Thoughts on an Improved ATC System

In this paper, air traffic control is considered quite separately from navigation or general communications. An analysis of the fixed block, the timed block, and the timed intersection systems of air traffic control shows that the fixed block system presents certain advantages. After a discussion of methods of naming and numbering fixes, a scheme is proposed of numbered blocks between fixes, instead, as the control elements. A communication scheme for the signaling link is proposed as a time-shared, ground-controlled system to interrogate all aircraft sequentially for request and release of blocks several times a minute. General broadcasts of airport conditions periodically, followed by specific request when an aircraft is a half-hour from arrival, are proposed as a method of reserving airport landing time. Finally, the simplicity of an interlock system which can automatically reply with clearance to the pilot is proposed with certain remarks on comparative costs.