Air traffic control real-time simulation experiment regarding the mixed operation between RNP AR and ILS approach procedures

Finding the procedure which makes the safest mixed operation of RNP AR (Required Navigation Performance-Authorization Required) approach procedures and other approach procedures is required. An air traffic control (ATC) real-time simulation experiment was carried out to investigate the feasibility of the operation in which both aircraft flying using the RNP AR approach procedures and aircraft flying using ILS (Instrument Landing System) approach procedures simultaneously appear on an identical runway at an airport without parallel runways. The number of persons who play the role of the air traffic controller is five. Each person (test subject) conducted approximately fifteen scenarios. Aircraft flying using the RNP AR approach procedures were given highest priority. The obtained results are mainly as follows. The principle of “first come, first served” cannot be used in the mixed operation in order to give highest priority to the RNP AR aircraft. As for the mixing rate, the results do not suggest that the increase of the mixing rate makes air traffic control difficult because the way of thinking of each quasi controller was different. It is effective to use different colors for the symbols of aircraft flying using the RNP AR and of those flying using the ILS on the display of the air traffic controller.