Guest Editors' Introduction the Federal Aviation Administration's Advanced Automation Program

14 W e started working on this issue with the objective of capturing 'VV our collective experiences in adapting and innovating modern computer science and system engineering techniques and methods to the problem of air traffic control systems design. We recognize that the Advanced Automation Program is a complex technological undertaking that requires government and industry to address issues and problems in system safety, reliability, long system life, architecture design, software engineering, and man-machine interface, or MMI, design in very new and innovative ways. We look at this special issue as a vehicle for technology transfer to readers that are concerned not only with the development of a safe air traffic control system, but with the technologies used in the design, development, and implementation of large complex, highly available, and interactive systems. Computer automation was introduced into en-route and terminal radar air traffic control centers in the early to mid-1970's. In the en-route centers flight data and radar data processing represent the key automation functions operating on IBM 9020 computers. Automated radar data processing and limited flight data readout and input capabilities are operational in systems known as automated radar terminal systems, or ARTS, II and III. The