the controller can be reduced.

In the above embodiment, the weather information input to the weather information input unit 14 includes not only information on the current wind direction and wind speed from the weather observation facility, but also information on weather information such as past wind direction and wind speed. By using statistical data, inputting a local weather prediction model around the airfield created by observation data by weather radar, terrain data, etc., and calculating the optimal runway change time from this weather prediction model, The accuracy of weather prediction at any time can be improved, and thereby the accuracy of calculation of the optimal runway change time can be improved.

[0054]

As described above, according to the present invention, the optimal time for executing the runway change is determined based on the wind direction / wind speed information and the runway reservation information sent from the separately connected runway reservation system. Thus, it is possible to provide an airfield control support system capable of supporting a control operation relating to a runway change by displaying in a format that is easy for a controller to recognize. In addition, in response to a runway change, the air traffic control can reduce the control work load by optimally changing the function combination of all control consoles and the display contents and display layout of each console for the take-off and landing runway. A support system can be provided.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of an airfield control support system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exemplary flowchart for explaining the processing operation of a console configuration determining unit according to the embodiment;

FIG. 3 is an exemplary flowchart for explaining the processing contents of a runway change prediction unit according to the embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a prediction method of the runway change prediction unit.

FIG. 5 is an exemplary view showing a display example of a runway change optimal time prediction result in the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is an exemplary view showing how the control console functions are switched at the time of the runway change in the embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a relationship between a layout of a control console and a runway in a conventional general airport.

[Explanation of symbols]

 111 to 114: Integrated control desk unit 12: Desk configuration determination unit 13: Runway change prediction unit 14: Weather information input unit 15: Runway reservation system

────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuing from the front page Examiner Manabu Takahashi (56) References JP-A-10-124800 (JP, A) JP-A 10-340400 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷⁾ G08G 5/00-5/06 G01S 13 / 91,13 / 93 G06F 17 / 00,17 / 60,19 / 00 JICST file (JOIS)

Claims (10)

(57) [Claims] 1. Information necessary for a plurality of control consoles installed in a control room is provided to support airfield control operations that require a runway change to change the use direction of a runway according to changes in wind direction and speed. In the airfield control support system to be displayed, weather information including at least wind direction and wind speed information around the airfield, and runway reservation information indicating a runway occupancy period of an aircraft using the airfield are acquired, and the runway is obtained from the weather information. Runway change predicting means for predicting a change end limit, obtaining a time period from the runway reservation information until the time before the end limit prediction time can ensure the maximum available time on the runway, and predicting this time period as the optimal execution time of the runway change. The runway change optimal execution time predicted by the runway change predicting means is Airfield control support system characterized by comprising the optimal implementation period display means for displaying at least one of the console. 2. The runway change prediction means inputs runway reservation information indicating a runway occupancy period of an arriving aircraft,
The runway change available period shall be calculated for all arrival aircraft between the present and the runway change end limit, and the runway reservation information in the current runway use direction and the runway use direction after the runway change will be reversed. The runway reservation information is acquired in the event of becoming, and the time width between the runway occupancy end time of the last arriving aircraft before the change and the runway occupation start time of the first arriving aircraft after the change is obtained for all arriving aircraft Each time, the calculated time width is longer than the minimum time required for the runway change, and the runway occupation start time of the first arrival aircraft after the change is before the runway change end limit. When it is determined that a runway change is possible, it is determined that a runway change is possible, and a runway change with the maximum time width can be performed. Airfield control support system according to claim 1, wherein the selecting a time as runway change optimal implementation period. 3. The runway change prediction unit predicts the runway change end limit by calculating a wind direction / wind speed prediction line from current wind direction / wind speed information, and determines a time required for the line to reach a safety limit by a runway change end limit. The airfield control support system according to claim 1, wherein: 4. The airfield control support system according to claim 3, wherein the wind direction / wind speed prediction line is obtained by performing an extrapolation process on actual measured values of the current wind direction / wind speed. 5. The airfield control support system according to claim 3, wherein the wind direction / wind speed prediction line is obtained by superimposing past wind direction / wind speed statistical data on actual measured wind direction / wind speed values up to the present. 6. The airfield control support system according to claim 3, wherein the wind direction / wind speed prediction line is obtained from a local weather prediction model around the airfield created by weather observation data, topographic data, and the like. 7. The airfield control support system according to claim 1, wherein the optimum execution time display means displays the hold time for each arriving aircraft when displaying the runway change optimum execution time. . 8. When the position of the controller needs to be changed before and after the execution of the runway change, the function of each of the plurality of controllers is adjusted to the position of the controller to correspond to the use direction of the takeoff and landing runway. 2. The airfield control support system according to claim 1, further comprising a control console function switching means for switching to an optimal combination. 9. The control console function switching means, when the runway change is performed, optimally switches display contents and display arrangement of each of the plurality of control consoles with respect to the use direction of the take-off and landing runway. An airfield control support system according to claim 8. 10. Any of the plurality of control consoles is a general control console. The general control console obtains time width information of the optimal execution time of the runway change from the runway change prediction means, and presents it to a corresponding controller. 9. The airfield control support system according to claim 8, further comprising a function of providing a determined time to said control console function switching means in response to a runway change time determination input within a time width of a controller.