User-Efficient Airspace Boundary Specification for Air Traffic Control Facilities

The most efficient size and shape of air traffic control facility airspace boundaries in the Next Generation Air Transportation System will not necessarily be the same as in past organizations of the system. As limitations of communications and surveillance technology become less important for drawing boundaries, operational efficiency will take a greater role in defining the airspace allocated to each facility. This paper presents an objective, repeatable method for defining airspace boundaries, derived from the rules of air traffic control, simulations of efficient air traffic operation, and principles of enterprise engineering