225° Tower Sim

225° Tower Sim

The 225° tower simulator offers life-like visuals, unmatched voice recognition, and comprehensive weather and environmental sound effects. In addition to having state-of-the-art facilities, UND Aerospace faculty members have outstanding credentials and are widely recognized for their innovative contributions in curriculum development, air traffic control training and instructional technology.

MaxSim ATC Simulators

MaxSim ATC simulators enable efforts to safely optimize controller training and reduce dependency on operational on-the-job training at locations throughout the world. They have also proven to be highly effective for ATM research and development programs and airport infrastructure siting projects and are currently in use by many R&D agencies including NASA Future Flight Central. MaxSim includes Tower, Radar, Non-radar Procedural, and Precision Approach Radar (PAR) simulation systems complete with communications packages. They can be employed as standalone or fully integrated systems and support all segments of gate-to-gate simulation and training.

Training Efficiency - Reducing Reliance on Old Methods

The objective of introducing simulators into training programs is straightforward - improve training efficiency without degrading standards and safety. It can be measured in terms of reducing the reliance on operational on-the-job training, increasing training throughput, reducing the time to controller certification, improving the quality of graduates and controlling training costs. Studies have concluded that interactive simulation enables students to acquire and retain new skills at a much faster pace because simulation can tailor degrees of difficulty appropriate to the stage of training. The trick is to maximize student hands-on exposure by matching the right simulation system or combination of system elements to stages in your training process. The aim is to eliminate training bottlenecks and promote effective use of simulator time.

225° Tower Sim
Automatic Scenario Creation Tool

This MaxSim® tool is a powerful feature integral to the Scenario Preparation Suite that is unique within the air traffic control simulation industry. It greatly reduces the time required by instructors to create an individual scenario or even a series of scenarios and does not require instructors to create a complex scenario database.

Within the Automatic Scenario Creation Tool resides a database of default STARS, SIDS, air routes and weather systems. Also, when a new simulation system is installed at a customer's site, default aircraft performance envelopes are included. The only task remaining before the user can begin the automatic scenario creation process is to input the aircraft call-signs that operate at the simulation system's assigned airport. Once this effort is complete the user makes some prompted decisions to add details about the type of scenario that is to be created.

Scenario Design Parameters

The user provide details to

  • define workload distribution parameters about a desired type of scenario, e.g. Basic, Advanced, Evaluation, etc.,
  • describe the distribution of IFR vs. VFR aircraft and their type of operation, e.g. IFR arrivals and departures vs. VFR arrivals, departures and overflights, military operations, helicopters, etc.,
  • define scenario complexity by adding situational conditions that would add complexity, e.g. Wake Turbulence, Formation Flights, etc.,
  • define scenario design parameters including scenario duration and numbers of scenarios desired blending desired workload, aircraft distribution and complexity.
Scenario Global Parameters

Once these parameters have been defined the user applies all previous parameters to create the scenario(s). At this point the user specifies a scenario start date and time. A weather system is selected from the system's database and the active airport and runway(s) are selected. The user is then presented with a detailed editable summary of the distribution of all aircraft in the scenario regarding their direction of flight and active runways or helipad.

Scenario Quick Preview

The user is provided with a powerful scenario preview tool that allows him or she to validate any scenario created within the Scenario Preparation Suite without the need to generate them on the simulation system. This avoids the need to use valuable run-time delivery time.

The scenario preview tool actually has a run-time delivery capability where scenarios can be previewed and modified. This tool possesses zoom, multiple speed and map display capabilities. All aircraft within the scenario are displayed in a spreadsheet format showing when aircraft are active within the scenario as well as the ability to display whether they are in climb, descent or level modes. The user can make adjustments to the scenario by modifying each aircraft's activation time. By dragging the aircraft's timeline the user can make precise adjustments to traffic workload or points of conflict. Other options include the ability to sort aircraft according to call-sign or cleared flight level, adding adjustable predicted track lines on the run-time display window and the ability to adjust the scale of the scenario duration timeline.

User Benefits
  • Greatly reduced scenario creation time
  • Excellent scenario prototyping tool
  • multiple scenario creation
  • Flexible scenario design parameters
  • Quick preview in run-time within the Scenario Preparation Suite
  • Modification capability within the quick preview mode
  • Immediate availability for simulation
About Adacel

Adacel is a leading developer of advanced simulation and control systems for aviation and defense. The company operates in the Global Aerospace Systems market including Operational Air Traffic Management, Airport and Air Traffic Control Training, and Airborne Vehicle Systems.

The company is the premier supplier of air traffic control simulation solutions, providing simulators for the training of air traffic controllers in both civil and defense environments and for research, planning and modeling of air traffic procedures.

Content courtesy of Adacel.