Developing a Full-Scale Air Traffic Control Tower Mockup with Realistic Air Traffic Scenarios

SST supports FAA’s Airport Facilities Terminal Integration Laboratory (AFTIL) with realistic 3D modeling, simulations, and air traffic scenarios to support the visual validation of planned modifications to airports (e.g., Airport Traffic Control Towers (ATCT), buildings, runways, etc.) and the associated impacts and changes to current air traffic operational procedures.

Gathering actual airport data (e.g., airport information, runway usage, taxi routes, terminal operations, air carrier information, fleet mix, etc.) and metadata (e.g., reference points for taxiways, structures, and terrain data, etc.), SST develops highly accurate and detailed airport model databases and air traffic simulations as well as full-scale ATCT mock-ups to support various simulation studies. These simulation studies include but are not limited to ATCT siting studies, operational assessments, airport infrastructure studies (both current and future), and various human-in-the-loop simulations.

SST works with other FAA laboratories to feed data such as the Performance Data Analysis and Reporting System data, Target Generation Facility’s Flight Plan Development Environment playback tool to visualize the approach, departure, and ground data recordings during different runway configurations, enabling day-in-the-life realism.