Air Traffic Control Lab Begins Operation
Abhinav Rao
Issue date: 4/15/09 Section: News
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Chasity Locke, who is sponsored by NASA, is the supervisor of the laboratory, along with John Wightman, an Aeronautics graduate from ERAU's Prescott campus.
The air traffic control laboratory functions on Embry-Riddle Virtual Airspace. Operating through the ERAU campus site network, virtual airspace connects pilots flying in Microsoft flight simulators on campus computers. Embry-Riddle Virtual Airspace links the air traffic control laboratory to the airway science laboratory. This enables trainees to step into the shoes of a controller at the actual tower, directing aircraft in and out of the airport.
The laboratory is equipped with voice transmission capability, handled by Teamspeak. Utilizing this system, pilots can speak to controllers and dispatchers, enhancing the accuracy of the simulation.
High-definition monitors project a 180 degree control tower view using an improvised Microsoft flight simulator environment.
"This gives the laboratory the capability of simulating several airports that are incorporated in flight simulator," said Wightman. Wightman and the team have added additional cameras to include the ERAU ramp in the Prescott airport environment.
There are four data stations in the air traffic control lab for radar views and data communication. This is complemented with an additional eight stations in the radar lab that can serve as pilot stations, utilizing the flight simulator.
The laboratory is equipped with Dell computers, monitors, and touch screen monitors, the latter of which is for frequency switching.
Wightman developed pseudo pilot software known as Spawndeception. With this tool, aircraft can be generated for a traffic control simulation. The aircraft can be made to follow the controller's directions through an interface which allows the user to specify flight parameters such as altitude and heading.
Construction for the laboratory began in September 2008 and was completed in January 2009.
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