I Believe I Can Help You Fly
March 6, 2010 10:04 AM Subscribe
Ever wondered about the gadgets air traffic controllers use to get you back on the ground? The folks over at Ars Technica have a overview of the technology of air traffic control.
Well, as it pertains to the US, anyway.
Well, as it pertains to the US, anyway.
This is my pencil, my protractor, and the piece of cardboard I use as a ruler. We keep the Russian surplus vacuum tubes in a locked closet over there.
posted by Babblesort at 10:19 AM on March 6, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by Babblesort at 10:19 AM on March 6, 2010 [1 favorite]
Pretty good overview. I got to visit NorCal TRACON a month ago, it was really cool. The room really looked like that linked photo of Potomac TRACON; dark, circular room design, slightly calm and high tech. The displays they had were beautiful, really high resolution / high refresh LCDs. The software and visualizations themselves seemed quite simple, certainly simpler than anything a modern video game has. But also very nicely tuned and appropriate to their tasks.
I'm excited about NextGen and ADS-B, it's going to make a lot of things better. Assuming it ever happens, that is. And there's some discomfort with how much we're going to rely on GPS over all other technologies. ADS-B seems pretty tinker-friendly, too, check out this ADS-B / iPhone integration for example.
posted by Nelson at 10:41 AM on March 6, 2010 [2 favorites]
I'm excited about NextGen and ADS-B, it's going to make a lot of things better. Assuming it ever happens, that is. And there's some discomfort with how much we're going to rely on GPS over all other technologies. ADS-B seems pretty tinker-friendly, too, check out this ADS-B / iPhone integration for example.
posted by Nelson at 10:41 AM on March 6, 2010 [2 favorites]
Heh. I thought the 8 year old kid thing was cool and the reaction kind of dumb.
posted by Artw at 10:46 AM on March 6, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by Artw at 10:46 AM on March 6, 2010 [1 favorite]
Wait, so they don't just use paper slips? (Damn Gladwell myths...)
posted by progosk at 10:53 AM on March 6, 2010
posted by progosk at 10:53 AM on March 6, 2010
Early in my career, I worked on the Mode S beacon system. Think about that next time you fly.
posted by incster at 11:08 AM on March 6, 2010
posted by incster at 11:08 AM on March 6, 2010
They mention a video of British Airways flight 038 but wikileaks gives a 404. I believe this is the same video on liveleak.
posted by Skorgu at 11:37 AM on March 6, 2010
posted by Skorgu at 11:37 AM on March 6, 2010
When I was watching the controller do his thing at TRACON I was delighted to see a paper strip delivered to his desk. Even better, it was a plane taking off from my very airport! I think the handoffs in the air from sector to sector are all electronic, basically a little box shows up on the edge of the screen flashing or coloured until acknowledged. The paper slip I saw was from a plane taking off into the airspace; that request has to be relayed from the control tower (far away) to some other controller, I guess. I also understand now why it can take 10-15 minutes to get a clearance to take off, you're on the sneakernet and pretty low in the interrupt priority queue.
posted by Nelson at 11:51 AM on March 6, 2010
posted by Nelson at 11:51 AM on March 6, 2010
Thank you rodgerd. When on a flight, I think more about a pilot's skills than an air traffic controller's. Sometimes I can see the control tower when taking off or landing, but mostly I don't pay attention even if I see it, and I certainly don't seek it out. Now I'm realising how essential the pilot/controller communication is. Comforting for flyers. Let's hope ATCs and pilots don't show up on a list of jobs made obsolete in 2010-20.
posted by drogien at 12:49 PM on March 6, 2010
posted by drogien at 12:49 PM on March 6, 2010
I love flying on United because you can listen to the pilots talking to the air traffic controllers. Everyone is really polite and relaxed, which is reassuring. Also, I'm a bit of a communication nerd, to I like hearing it for that reason.
That is all.
posted by elder18 at 7:02 PM on March 6, 2010
That is all.
posted by elder18 at 7:02 PM on March 6, 2010
Instead of a map of my journey on my chair screen I would much prefer to have a camera feed from the nose of the plane - that would be entertaining.
posted by Tamzin at 4:47 AM on March 7, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by Tamzin at 4:47 AM on March 7, 2010 [1 favorite]
Yes. So would a camera feed looking over the pilots' shoulders. But my idea would increase pilot anxiety, so I vote for yours.
posted by Songdog at 5:33 AM on March 7, 2010
posted by Songdog at 5:33 AM on March 7, 2010
Here's an interesting A380 nose-cam video for you, Tamzin. The kicker is it's pointed backwards, hanging off the landing gear. Cool perspective.
posted by Nelson at 8:02 AM on March 7, 2010
posted by Nelson at 8:02 AM on March 7, 2010
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posted by gman at 10:12 AM on March 6, 2010 [1 favorite]