Used for simulation training as well as research, design and evaluation of airport procedures and processes, Prescient’s ATCS helps reduce staff cost and increase the productivity of instructors, controllers, pseudo-pilots and support technicians. Our ATCS features an open, flexible architecture for tower control, ground control, pseudo pilot and virtual radar stations. It includes fully integrated speaker independent voice recognition, AI directed aircraft and other innovations that yield higher training standards for both civil and military air traffic controllers.

Our ATCS comprises of key Tower and Ground Control and Communications components:

Tower Simulator

The tower simulator replicates the airfield and its surrounding in a 2D or 3D training environment for the air traffic controller to practice their skills of situational awareness, decision making and communications. The out-the-tower view can be expanded to a 360O view of the customer-defined airport.

The tower simulator consists of a network of PCs that provides the workings of actual ATC consoles such as the ground controller, fight data, flight progress strips and radar stations.

Controller Stations

The Ground Controller Station allows the control of the Airport infrastructure including runway lighting, indicators, alarms, surface movement radar and surface movement detection equipment.

Flight Data Station

This station provides communication controls and databases on which it builds detailed aircraft performance profiles. Aircraft flight progress strip printing is also provided.

Pseudo Pilot stations

In the Pseudo Pilot station, the instructor can control multiple, AI-supported aircraft using simplified controls and pre-planned actions in the training exercise. PC-based trainers are used to allow for combined team training. The system also features adaptive Pseudo Pilot Interfaces to simplify the management of multiple aircraft.

Radar Stations. To complete the ATC training, a Terminal Radar Display links the control process between the tower and the radar systems. Using desktop trainers, the radar controller guides both small and large aircraft into and out of the assigned sector in the defined air space. The operators operate on the simulator as they would in actual equipment as the radar simulator shares the same Man-Machine Interface (MMI) as that of the actual radar.

Communications

Audio communications in ATC involves real-time exchanges among the controllers, aircraft and ground vehicles. To create a realistic ATC communications environment, the audio communication system consists of ground-to-ground and ground-to-air radio. The communication is reconfigurable to suit different training exercises.

Instructor Stations 

The Instructor Station allows the trainers to plan, control and monitor the on-going exercise. The instructor can launch and direct training, introduce malfunctions and emergencies, and review trainees’ performance.

The ATCS is also capable of performing a non training role – i.e. to provide an Experimental Environment. This environment allows airports to test and evaluate air management procedures, ground and operational procedures. Studies can be conducted in the simulator to evaluate the feasibility of the new process before implementation.

Types of Training

• Training of Air Traffic Control Operators
• Training of Air Intercept Operators
• Training of Ground Controllers
• Ground-to-Ground Communications
• Ab-initio/ Rating Training
• Refresher Training
• Exercise Debrief
• Corrective Action and “What-if” Re-enactment
• Experimentation (Non-Training Role)
• Evaluate & Test Air/Ground Management Procedures
• Incident Investigation