Aeronautical Charting Forum
National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
May 2, 2007
Analysis of Flight Management
Systems (FMSs)
“FMC Field Observations Trial”
Al Herndon, Mike Cramer,
Ralf Mayer, Randal Ottobre,
Greg Tennille, Dale Goodrich
© 2007 The MITRE Corporation. All rights reserved.
Public Release, Case Number 07-0053
Public Release, Case Number: 07-0053
APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE;
DISTRIBUTION UNLIMITED
“The contents of this material reflect the views of
the author and/or the Director of the Center for
Advanced Aviation System Development. Neither
the Federal Aviation Administration nor the
Department of Transportation makes any
warranty or guarantee, or promise, expressed or
implied, concerning the content or accuracy of
the views expressed herein.”
©2007 The MITRE Corporation. All rights reserved.
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Test and Evaluation Method
• A short list of major “problems” encountered
during RNAV implementations was compiled
• An route of flight was constructed using current
RNAV procedures that contain examples of the
problem areas
• The route contained various constraints and:
– Departure climbing / accelerating turns with
average and maximum course changes
– Level segment with a turn at cruise altitude
– Arrival / approach descending / decelerating turns
with maximum and average angular extent
– A missed approach with holding
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DAWGS
THREE
RNAV SID
ERLIN
TWO
RNAV
STAR
RNAV
RWY 26R
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Manufacturers
• Smiths Aerospace (MITRE in-house Test Bench)
– B737-600 (U-10.5A)
• CMC Electronics (Canadian Marconi)
– B747-200 (CMA-900/2014)
• Honeywell
– Embraer 145 (NZ-2000)
• Universal
– Cessna Citation II (UNS-1E SCN801.5)
• Rockwell Collins
– CRJ-700 (FMC-4200)
• FAA Oklahoma City (AFS-440)
– B737-800 (U-10.5A)
• Boeing (Honeywell)
– Boeing 757-200, 767-300, 777-200, 747-400
• Thales Smiths
5
– Airbus 320 (FMS2)
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Results Presentation
• The results are presented graphically for each
system, with combined graphs showing the
comparisons.
• Each system’s performance was shown as a pair
of tracks, with and without wind
– For each track, the altitude, roll angle and ground
speed were plotted vs along-track distance
• This allows comparison of turn anticipation and speed
performance
– For three particular sections of the path (two turns
and the hold) there are graphs of
• Expanded scale for the above data and
• Distance from flown path to the “stick” tracks
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Summary of Track Data
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Summary of Tracks
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Summary of Tracks
10
5
2
11
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Summary of Tracks
(altitude, roll angle, ground speed)
10
2
10
5
5
2
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Summary of Track Data
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Turn # 2, No Wind
Max D
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Turn # 2, No Wind
1 NM
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Turn # 2, No Wind
TERPS max D =1.7
Route-Track Lateral Distance (NM)
1.50
CASE 1
CASE 2
CASE 3
CASE 4
CASE 5
CASE 6
Wpt Passage
1.25
1.00
0.75
FMS DTA
0.50
0.25
0.00
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
Route Along-Track Distance (NM)
TERPS DTA
16
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Arrival Descending Turn
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Turn # 5, No Wind
Max D
18
5 NM
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Turn # 5, No Wind
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Turn # 5, No Wind
Route-Track Lateral Distance (NM)
10
9
CASE 1
CASE 2
CASE 3
CASE 4
CASE 5
CASE 6
TERPS Max D
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
65
70
TERPS DTA
20
75
80
85
90
95
100
105
110
Route Along-Track Distance (NM)
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Standard Holding
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Hold, All Tracks, No Wind
5 NM
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Summary of Tracks
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Desired Path (what you filed for: J80 or
direct to JFK, or SID/STAR, or approach,
etc.)
Defined Path (the” computed path”, the
“displayed path” on the HSI in the
cockpit)
The path the pilot wants to fly
J80 (as depicted on a Jepp chart)
Pilot’s
Map
Display
The path the pilot
sees in the cockpit
Actual Path (the path the aircraft is
flying)
The path the aircraft
Is actually flying
FTE
TSE
NSE
4
The Navigation System Error (NSE) is the difference between the “actual” path
of an aircraft and its “defined” (displayed or computed) path.
The difference between the “desired path” and the “defined path” is called Flight
Technical Error (FTE). The vector sum of NSE and FTE is Total System Error
(TSE).
From ICAO Doc. 9613/DO-208: CROSS-TRACK ERROR The perpendicular deviation
that the airplane is to the left or right of the “desired path.” This error is equal to the
cross-track component of the Total System Error (TSE). Note: Pilot sees Cross-Track
on the CDU but not Cross-Track Error.
24
See next slide for DO-236 definitions.
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Recommendations
25
• Convene a panel of experts under the PARC to
study these results and make recommendations
to improve the standard set forth in DO-236B for
lateral fly-by turn performance
• Extend the analysis to vertical path elements
under the same venue as above
• Make much more standard use of RF and “fixed
radius turns” to constrain turns in RNAV
procedures (Near Term)
• Develop regulatory material to make FMC’s
conform to holding pattern constructions of DO236B Section 3.4.2.1
• Note – PARC has now set up a FMS Standards
Action Team for these tasks.
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FMS Evaluation Test Plan
• Route of Flight:
KSAN-KLAX
– Border Five
Departure (RNAV)
– Paradise Four
Arrival (RNAV)
– LAX Approach
RNAV (GPS) RWY
25L
• No Wind
• Analyze Aircraft
path
– Not FMS calculated
path
26
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Manufacturers' & FMC’s
Manufacturer
FMC
Aircraft
Smiths Aerospace
U10.5
FAA B737-800 Simulator
U10.6
B737-600 MITRE Lab Test Bench
U10.6
B737-600 sFMS USB Test Bench
FMS2
Airbus 320 Test Bench
Primus EPIC
Embraer 190 Test Bench
Primus EPIC
Gulfstream V Test Bench
Legacy 400K
UAL Airbus 320 Simulator
Pegasus 2005
JBU Airbus 320 Simulator
Pegasus 2005
B767-300 Test Bench
Thales Smiths
Honeywell
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Manufacturers' & FMC’s
(continued)
Manufacturer
Honeywell
FMC
Aircraft
AIMS Block Point 2005
B777-200 Test Bench
747-4 Load 16
B747-400 Test Bench
Rockwell Collins
FMS-4200
CRJ-700 Test Bench
Universal Avionics
UNS1-E
Cessna Citation II
Test Bench
CMC Electronics
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CMA-900
B747-200 Test Bench
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All
Altitude Profiles
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Vertical Route Conformance Observations
All Speeds
• Significant variation
in between
waypoint
constraints as well
as at waypoint
constraints
6000
5000
4000
Vertical Difference (ft)
3000
2000
1000
0
-1000
-2000
-3000
-4000
-5000
-6000
DUEDD
ARNES
LIMMA
• Variations may be
partially due to
attempts to fly
optimal path
between constraints
-7000
80
100
120
140
Along-Route Distance (NM)
30
160
180
• “Between”
constraints not
handled by some
systems
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Public Link to:
MITRE 2006 Technical Papers
• http://www.mitre.org/work/tech_papers/tech_pape
rs_06/index.html
31
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© 2007 The MITRE Corporation. All rights reserved.
Public Release, Case Number 07-0053
RNAV/RNP CAPABILITY UPDATE
Aeronautical Charting Forum
© 2007 The MITRE Corporation. All rights reserved.
Public Release, Case Number 07-0053
Part 121 Aircraft in the NAS
1st Quarter, 2007
TOTAL
GPS
%
FMC
%
Advanced
%
3,645
1,910
52%
3,405
93%
1,295
33%
REGIONAL
2,291
1,741
76%
2,027
88%
693
30%
CARGO
1,167
468
40%
582
50%
155
13%
OTHER
414
229
55%
298
72%
206
50%
TOTAL
7,517
4,348
59%
6,312
84%
2,349
31%
11 PAX
MAJOR
*Advanced = FMS’s + IRU’s + GPS’s + RNP ALERTING + RF
35
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Public Release, Case Number 07-0053
Part 121 Aircraft in the NAS
1st Quarter, 2007
8,000
7,000
6,000
5,000
Total
FMC
4,000
GPS
Advanced
3,000
2,000
1,000
0
11 Major
36
Regional
Cargo
Other
Total
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Part 121 Jets/Props
1st Quarter, 2007
TOTAL
JETS
%
TURBO
%
RECIP
%
PROP
3,645
3,645
100%
0
0
0
0
REGIONAL
2,291
1,704
74%
587
26%
0
0
CARGO
1,167
1,084
93%
52
4%
31
3%
OTHER
414
392
95%
22
5%
0
0
TOTAL
7,517
6825
90.7%
661
9%
31
.3%
11
MAJOR
37
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RNAV & GPS Increases
Part 121 Major Airlines
(11 PAX & 2 Cargo)
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
RNAV
50%
GPS
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
2002
38
2007
© 2007 The MITRE Corporation. All rights reserved.
Public Release, Case Number 07-0053
To Date
04/25/2007
Airlines that have a username and password and/or have completed
or partially completed the “equipment section” of the web based
Operator Survey
39
ABX
ATA
Flight Options
NetJets Int’l
Spirit
Air Canada Jazz
Air Transport Int’l
Frontier
NetJets Large
Trans States
Air Wisconsin
Atlantic SE
GoJet
North American
United*
Air Tran
Atlas
Horizon*
Northwest*
UPS
Aloha
Chautauqua
JetBlue
Pace Aviation
US Airways*
America West*
Continental*
Kalitta Air
Pinnacle
World
American*
Comair
Mesa
PSA
American Eagle*
Delta*
Mesaba
Ryan Air
Allegiant
Executive Jet Mgt
Miami Air
SkyWest
Alaska*
Express Jet*
Midwest
Southern Air
Astar Air Cargo
FedEx
NetJets
Southwest*
*Completed the original paper survey.
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Public Release, Case Number 07-0053
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