Tower Information Display System (TIDS): the system architecture

This paper describes the system architecture of the Tower Information Display System (TIDS). TIDS is the cornerstone of the Staffed NextGen Tower (SNT) concept, which addresses the important equivalent-visual-operations capability (without building a costly physical tower) identified by the NextGen roadmap. TIDS was used for a feasibility analysis at the Airport Facilities Terminal Integration Laboratory (AFTIL) facility at the FAA Technical Center, Atlantic City, NJ, in August 2007. TIDS was designed and built to provide a large screen display of current terminal traffic and a touch-screen display that implements an electronic flight strip operation. The system integrates the information from all data sources, including the AFTIL facility's High Level Architecture (HLA) based simulator, provides real-time value-added processing and gives air traffic controllers the information necessary for safe and efficient airport operations. All data sources are processed and displayed in real-time. The system also allows for multiple real-time displays whose views are individually configurable to the appropriate controller functions needed. This paper also explores the designs of future versions of TIDS that are in development following the feasibility study. These TIDS systems integrate new data sources, such as Airport Surface Detection Equipment, Model X (ASDE-X) CAT11, which provides aircraft track data derived from multi- lateration and primary radar. They also provide Air Traffic Control Towers with a NextGen extensible design for data distribution for the myriad of data sources of terminal information. The real-time processing capability will also allow for implementation and display of decision-support algorithms.