Project VICTOR

Virtual Control Tower Research Studies

Collaborative Aviation Research

VICTOR is a project conducted on behalf of the DFS Deutsche Flugsicherung GmbH ( German Air Navigation Service) within the framework of Lufo-IV's research program Innovative AirPort (short: iPort).

In cooperation with the TTC The Tower Company, the University of Technology Berlin, University of Technology Dresden and the German Aerospace Center DLR, HFC is working on a new air traffic controller workstation that is designed from a human factors perspective.

Project Goals

Being a part of iPort-subproject 3 (taxi guidance), the goal of VICTOR is to develop an air traffic controller workstation for a tower facility which is used to remotely monitor and manage one or more regional airports. Thus the project is in line with current national and international tendencies to counter the growing air traffic with innovative air traffic control concepts.

Contents

The focus of our work is the design of the location and weather-independent view out of the tower window and the evaluation of the corresponding new operational concept.

Approach

In a user-centered, iterative work process, prototypes were developed and evaluated by air traffic controllers. A detailed analysis of an ATCOs tasks in the form of a status-quo analysis, conducted at three German regional airports, built the basis for the requirement analysis and other studies. Requirements for the new workplace and the artificial vision were derived from the talk analysis. They resulted in a design suggestion, which was discussed and revised with air traffic controllers in a workshop. Additionally, a laboratory test was conducted to evaluate the new operational concept in cooperation with the University of Technology Berlin.

Publications

• Distant Air Traffic Control for Regional Airports (IFAC article)
• Automation in Aerodrome Traffic Control (EAAP article)