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Automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) is a key air surveillance technology and a critical component of next-generation air transportation systems. It significantly simplifies aircraft surveillance technology and improves airborne traffic situational awareness. Many types of mobile cockpit information systems (MCISs) are based on ADS-B technology. MCIS gives pilots the flight and traffic-related information they need. MCIS has two parts: an ADS-B transceiver and an electronic flight bag (EFB) application. The ADS-B transceivers transmit and receive the ADS-B radio signals while the EFB applications hosted on mobile phones display the data. Because they are cheap, lightweight, and easy to install, MCISs became very popular. However, due to the lack of basic security measures, ADS-B technology is vulnerable to cyberattacks, which makes the MCIS inherently exposed to attacks. Attacks are even more likely for the MCIS, because they are power, memory, and computationally constrained. This study explores the cybersecurity posture of various MCIS setups for both types of ADS-B technology: 1090ES and UAT978. Total six portable MCIS devices and 21 EFB applications were tested against radio-link-based attacks by transmission-capable software-defined radio (SDR). Packet-level denial of service (DoS) attacks affected approximately 63% and 37% of 1090ES and UAT978 setups, respectively, while many of them experienced a system crash. Our experiments show that DoS attacks on the reception could meaningfully reduce transmission capacity. Our coordinated attack and fuzz tests also reported worrying issues on the MCIS. The consistency of our results on a very broad range of hardware and software configurations indicate the reliability of our proposed methodology as well as the effectiveness and efficiency of our platform.

This article presents a comprehensive algorithm for potential en-route conflict resolutions that could be conducted with both constant as well as variable altitudes. The resulting trajectories are expected to be near-optimal in the sense that they consider geometrically minimum deviation from the original aircraft flight path. The proposed approach is devised to be compatible with the so-called “Free Flight” concept as well as Automatic Dependent Surveillance–Broadcast users toward “air traffic control process automation.” In line with previous works, the current algorithm results in smooth maneuvers consisting of three consecutive turns that not only resolve the conflict, but also return the maneuvering aircraft to their original paths. This feature helps prevent further conflicts down the mission. Simulation results for the randomly generated flying aircraft clearly indicate the schemes are both effective and efficient in a dense airspace. The 3-D maneuvers produced by this article are expected to prepare the ground for the enhancement of the existing tactical collision avoidance systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we report a comprehensive set of accelerated thermal cycling (ATC) tests that were performed on test vehicles with different package types, sizes, pitches, and solder joint alloy metallurgies using four different thermal cycling profiles: 0 to 100, -40 to 125, -55 to 125, and -60 to 150^\circC. Samples from the tests were analyzed for their failure modes, and failure rates were calculated by using Weibull statistics. The characterized life for each test condition was determined and analyzed. The impact of solder alloy metallurgies, package types, sizes, and pitches on acceleration factors of the ATC tests to fatigue life was also analyzed and discussed. The quantified discrepancies among several acceleration factors from different studies compared to the experimental data presented in this paper are illustrated. The results provide valuable guidance on the effects of package types, size, pitches, and solder joints alloy metallurgies on various ATC test conditions. In addition, failure analysis was performed at different stages of the tests for each thermal cycling condition. Dramatic failure mode shifts at extreme ATC conditions were observed. The significance and the long-term impact of the failure modes and failure mechanism shift between various ATC test conditions to the life prediction of lead-free solders are extensively discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In a restructured power system, it is the responsibility of the independent system operator (ISO) to control the power transactions and avoid overloading of the transmission lines beyond their thermal loading megavolt-ampere (MVA) limits. For this, ISO has to update periodically a real-time index termed avail- able transfer capability (ATC). The methods reported to date for ATC determination are unable to cater to either the accuracy or the online CPU time requirements when the system is a large one. This paper proposes a novel method with the full details for determining ATC in a large power system from only three input variables through fuzzy modeling. The method is validated through extensive simulation tests on the standard IEEE 24-bus reliability test system (RTS), and comparison with an ac load flow-based conventional method using the same array of transactions, base cases, and generation/line outages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present research, a special form of cluster analysis was successful in revealing cognitive groupings having appreciable influence on task performance in a target-tracking task designed to resemble ATC. The method of cluster analysis was derived from the “virtual associative network” model of memory organization and applied to the record of eye fixations in the course of task performance. Results using inexperienced subjects showed fixation clustering consistent with Gestalt factors. Task objectives did not seem to affect grouping as much. The subjects' recall was generally poor, except where direct manipulation of targets occurred. We conclude that: 1) cognitive grouping influences performance; 2) recall techniques may not be able to elicit subjects' cognitive groupings; and 3) such groupings can be determined via analysis of eye fixations. These findings have implications for studying workload assessment and information structuring in complex visual scanning tasks [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The emergence of a world-wide duopoly in the design and production of large commercial aircraft at the end of the 1990s and cutbacks in aerospace and defense has put significant pressure on the number of avionics manufacturers. A similar duopoly exists very nearly for US military aircraft. In 1999, mergers created two large avionic suppliers in the USA. European avionics suppliers have also been consolidating. At worst, these larger entities will have a negative effect upon US aerospace employment, and further discourage the best and brightest engineers. Commuter and general aviation, where competition still reigns (more than ten manufacturers exist in 2000), may lead the avionics charge into the future [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The following topics are dealt with: ATC evolution; navigation and landing; navigation aids; surveillance and weather; automation systems [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The ever-increasing demand to stay in touch, to be able to communicate anywhere and anytime, has created a market for low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite communications services such as the Iridium system. The Iridium satellite communications network is being developed to support the needs of the passenger, the cabin crew and the flight crew for: aeronautical public correspondence (APC); aeronautical administrative communications (AAC); aeronautical operational control (AOC); and air traffic services (ATS) [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Airports are unique as no two airports are designed the same and, while each is a single facility, each is occupied by many different tenants who provide many different services. Each service may include one or more information systems, both automated and manual, running independently from all others. Because of high visibility events such as the bombing of Pan American Flight 103 in 1988, the explosion of TWA Flight 800 in 1996, and the most recent catastrophic events of September 11, 2001, increased security measures have been put in place to protect the flying public from terrorists. The need to share and exchange information effectively and in a timely manner between airport services and systems, with other airport facilities, outside organizations and government agencies, becomes greater each day. The increased requirements defined by previous policy, threat, vulnerability, and risk assessments can be used to derive security services for NAS Air Traffic Control (ATC) operations, as well as Airport Facility (AF) operations. However, conventional solutions may not be suited to the unique needs of an airport environment and may be operationally unacceptable in some cases. This discusses some of the ways that information systems security can help ensure that key security services, including access control and authentication, are available and implementable in all systems as needed in these unique airport environments. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

We must face the fact that conventional methods of air traffic management (ATM) that have served us well cannot continue to cope indefinitely. We need-therefore, to decide what the new operational concept should be and agree on the transition path. Air traffic management is the term we apply today to the totality of the activities involved in the handling of air traffic. The quest for a new concept led to what was first called "free flight," an idea that has, in the meantime, acquired some notoriety and is today more commonly referred to in Europe as "air/ground cooperative ATS." Simply put, the original free flight concept, stipulated that given the right on-board equipment (display of traffic information, conflict detection, and resolution tools) aircraft could navigate and avoid each other completely on their own, without the need for ATC. That a new ATM operational concept will be needed to take the industry further by the time traditional methods run out of potential is difficult to question. Equally clear is that the only new concept available is free flight a.k.a. air/ground cooperative ATS. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]