Alerts
and Warnings Concept Paper
This concept paper aims to investigate the requirements for a system that specifies the alerts and warnings. The ideas expressed here are basic and the concepts in this area are constantly evolving.
The purpose of the alerts and warnings system is to inform the Air Traffic Control (ATC) of the possibilities of danger or extreme conditions. This system helps to ensure the safety of air traffic and people on the ground. It also provides warnings and alerts to the ground operators in order for them respond to unusual situations as quickly as possible. The system monitors the various other systems of the ATC and ensures their functionality and operation. Warnings and alerts from the system are given based on the data received from the radar reports, computer’s conditions, Special Condition Codes (SCC) and Multiple Discrete Codes (MDC).
The alerts and warnings system should provide the following functionality:
3.1 Minimum Safe Altitude Warning
· If flying over a congested area of a city, town or settlement, or over any open air assembly of persons, if an altitude of 1000 feet above the highest obstacle within a horizontal radius of 2000 feet of the aircraft is not maintained, then an MSAW is issued to the operator or client system within 1 second of the occurrence.
· If flying over an area that is not congested, if an altitude of 500 feet above the surface is not maintained, then an MSAW is issued to the operator or client system within 1 second of the occurrence.
3.2 Special Condition Code alert
When an SCC is detected for a track, the track shall be attached with a SCC alert. This SSC alert state shall remain until the SCC alert is acknowledged by an operator or the client system.
3.3
Multiple Discrete Code
alert
When two or more tracks have been updated by different radar reports transmitting the same Mode C SSR code, a multiple discrete code alert shall be issued to the operator or the client system within 1 second.
3.4
Collision warning
When two aircraft are within a 1000m altitude and 10 knots distance of each other, a collision warning is issued to the operator or the client system within 1 second.
3.5
Coast Out Warning
When a track is being coasted out, a warning is issued to the operator or the client system within 1 second.
3.6
Deletion of Coasted out
track warning
When a coasted out track is about to be deleted, a warning is issued to the operator or the client system within 1 second.
3.7
Internal condition
warnings
· Computer Failure Alert – when the main processor and the “stand-by” processor fail to operate, a computer failure warning is issued to the operator and client system within 0.1 seconds.
· Switchover warning – when one processor fails to operate, operation shall switch to a “stand-by” processor that contains sufficient data about the current state of the track store. A switchover warning is issued to the operator and the client system within 0.1 seconds when the switch is made.
· Too many tracks warning – when more than 6 aircraft are being tracked by the RDPS, then a warning is issued to the operator or the client system within 0.1 seconds
The alerts and warnings system helps to maintain the safety of air traffic and lowers the rate of accidents. It monitors the RDPS based on radar reports and the internal computers’ conditions. It reports any unusual events happening within the radar coverage area by providing warnings and alerts to the operator or the client system.
The alerts and warnings
system issues warnings and alerts when undesired events occur. This allows the
air traffic control system to be compliant with RDPS regulations and
requirements. Also, the system helps maximize the safety of air traffic.
http://www.seneca.k12.pa.us/shs/science/aviation/91-119.htm
http://www.ece.ubc.ca/~elec415