A Human-in-the-Loop Investigation of Multi-Sector Planning Operations for the NextGen Mid-Term

A human-in-the-loop simulation was conducted to evaluate a concept for introducing multi-sector trajectory planning operations into en route air traffic facilities in the NextGen Mid-Term timeframe. Multi-sector planning tools and procedures for local area traffic flow management were developed, and then tested using two different service provider team configurations. In one condition, local area flow planning was performed by the traffic management coordinator and area supervisor. A second condition added a new, dedicated multi-sector planner position to the planning team. A set of eight convective weather and traffic load scenarios was used to evaluate the operational feasibility, potential benefits, and tool performance requirements of each condition. Significant improvements in weather avoidance and controller workload were observed in the multi-sector planner condition but no significant improvement was observed in user efficiency. Results indicate that multisector planning operations are effective and feasible in either team configuration.