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GRADE - Graphical Airspace Design Environment
Overview
The Graphical Airspace Design Environment (GRADE), developed by ATAC, is a PC-based, state-of-the-art, 4-dimensional computer tool for displaying, analyzing, designing, and evaluating air traffic operations. The GRADE system includes a powerful set of functional modules housed within an easy-to-use, integrated, graphical user interface (GUI). Using this GUI, a user has easy, flexible access to the data and to a set of functional tools for visual and quantitative analysis of data, preparing data models of current or proposed operations for use in simulations, replaying radar data and animating simulation results in 2D or 3D, redesigning airspace, and computing measures of performance for actual or simulated air traffic operations.
Interaction of commercial air traffic between neighboring airports
Applications
GRADE has undergone continuous development and enhancement for over a decade, and has proven to be a valuable tool in a wide range of applications, including:
- Airport/Airspace design
- Visualization of complex air traffic operations
- Flight path and profile analysis
- Traffic flow/sector loading analysis
- Obstruction analysis
- Environmental impact assessment
- Accident/incident investigation
- Operational performance assessment
- Presentation of existing and proposed air traffic operations to the public
Features
The GRADE system is a powerful, flexible, multi-function tool for conducting aviation planning, analysis and research efforts. The foundation of the GRADE system is a database containing a set of data layers that may be displayed and utilized individually or in combination. The data layers that can be loaded to meet the needs of a specific application include:
- En Route and terminal radar tracking data (e.g., SAR, ARTS, ETMS)
- Oceanic tracking data ( DOTS)
- Airspace boundaries/structures (e.g., Centers, TRACONs, sectors)
- Military Special Use Airspace (e.g., MOAs, Alert Areas, Warning Areas)
- Airport layouts and CAD drawings
- Navigation aids and fixes
- Standard aircraft departure and arrival procedures (e.g., SIDS and STARS)
- Airways and route structures
- TERPS surfaces
- Terrain and obstructions
- Political boundaries and land use maps
- Street maps and census data
- Noise contours
- Controller video maps
- Pilot and controller voice recordings
- Real-time simulator and fast-time simulation results
Benefits
GRADE provides the capability to conduct analyze, visualize and replay complex airspace operations. Examples of the benefits of applying GRADE:
- Integrated display of GIS data, weather, airspace boundaries and flight tracks provides a complete analysis picture
- Tight integration with the BirdWatch Reporting System allows for rapid drill-down capabilities
- Powerful computational engine provides rapid answers to complex questions
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