The Real Time Simulator tries to replicate as accurately as possible the real working environment of involved air traffic controllers. The main components of a RTS platform are:
.
simulator engine

.
active controller positions

.
pseudo pilots and feeder sectors

.
data recording system

Figure 5 - 1: Components of an RTS Platform
The simulator engine process the flight plans and the inputs from the pseudo pilots and controllers and provide all positions with the relevant data as do real RDP (Radar Data Processing System) and FDP (Flight Data Processing System) systems.
T
e
r
m
i
n
a
l
A
i
r
s
p
a
c
e
D
e
s
i
g
n
G
u
i
d
e
l
i
n
e
s
-
P
a
r
t
D

5
.
3
A
D
V
A
N
T
A
G
E
S
&
L
I
M
I
T
A
T
I
O
N
S

5.3.1 REAL TIME SIMULATION ADVANTAGES
.  
closest simulation method to the live ATC trials which can be used to asses and validate simulation objectives

.  
gives opportunity to collect high quality quantitative and qualitative data

.  
feed-back from controllers, based on operational experience (further qualitative assessment)

.  
feed-back from pseudo-pilots (depending on their expertise and simulation conditions)

.  
can indicate and assess human factor related issues (further qualitative and quantitative assessment)

.  
automatic data collection (for quantitative assessment)

.  
unlimited scope and greater flexibility compared to the live trials (further qualitative assessment)

.  
no risk to the live operation

.  
allow testing of contingency procedures and hazard analysis (qualitative and quantitative assessment)

.
simple to assess various alternatives
. on-line feed-back and scenario adaptation (qualitative assessment)

.  
can use real traffic and environment data (quantitative input)

.  
good acceptance of the results by the controllers (wide scope qualitative assessment)

.  
can be part of a safety case

5.3.2 REAL TIME SIMULATION DISADVANTAGES
.  
sterile environment: limited HMI (Human Machine Interface) capabilities, artificial RT, limited radar performance

.  
limited aircraft performance and simplified aircraft behaviour

.  
not realistic aircraft behaviour due to pseudo-pilots without, or with limited, aviation experience

.  
pseudo-pilots cannot replicate real crews performance

.  
low representation of meteorological conditions

.  
human factor related drawbacks:

. 
 controller mind-set

.  
exercise/scenario learning curve

.  
subjectivity of assessment (mainly with regard to workload)

. 
 macho attitude

.  
controllers feed-back clouded by historic experience

.  
cost and time demanding

.  
potentially resource intensive

.  
difficulties related to the operational controllers availability for simulation

T
e
r
m
i
n
a
l
A
i
r
s
p
a
c
e
D
e
s
i
g
　
中國航空網(wǎng) m.k6050.com
航空翻譯 www.aviation.cn
本文鏈接地址：EUROCONTROL MANUAL FOR AIRSPACE PLANNING 2(104)