VATSIM: Taking R&D from Virtual to Reality
August 20, 2008
Can a fun, virtual air traffic simulation game translate into “tried and true” research and development? CAASD is exploring the possibilities through a partnership with the Virtual Air Traffic Simulation Network (VATSIM), a global aviation community on the Internet avid about flight simulation. VATSIM is comprised of over 100,000 registered users consisting of pilots, air traffic controllers, and new users interested in learning about online flight simulation and air traffic control. The network offers CAASD an opportunity for concept exploration and validation within the research and development (R&D) community that has yet to be explored. Says Principal Software Systems Engineer Frank Sogandares, “We hope to conduct virtual future National Airspace System (NAS)-level and global simulations with the group. These simulations can offer better insights into how aviation systems behave as operational changes are introduced.”
FAA Project -
ADS-B: An Evolution in Air Traffic Control
August 18, 2008
On June 30, 1956, two commercial planes collided in clear skies over the Grand Canyon, killing more than 100 people. Following that tragedy—and in the wake of more than 65 similar, often fatal, crashes between 1950 and 1955—the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) was formed, which led to a significant leap in U.S. aviation safety.
Sense and Avoid: Flying Small UAS in Civil Airspace
August 7, 2008
Unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) are rapidly passing their initial "cool stuff for the military" phase. In fact, interest in UAS is growing worldwide, and many new civil applications are envisioned, such as homeland security, border protection, and crime scene surveillance, as well as commercial operations. In agriculture they could be used to check blight in crops and measure moisture levels in soil. UAS could add a whole new wrinkle to airborne photography, taking pictures in spaces otherwise inaccessible to manned aircraft.
MITRE Wins Collier Trophy
August 4, 2008
MITRE was recently included among a group of government, industry, and academic organizations honored with the prestigious Collier Trophy for their contribution to a next-generation air-traffic control system known as Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B).
Cross-Cultural Communicator - Mimi Dobbs
July 29, 2008
Mimi Dobbs has always been one to buck tradition. The principal information systems engineer in MITRE's Center for Advanced Aviation System Development (CAASD) grew up in Korea, where, she says, females "are brought up with limitations; it's a very rule-based culture. But my parents always told me 'you can do what you want to do.'"
India Cleared for Take Off
July 22, 2008
As India's economy continues to soar, so do the growing ranks of its young professionals. The subcontinent now has the second fastest growing domestic aviation market in the world (China is first). Between now and 2009, this sector is projected to grow 20 percent, adding further stress to an already overburdened transportation infrastructure.
Travel Forecasting Takes Off
June 10, 2008
Planning to fly from New York to Los Angeles seems like a simple enough proposition. However, there's an array of factors for the traveler to consider. For starters, in the New York metro area, it's possible to depart from one of at least three airports, while in L.A., there are no less than five airports in the region, all of which support varying degrees of air traffic and passenger travel.
Air Traffic Control 101
April 25, 2008
Last August, the Department of Transportation reported that airline delays in the United States were at their highest level since the agency started keeping statistics in 1995. Part of the blame for the delays is that demand for air travel is rising at a rate of four percent a year. It doesn’t help matters that approximately two-thirds of the nation’s 15,000 air traffic controllers are expected to retire within the next decade.
Teaching the World to Fly More Efficiently and Safely
January 10, 2008
How do you teach non-English speakers and non-tech-savvy students about the latest in aviation systems and operations? "With patience and creativity," says Cheryl Andrews, course manager of the MITRE Aviation Institute (MAI), a unique resource for the global aviation community.
CAASD Unmanned Aircraft Work Recently Featured in The Edge
October 5, 2007
With unmanned aircraft now seeking a place in the nation’s airways, CAASD is playing an important part in determining how they can fit into civil airspace safely and systematically. Unmanned Aircraft in Civil Airspace: Challenges and Opportunities, by Robert Boetig, F063, and Matthew DeGarmo, F082. Originally developed for military applications, most unmanned aircraft were built with high-risk applications and environments in mind. Little, if any consideration was given to making these aircraft suitable for flights in a mature civil aviation system—one controlled and monitored by sophisticated systems and governed by a rigorous regulatory structure.
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