A Framework for Modeling Air Traffic Control Systems

The strategic planning and tactical execution of Air Traffic Control (ATC) provided by Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSP) are often not aligned and lead to inefficiencies in the Air Traffic Management (ATM) system. This paper proposes an analytical framework for the air traffic control system based on a system-of-systems paradigm, with a hierarchy of nested and cascaded feedback control loops—one or more for each type of control service. The framework is then used to assess the stability and response to random variables, such as poor weather and equipment failures. The performance of each control loop is then described qualitatively and validates the framework for investigating the benefit of new policies and technologies.