MIT ICATMIT ICAT

ATC System Response to Events of September 11, 2001

Jonathan Histon & Prof. R. John Hansman

JUP Meeting, October 10, 2001.

Gander Newfoundland:

Population September 10: ~ 10,000

Population September 11: ~ 16,000

MIT ICATMIT ICAT Timeline of Events

September 11, 2001 8:45 a.m.

AAL 11 strikes North Tower

9:03 a.m.UAL 175 strikes South Tower

9:17 a.m.FAA closes all NY Airports

9:40 a.m.FAA closes all Airspace

MIT ICATMIT ICAT NOTAM

FDC 1/9731 FDC SPECIAL NOTICE - DUE TO EXTRADORDINARY CIRCUMSTANCES AND FOR REASONS OF SAFETY.

ATTENTION ALL AIRCRAFT OPERATORS, BY ORDER OF THE FEDERAL AVATION COMMAND CENTER,

ALL AIRPORTS/AIRDROMES ARE NOT AUTHORIZED FOR LANDING AND TAKEOFF.

ALL TRAFFIC INCLUDING AIRBORNE AIRCRAFT ARE ENCOURAGE TO LAND SHORTLY.

MIT ICATMIT ICAT 10:00 a.m. ____

MIT ICATMIT ICAT System Shutdown Time

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-3,331 Aircraft per Hour

2 Planes Over Continental U.S.A.

MIT ICATMIT ICAT Departure Time Distribution

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Date (All)

Count of Aircraft ID

Dep Time

Time

“Official” FAA Shut Down of Airspace

Departure Time

MIT ICATMIT ICAT 10:00 a.m. --------------11:30 a.m.

MIT ICATMIT ICAT Halifax

Toronto, Ontario 24St. John's, Newfoundland 25Montreal, Quebec 27Gander, Newfoundland 37Vancouver, BC 44Halifax, Nova Scotia 45Total 270

MIT ICATMIT ICAT Timeline of Events (2)

Start-up September 12

Diverted flights completed. Repositioning flights allowed.

September 13 Airspace re-opened to commercial traffic (11:00 am)

September 14 General Aviation IFR Operations approved Parcel deliveries resume (UPS, FedEx)

September 15 Airspace re-opened to foreign aircraft.

September 16 Mail, parcels, other cargo allowed on commercial flights.

MIT ICATMIT ICAT

System Start-up: Thursday, September 13, 2001

MIT ICATMIT ICAT Gradual System Response

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Airspace Reopened

MIT ICATMIT ICAT Summary

U.S. Airspace emptied in ~ 1 – 1.5 hours Rate of 3300 aircraft / hour.

Aircraft airborne counts reached previous levels in 6 days Large Jets still ~ 85% of all traffic. Traffic counts are inconsistent with some other data sources

OPSNET, ASPM report operations down 17-18%

Further research opportunities Ability to explore “undelayed” flight times.

MIT ICATMIT ICAT Complexity Metrics Update

Project: Develop understanding of cognitive complexity.

Recent development: Capability to capture real traffic flows relative to sector shapes:

Example Boston ARTCC, Utica Sector

Westbound flows from New England to Cleveland ARTCC Controls FL180+

Sample Data October 5, 2001 4 p.m 8 p.m.

MIT ICATMIT ICAT Complexity Metrics Update

Traffic flow through “Utica” Sector (Friday October, 5th 4 p.m. 8 p.m.)

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-3960 -3940 -3920 -3900 -3880 -3860 -3840 -3820 -3800 -3780