UK Research on the Modern Transport Flight Deck and the Interaction With Air Traffic Control

The paper describes a closely coordinated UK research programme involving Research Establishments and Industry in hardware design, simulator tests and flight trials to investigate the interfaces and interactions between Advanced Flight Systems, the Aircrew and Air Traffic Control, Reference is made to the work of the Royal Signals and Radar Establishment (RSRE) to describe developments in Air Traffic Management. Work in the UK on Flight Deck design has centred on the Advanced Flight Deck simulator at British Aerospace, Weybridge, and an example of their work is described. The flight test programme of the Royal Aircraft Establishment (RAE) Bedford BAC 1–11 and its equipment fit are described, together with recent examples of area navigation accuracy achieved in flight using conventional ground aids. A future programme is discussed in which the integration of all these new system elements will be investigated. Some of the problems which will be addressed are discussed.