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Air Traffic Analysis at Beale AFB Supporting Global Hawk Operations

Air Traffic Analysis at Beale AFB Supporting Global Hawk Operations. Paul Ostwald, CAASD & Bill Hershey, 853 rd ELSG/NT (MITRE) With Tee Mans, ACC/A8US 26 April 2007. Contents. Background Purpose of this briefing Beale Air Force Base area and airspace What does radar data show?

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Air Traffic Analysis at Beale AFB Supporting Global Hawk Operations

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  1. Air Traffic Analysis at Beale AFB Supporting Global Hawk Operations Paul Ostwald, CAASD & Bill Hershey, 853rd ELSG/NT (MITRE) With Tee Mans, ACC/A8US 26 April 2007

  2. Contents • Background • Purpose of this briefing • Beale Air Force Base area and airspace • What does radar data show? • Overview of the 5-day traffic analysis • Radar sites represented in the traffic data • Analysis of transponding traffic (84th RADES data) • Analysis of non-transponding tracks (84th RADES data) • Analysis of stakeholders (ETMS data) • Summary of Findings • Potential application to other situations

  3. Background • USAF planned to stand-up Global Hawk (GH) training operations at Beale AFB, CA - Nov 2006 • FAA approval was needed • GH program had little quantitative data on traffic surrounding Beale AFB • In June 2006, GH program requested 853 ELSG/NT support for a traffic analysis

  4. Purpose of this Briefing • Provide insight into air traffic around Beale AFB: • Traffic characteristics (hourly and day-of-week variability) • Characterization of non-transponding radar returns • Stakeholder and origin/destination counts • Document: • Potential data sources and selection of the most useful • Data filtering and processing • Types of results achievable using available data sources • For potential future application to: • Other locations where Global Hawk could be based • Other programs, e.g., Predator • Special situations, e.g., specific Global Hawk flights

  5. Note many nearby small airports Note many nearby small airports Beale Area Airspace & Airspace Subject to a Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) Beale AFB (BAB) TFR 10 nmi radius Class C Airspace Mode C (altitude reporting) required above 10,000’ and in “Mode C Veil” above Class C airspace Sacramento (SMF)

  6. Initial Plan for Global Hawk Training Missions at Beale AFB MOA • Global Hawk training missions would begin and end at Beale AFB, at the center of the 10 nmi radius TFR. • GH climbs to over 50,000 ft and executes several loops over a military operations area (MOA). • GH descends to TFR and stays within the TFR on its approach by executing a “bow-tie” pattern. Latitude GH Path Airports 20 nmi radius 10 nmi radius Altitude (Feet) TFR Obstructions Runways Longitude

  7. What Does Radar Data Show? • Transponding Traffic • Using a beacon transponder that transmits ID & altitude • Transponder is generally required in: • Class E airspace (portion above 10,000 feet) • Class C airspace (directly above an airfield) • “Mode C veil” (above Class C and below 10,000 feet) • Types of transponding traffic • Discrete: squawking an assigned beacon code • VFR (Visual Flight Rules): squawking “1200” beacon code • Mixed: discrete or VFR during different portions of the flight • Non-transponding Traffic • Not using a beacon transponder • Generates search-only returns when seen by primary radar • Not all search-only tracks are real traffic • e.g, birds, obstructions, and other “noise” • Not all radars can measure altitude for search-only tracks

  8. Stakeholders • (6 ways): Jets Turboprops Props General AviationAir Carrier 18,000’ 10,000’ 4,100’ Ground Overview of 5-day Traffic Analysis May 15 – 19, 2006 (Monday – Friday) Period Data • Transponding and non-transponding radar returns • 84th Radar Evaluation Squadron (RADES) at Hill AFB, Utah • Transponding aircraft • FAA Enhanced Traffic Management System (ETMS) Filter to 20 nmi cylinder; show: Filter to 10 nmi cylinder; show: Analyses • Day-of-week pattern (5 days) • Time-of-day pattern (Hourly) • Altitudes (3 ranges): • Air carriers distribution • 3. Airports (origins and destinations) 4. Identification of potential non-transponding traffic

  9. Radar Sites Near Beale AFB Latitude BAB = Beale AFB Data Archived in RADES? Long-Range Radar Sites Short-Range Radar Sites • RBL (Red Bluff) • MIL (Mill Valley) • RBR (Rainbow Ridge) • SCK (Stockton) • BAB (Beale AFB) • MCC (McClellan/ Sacramento) • Yes • No 10 nmi radius 20 nmi radius 5 others had small amount of data: FLX, KFL, PSR, RNO, & VAN Longitude

  10. Results: Transponding Traffic Patterns Day-of-Week and Time-of-Day (84th RADES data) Daily Traffic Counts Breakdown by Hour for All Five Days One day busy for one hour Busy most days 0800-1000 • Thursday is busiest: 278 tracks • Monday is least busy: 201 tracks • However, one week of data is not a reliable predictor of a regular day-of-week pattern. Slightly Lighter 1000-1300 Light traffic 2200-0800 A Little Busier 1300-1800

  11. Results: Transponding Traffic Breakdown Mode C AltitudeWithin 10 nmi Radius Cylinder, Surface to 18,000’ 11% 11% 66% 10% 2% Total Track Counts – Surface to 18,000 ft (1114) VFR - long 18,000 ft VFR - short Discrete - short 7% Discrete - long Mixed discrete & VFR Long track: >=10 radar returns/track Short track: <10 radar returns/track 0 0 7% 6% Few VFR above 10,000 ft 0 0 10,000 ft 29% 0 0 11% 0 Most “short” tracks are below 4100 ft 4100 ft 42% Surface Track stays within altitude range shown Track climbs or descends within altitude range shown

  12. Analysis of Non-Transponding Tracks(84th RADES Data) • Objectives: • Reject tracks unlikely to be aircraft • Highlight non-transponding traffic close to TFR boundary • Analysis process (successive filtering steps): • Used the 15-19 May 2006 sample from 84th RADES • Selected predominantly tracks from search-only radar returns • Selected tracks coming within a 20 nmi radius of Beale AFB • Identified “good” tracks likely to represent real aircraft, i.e., • At least 10 radar returns (about two minutes) • Visual examination of path for speed, altitude, linearity, etc. • Of the good tracks, identified those close to Class C airspace and proposed TFR boundary, i.e., just outside a 10 nmi radius • These represent potential conflicts with Global Hawk

  13. Results: Non-Transponding Tracks (84th RADES data) • Many/most 84th RADES non-transponding tracks do NOT appear to be actual aircraft, due to characteristics such as: • Very short duration • Very long duration, largely stationary • Largely stationary at or near a known obstacle • Many with height (as determined by the radar) above 10,000’ • In 5 days of data, less than 30 “reasonable” tracks were identified that were likely to be real, non-transponding aircraft (see three examples, following slide) • Unable to verify any non-transponding aircraft entered the airspace reserved for transponder-equipped aircraft due to lack of altitude data, but some flew very close laterally. • Other anomalies were also observed, possibly due to data filtering by 84th RADES.

  14. Search-only track Obstruction Airports Outer Ring: 20 nmi radius Inner Ring: 10 nmi radius TFR (Temporary Flight Restriction) RADES Tracks that are Likely Non-Transponding Aircraft Track 24514 (seen by MIL & RBL radars) • Fewer than 30 tracks were identified as potentially “good” non-transponding aircraft • Red Bluff radar (RBL) - 10 tracks • Mill Valley radar (MIL) - 6 tracks • Rainbow Ridge radar (RBR) - 6 tracks • Only three tracks in common (seen by two radars, i.e., RBL and MIL (see example plots) • Unique tracks (seen by one radar only) • 7 of 10 from RBL (see example plot) • 3 of 6 from MIL • All 6 from RBR Track 12617 (seen by MIL & RBL radars) Track 12124 (seen by RBL radar) Note proximity to proposed TFR

  15. Track Count Hour 15 May 16 May 17 May 18 May 19 May Observations on 84th RADES Tracks that are Not Likely to be Aircraft • Most search-only tracks are not aircraft • Examined all search-only tracks within 10 nmi radius of Beale AFB, here shown as hourly counts over the five days of data: • No clear pattern from day-to-day • No clear pattern within each day • Counts include many very short tracks • Peaks and lulls can occur any time of day • Peak of over 70 per hour

  16. Analysis of Stakeholders (Enhanced Traffic Management System Data) • Objective: Determine characteristics of other airspace users near Beale. • Aircraft type • Air carrier breakdown • Origin and destination airports • ETMS data came from the CAASD Repository System • Same five day period (15-19 May 2006) as the 84th RADES data • Aircraft transmitting a discrete beacon code for part or all of the track • Contains aircraft ID, type, origin and destination airports • Tracks from FAA’s Oakland Center (ZOA) and Northern CA TRACON • Does not include military or most VFR traffic (with 1200 beacon codes) • Data frequency is one position per minute, less often than 84th RADES data • Analysis process • Selected all tracks that were • within a 10 nmi radius cylinder centered on Beale AFB • below 18,000’ • Analyzed and plotted data in Excel

  17. Breakdown of Transponding Aircraft15-19 May 2006 – ETMS Data No Flight Plan (AC type, departure and arrival airport information not available) Turbo Prop Prop Jet Total General Aviation 319 (62%) 45% 7% 7% 3% Air Carrier (see following slide for company breakdown) 194 (38%) 0% 3% 8% 27% 513 Total flights in Discrete and Mixed Categories Does not include military aircraft or aircraft under VFR transponding with 1200 code.

  18. Breakdown by Air Carrier Southwest and Alaska have the largest number of flights transiting the 10 nmi radius cylinder

  19. Breakdown by Departure and Arrival Operations at Nearby Airports Air Carrier Arrivals to Sacramento Intl are by far the largest Highlights are >= 5

  20. Summary of Findings84th RADES Data • Transponding Traffic • Day-of-week • Some variation seen, mid-week busier, all days with over 200 tracks • 5 days (Monday – Friday) limited sample – not a reliable indicator • Time-of-day • “Off hours” of 1900 – 0800 not too busy (under 10 tracks per hour) • Morning (0800 – 1100) consistently busy (all hours with over 10 tracks) • Other hours (1100 – 1900) slightly less busy overall (mostly 10 – 20 tracks) • Afternoon spikes of very busy 1 – 2 hour periods occur (30 tracks) • Altitude • Discrete beacon traffic distributed across all altitudes (surface to 18,000’) • Many aircraft are transitioning altitudes • Non-discrete (VFR traffic) are mostly below 10,000’ • Short tracks (less than 10 returns) are almost exclusively below 4100’ • Non-transponding traffic • Many/most non-transponding tracks do NOT appear to be actual aircraft • A small number (less than 5 per day) do appear to be aircraft tracks • Further analysis might identify some additional non-transponding tracks

  21. Summary of FindingsStakeholder Analysis (ETMS Transponding Traffic) • Air Carrier Flights • About 200 air carrier flights were found • Southwest Airlines and Alaska Airlines were the “top two” • Air carriers are mostly jets • About 2/3 of air carrier flights were arrival operations to Sacramento (SMF) • General Aviation (GA) Flights • About 300 GA flights were found – many in Northern California TRACON – possible VFRs receiving flight-following service • GA included some jets but comprised mostly prop and turboprop aircraft • GA operations included both departures and arrivals from several nearby airports

  22. Potential Application to Other Situations • Details of the process (computer programs, data structures, and analysis steps) are being documented for easy replication • Similar analyses could be applied to: • Other locations where Global Hawk could be based • Analysis of specific flights • Other programs (e.g., Predator)

  23. Back-up Slides • Global Hawk characteristics • Comparison of radar data sources • “Search-only” radar data observations for Red Bluff, Mill Valley, and Rainbow Ridge radar sites

  24. Global Hawk Characteristics • Global Hawk is an Air Force unmanned air vehicle (UAV), which is used for surveillance. • Wingspan - 116 feet / Length - 44 feet • Can range as far as 12,000 nautical miles, at altitudes up to 65,000 feet (19,812 meters), flying at speeds approaching 340 knots (about 400 mph) for as long as 35 hours. • Once mission parameters are programmed into Global Hawk, the UAV can autonomously taxi, take off, fly, remain on station capturing imagery, return and land. • Ground-based operators monitor UAV health and status, and can change navigation and sensor plans during flight as necessary. • During a typical mission, the aircraft can fly 1,200 miles to an area of interest and remain on station for 24 hours. Source: http://www.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=175

  25. Comparison of Radar Data Sources Selected for this analysis

  26. Search-only track Obstruction Airport, Runway RBL (Red Bluff) Search-Only Radar Data Observations ALL Search-Only Returns for RBL Radar • Note large number of search returns south of arc from SW to NE that passes just south of Beale Runway • Appears to be some kind a filter or mask applied to the radar data • Many questionable tracks computed with data south of this arc! • RBL radar does not measure height of search, only position of returns

  27. Search-only track Obstruction Airport, Runway Outer Ring: 20 nmi radius Inner Ring: 10 nmi radius TFR (Temporary Flight Restriction) MIL (Mill Valley) Search-Only Radar Data Observations All Search-Only Returns • Higher density of search returns towards the East and Southeast • But no distinct line or arc as in RBL data • Overall density is close to that for RBL “above the arc” • Majority of tracks <= 10 returns • MIL radar does measure height • All “good” search-only tracks have reasonable height data • Height data present for almost every search return in “good tracks” • Majority are between 6000’ and 10,000’ All Filtered Search-Only Tracks (>10 Search Returns & Inside 10-20 nmi Radius Ring)

  28. RBR (Rainbow Ridge) Search-Only Radar Data Observations All Search-Only Returns • Data predominantly west of Beale (radar furthest west) • But some south along heading of BAB runway • Density to west similar to density for MIL radar • But no distinct line or arc as in RBL data • RBR radar does measure height • All “good tracks” have height data • Height data present for almost every search return • But most returns were above 14,000’ • Six “good” search tracks identified • “Good” based on visual path • Height questionable • None were tracked by either of the other radars! • Should have been seen by the other radars at that height if they were actual flights All Filtered Tracks (>10 Search Returns & Inside 10-20 nmi Radius Ring)

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