A methodology for addressing operational shortfalls associated with terminal operations

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) plans to modernize the National Airspace System (NAS) through the implementation of new capabilities in the form of procedures, avionics equipage, infrastructure improvements, and automation tools. Some of these capabilities are intended to address operational shortfalls associated with Air Traffic Control (ATC) operations in the Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) domain. This paper describes the methodology applied to TRACON ATC operations for identifying and ranking their shortfalls as well as capabilities that could address those shortfalls. The content in this paper is based upon work that the MITRE Corporation's Center for Advanced Aviation System Development (CAASD) has conducted in collaboration with the FAA to develop and adopt a strategy for addressing, ranking, and planning the implementation of new capabilities for terminal operations [1]. The methodology described in this paper includes an analysis of current shortfalls in the TRACON domain along with examples of capabilities intended to address these shortfalls. It also includes examples of the evaluation and ranking of these capabilities based on three key factors: relative value or benefit to operations; the feasibility or schedule achievability of the capability; and the amount of prerequisites the capability needs (e.g. new systems or system change). The paper presents examples of shortfalls and capabilities associated with the TRACON domain that resulted from the application of this methodology.