Simulation Studies of the Supersonic Transport in the Air Traffic Control System

The current joint NASA-FAA simulator program, designed to study the problems anticipated in the integration of the supersonic transport (SST) into the air traffic control (ATC) system, is explained. The initial tests have consisted of simulated departure and arrival operations of a variable-sweep SST configuration in the New York terminal area under high-density traffic flow conditions with as many as six SST operations per hour. Several types of separation standards and handling concepts were investigated while using an ATC system based on present-day concepts and procedures. Results describing the operating problems for the SST and the workload, delay, and capacity problems for the ATC system are discussed.