The impact of inertial navigation on air safety.

PDFTech ReportDOT-TSC-FAA-71-5Collision avoidance systemsAir traffic controlDigital simulationSimulationAircraftInertial navigation systemsRisk assessmentUnited States. Federal Aviation AdministrationHershkowitz, Ronald M.O'Mathuna, D.Britting, K. R.John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (U.S.)Volpe National Transportation Systems Center, Technical Reference CenterAn analysis of inertial navigation system performance data was carried out to assess the probable impact of inertial navigation on the aircraft collision risk in the North Atlantic region. These data were used to calculate the collision risk between two aircraft flying at the same nominal flight level on adjacent tracks. The inertial system's error sources are treated in a statistical sense to infer the en route error behavior from the terminal error data. Collision risk estimates are derived for easterly and westerly transatlantic flights. (Author