FAA Presentation

1
VoIP SYSTEMS for FAA
Henning Schulzrinne, Supreeth Subramanya, Xiaotao
Wu Department of Computer Science Columbia
University
Date Feb 25, 2008
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DISCUSSION FLOW

• Part 1 The Bigger Picture
• What problem is the system trying to solve?
• Why is the problem important?
• Part 2 Design of VoIP System
• How is the system designed?
• Part 3 Conclusion
• How well has the problem been solved?
• Where do we go from here?

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THE BIGGER PICTURE (1/3)

• Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
• Agency of the U.S. DoT with authority to regulate
  and oversee all aspects of US civil aviation

• FAA Academy
• The education and training division of FAA
• Were working with a group responsible for
  training the Air Traffic Controllers (ATC)
• ATC training levels low fidelity, medium
  fidelity and high fidelity

Photos - http//www.cba.uri.edu/classrooms/picture
s/computerlab.jpg http//www.lockheedmartin.co
m/data/assets/10307.jpg
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THE BIGGER PICTURE (2/3)

• FAA Academy Communication System
• Three parallel networks in every classroom and
  lab
• Data Network (Fast or Gigabit Ethernet)
• Voice Network (Analog, hardwired point-to-point
  connections)
• Video Network (Graphical simulations)

• Disadvantages
• Difficult to add new training scenarios
• Uses obsolete equipments, no longer available
  without custom manufacture

• Solution convergence of Data and Voice networks
• Digital vs. analog
• Better utilization of bandwidth
• Reconfigurability in connections

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THE BIGGER PICTURE (3/3)

• What are the ATCs trained on?
• Learning to use air traffic control devices
  displays
• Communicating and coordinating with Pilots / ATCs
• Many more aspects
• Learning the air traffic rules
• Developing a mental picture of
• air-space and air-timing

• Why should we care?
• We are designing the communication system
• Well have to use air traffic control devices and
  displays for input/output

Photo - http//www.aeroport.public.lu/pictures/en/
administration/atc/atc_003.jpg
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DESIGN OF VoIP SYSTEM (1/6)

• Voice over IP (VoIP)
• Routing of voice communication over an IP network
  (E.g., the Internet)

PCtoPC (Microsoft NetMeeting)
PCtoPhone (Skype)
PhonetoPhone (International Calls)
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DESIGN OF VoIP SYSTEM (2/6)

• FAA Academy classroom
• Consists of up to 26 configurable student
  positions (ATC, Pilot) and 1 instructor
• Students and instructor use computer and
  push-to-talk (PTT) device
• Instructor loads a flight scenario and
  teaches/tests the students

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DESIGN OF VoIP SYSTEM (3/6)

• Communication Scenarios
• Radio Communication
• Broadcast mechanism for the ATC and all of the
  pilots in his sector
• Point-to-point Communication
• ATC communicates with neighboring ATCs during
  pilot handoff
• Active Monitoring
• Classroom supervisor may monitor students (i.e.
  listen to what they hear/talk)
• Automatic Notification
• Real-time tracking of particular events
• Recording
• Ability to record a communication sessions with
  VCR-like controls (record, play, pause etc)

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DESIGN OF VoIP SYSTEM (4/6)

• User Interfaces and I/O Devices
• Five rich graphical interfaces
• Students Pilots, ATCs
• Instructors Master Instructor, Position
  Instructors
• Five I/O devices
• Push -To -Talk (PTT)
• Touch-screens
• Foot-pedals
• Speakers
• Keyboard mouse

ATC Control Screen
Foot Pedal
Push-To-Talk
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DESIGN OF VoIP SYSTEM (5/6)
The VoIP System Architecture
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DESIGN OF VoIP SYSTEM (6/6)

• Novel System Development Methodology
• Design Philosophy software prototyping
• Allows rapid development, iterative requirements
  adaptation
• Hardware software integration
• Wrap every piece of hardware and talk to the
  wrapper
• Self-correcting design to recover from component
  failures
• Standards-based solution
• Built using the Internet standards (SIP, RTP,
  RTSP)
• Can be integrated with PSTN telephones or any
  other VoIP system
• Extensibility
• Ability to integrate newer hardware and GUI
• Ability to add / modify / configure communications

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CONCLUSION (1/3)

• The good
• Columbias Thought-to-finish approach
• Handled everything from design to development to
  deployment
• 5 onsite visits to FAA, Oklahoma 2 VoIP
  training sessions
• Success story
• FAA VoIP deployed in 5 classrooms (2 more
  expected by year end)

• The bad and the ugly (a.k.a. lessons learnt)
• Prototype system vs. production system
• Deployment environment, where users arent CS
  graduates
• Remote debugging is a challenge (even for trivial
  issues)
• Interference due to malfunctioning of associated
  systems

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CONCLUSION (2/3)

• The Road Ahead
• Know our system strengths
• Standards-based voice communications system on
  data networks (e.g. the Internet)
• Extensible, configurable design framework (to
  adapt to newer requirements)
• Explore possibilities
• Plethora of FAA classrooms that run 50-years old
  hardwired communication system
• Corporate and other federal organizations that
  use old communication system
• Our shortcomings
• Limited resources (developer time, travel
  constraints)
• Not a full-fledged product (a.k.a very limited
  support)

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CONCLUSION (3/3)
Thank you for your time and support