Looking into the Future of Air Transportation Modeling and Simulation: A Grand Challenge

Abstract

The future of air transportation modeling and simulation represents a grand challenge for both the air transportation and the modeling and simulation communities. In addition to its size and scope, air transportation has many technical, operational, organizational, policy, security and legal aspects contributing to its complexity, yet must ensure an un-rivaled level of safety throughout any transition to next generation systems. Thus, modeling and simulation must address not only technical challenges in representing a system of this complexity, but also institutional realities that prevent full data and model sharing between the many entities involved in air transportation. We outline the attributes of a shared repository of data, models and computational tools required to meet this challenge, including the coordination and administrative processes required to manage it, and provide an example of its potential application.

Graph transformation based simulation model generation

“…They often need simulation models which take a long time to develop and incur high costs (Wieland and Pritchett, 2007;Longo, 2011). At the same time, although increasingly more data has become available which could provide useful information for M&S, much of the data is unused due to cost-effectiveness reasons (Glotzer et al, 2010).…”

“…It currently takes too long to develop and experiment with models not to mention the high cost and human resource involved (Fowler and Rose, 2004;Banks et al, 2010). Many examples can be found in production and manufacturing (Fowler and Rose, 2004), supply chains (Longo, 2011), air transportation (Wieland and Pritchett, 2007), health care (Mielczarek and Uzialko-Mydlikowska, 2012), to name just a few. There is a rich history of efforts to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the modelling process, for example, developing simulation languages and user interfaces for modelling, and developing domain specific simulators (Fowler and Rose, 2004).…”

Modeling and simulation standards development, adoption and conformity in the attainment of system values: A framework for the tension between two process ideals

“…Those with a common interest in creating conditions that will enhance the interoperability and exchange of technology and processes to foster new business opportunities may cooperate to formulate and disseminate standards. 14 However, all members within such groups may not share equally in the formulation of standards, and participation may be both exclusionary and preferential. Updegrove characterizes these loose interest groups as consortia that mark the intersection of interests between promoters, 15 who have a proprietary, material stake in a technology or process, and those that wish to adopt, through a licensing arrangement, the technology or process to develop a marketable product or service.…”

Supporting Aeronautical Information Management (AIM) Through Geographic Information Technologies and Spatial Data Infrastructures (SDI)

“…The need to supply certified and updated aeronautical data from a universal and standardized data infrastructure considering the different users' profiles has been the main conclusion of the study. This conclusion also has an impact on the work performed by the air transportation and modelling and simulation communities, since it helps to overcome some of the technical, operational, organizational, policy, security, and legal aspects defined as general challenges (Pritchett & Wieland, 2004;Wieland & Pritchett, 2007). Specifically, the definition of a universal architecture upon which shared data repositories will be univocally managed and updated under common policies.…”