A framework of enroute air traffic conflict detection and resolution through complex network analysis

The scalability of increasingly complex air transportation requires better automation support to prevent accidents and assure safety. Collaborative control mechanisms for error and conflict detection and prevention are an essential part of this support. Analysis of the network structure of proposed design for automated conflict detection and resolution for the next generation air transportation system was conducted. This analysis provides insight into the tradeoffs of alternative concepts of collaborative operations, including tradeoffs between expected conflicts, communications requirements, and vulnerability to targeted attack. The resulting design framework provides a structure for the application of network architecture methods to these, and other, techniques for air traffic control, enabling in-depth analysis and evaluation of the resulting system.