Performance Data Analysis and Reporting System (PDARS)

The Performance Data Analysis and Reporting System (PDARS) is a FAA NAS System designed as an integrated performance measurement tool that facilitates operational analysis to improve the NAS. The system consists of a dedicated network of computers located at FAA sites that use specialized software for collecting detailed air traffic management system data.

The PDARS system includes 20 domestic Air Route Traffic Control Centers (ARTCC's), 28 Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) facilities, 27 ASDE-X equipped airports.  PDARS is also used at FAA Service Area Offices, the Air Traffic Control System Command Center, the Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center, and FAA Headquarters.

As a NAS system, the data contained in the PDARS system is intended for government use only. The PDARs data differs from other NAS data in that it is enhanced to provide quality controlled flight track data.

Key Features of PDARS
The addition of event information to the flight track data provides data that can be readily analyzed and support metric and reporting needs. It is the FAA’s only mechanism to provide Gate to Gate analysis. FAA personnel use the PDARS system extensively to assist in monitoring, measuring, analyzing, and managing operations on a day-to-day basis.

Flight Trajectory Synthesis: Collects flight data from multiple surveillance systems, merging track points into end-to-end trajectories, and producing quality-controlled analysis-ready data

Comprehensive View of the NAS: performs a complex coordination and integration of processed flight data with cyclical geo-referenced data sources including weather, airspace, airports, navigational objects, traffic flow management, and geographic data

Key Flight Event Detection: detects key flight events using business rules and metric definitions verified over 15 years of operation, including Airspace Crossings, Runway Assignment, Modes of Flight, Level Flight, Go-Arounds, Handoffs, Holding, and Fix Passing

Visualization and Animation: Displays multi-dimensional viewing of flight activity and airspace, animation replays of historical data using 3D and 4D visualization for operational analysis, and flightdata filtering

Performance Databases

The Federal Aviation Administration maintains four core databases that are used to produce the operational metrics that are tracked and reported in order to manage and improve FAA efficiency. The Aviation System Performance Metrics (ASPM) database is the most comprehensive flight database with key event times and operational information necessary for producing most performance measures. The OPSNET database contains FAA imposed delay, often at the flight level. Flight Trajectory contains key event times extracted from archived flight plan messages as well as from flight position data. Fuel Burn data is provided by the airlines for key city pairs and is used to meet congressional requirements to evaluate fuel trends experienced by the airline industry.

ASPM constitutes the most comprehensive flight level database used for performance analysis within FAA.It contains a host of key event times including actual, scheduled as well as the airline reported gate and runway times. It also synthesizes key times from the traffic flow management system and links flight level information from the National Traffic Management Log (NTML).

OPSNET provides the official source for traffic operations and reportable delay. Reportable delay includes the causal information such as the constrained facility, the reason for delay (weather, equipment, runways etc.) and the traffic management initiative employed in delaying the aircraft.

Flight Trajectory database is used for performance measures that assess if flights are obtaining more efficient trajectories or if problem areas are emerging. The flight level data compares actual trajectories to both direct flight or a best achieved flight. In response to congressional request, the flight level data also tracks continuous ascent and continuous descent operations.

Fuel Burn database contains per flight fuel consumption data for select city pairs. The data is provided on a voluntary basis by airlines and air cargo operators in response to a congressional requirement, and is used to analyze the operational performance of the NAS and the benefits of operational improvements.

Simulation Tools

The Performance Analysis Office has developed a suite of simulation tools that allows FAA management to evaluate changes in operational efficiency due to anticipated changes in the NAS. This data allows the program office to address problems prior to the day of operations. Specific tools have been developed for the NAS system, the airport level and the oceanic environment. The models use airspace/airport capacities, traffic schedules and weather as input and produce delay, throughput statistics and other performance measures as output.

The office also produces standardized operational schedules that are provided for all FAA planning and investment analysis projects. These baseline and future projection schedules are updated annually using optimization software that selects 16 sample days that best approximate flight activity (Airport and Center) and delay (Total Delay, Weather Delay) across all FAA facilities. The sample includes 2 uniform busy days that can be used for benchmarking. The schedules are provided for both fast-time and human in the loop simulation projects.

NEXTOR

The National Center of Excellence for Aviation Operations Research (NEXTOR) was established on June 26, 1996 as one of the five Centers of Excellence created by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). This program is managed by the ATO Office of Performance Analysis and allows FAA and other government agencies to partner with leading universities in research that furthers improvements in aviation efficiency.

Since 1996, NEXTOR has produced numerous papers, theses and doctoral dissertations and has engaged in formal knowledge and personnel exchange activities. These initiatives have been instrumental in the successful transfer and sharing of new technologies and have helped to educate and prepare the next generation of aviation professionals.

Principle areas of NEXTOR research include tactical and strategic traffic management, safety and security, system performance, weather impact, aviation infrastructure, economic analysis, model development and training.

For more details on NEXTOR, please visit the website below:

Center of Excellence University Research Studies (NEXTOR)

Capacity Analysis

Aviation performance is largely dependent on capacity as improvements or degradations in operational performance is most often linked to an imbalance of demand and capacity. FAA Performance Analysis has developed an extensive modeling and analysis capability for establishing capacity values for facilities at different thresholds for delay and determining the changes in capacity that will occur due to runway construction or through new technology or new procedures.

Ground-Based Navigation - Contacts

Ground-Based Navigation - Contacts

• Lansine Touré, Manager – 202-267-3018
• Lesly Samedy, Team Lead – 202-267-5213
• Tennille Blackwell, Business Manager – 202-267-6247
• Marie Cineus, Administrative Assistant – 202-267-9906

Lighting Systems - Contacts

Lighting Systems - Contacts

• Lansine Touré, Manager - 202-267-3018
• John Varas, Team Lead – 202-267-4539
• Tennille Blackwell, Business Manager – 202-267-6247
• Marie Cineus, Administrative Assistant – 202-267-9906

Spectrum Testing and Engineering Analysis Office, AJW-1C4

Spectrum Testing and Engineering Analysis Office, AJW-1C4

The mission of the Spectrum Testing and Engineering Analysis Office focuses on providing for and protecting the radio frequency spectrum required to support civil aviation communications, navigation, and surveillance (CNS) services. This division also ensures that the spectrum engineering requirements for new civil aviation CNS systems and functions are satisfied. Accomplishing this mission requires extensive studies and technical preparation; coordination within FAA; and participation as the U.S. aviation representative or key U.S. delegation member in FAA, U.S. Government and industry, and international civil aviation and telecommunications forums.

Spectrum Engineering & Policy - Spectrum Planning and International Office, AJW-1C3

Spectrum Planning and International Office, AJW-1C3,

• International Arena

The Spectrum Planning and International Division focuses on providing for and protecting the radio frequency spectrum required to support civil aviation communications, navigation, and surveillance (CNS) services.This division also ensures that the spectrum engineering requirements for new civil aviation CNS systems and functions are satisfied.

Accomplishing this requires extensive studies and technical preparation, coordination within FAA, and participation as the U.S. aviation representative or key U.S. delegation member in FAA, U.S. Government and industry, and international civil aviation and telecommunications forums.

Satellite Navigation - NAS Implementation - Avionics

NAS Implementation - Avionics Development

To use GPS, WAAS, and/or GBAS in the National Airspace System, equipment suitable for aviation use (such as a GPS receiver, WAAS receiver, GBAS receiver, or multi-mode receiver) must be designed, developed, and certified for use, and then installed according to an approved design. To ensure standardization and safety of this equipment, the FAA plays a key role in the development of this equipment and works closely with industry in this process.

Within the FAA, the Aircraft Certification Service organization (AIR-130) is responsible for the development of Minimum Operational Performance Standards (MOPS) and Technical Standard Orders (TSO), and is the prime focal point for certification of all avionics equipment within the FAA.

The avionics development process results in safe, standardized satellite navigation avionics, developed in concurrence with industry. Due to the growing popularity of satellite navigation and potential new aviation applications, there are several types of GPS-based receivers on the market, but only those that pass through this certification process can be used as approved navigation equipment under instrument flight rules (IFR) conditions.