System of air navigation and traffic control recommended by the Radio Technical Commission for Aeronautics

The limitations of the present arrangements for air navigation, defined as the process of finding the position of a vehicle and directing it to a desired destination, and for air traffic control, defined as the process of providing for the safe and expeditious movement of aircraft, are discussed. The principles laid down by the Commission and which air traffic control systems must satisfy are described, and it is found that on this basis of calculation, existing systems have a figure of merit of 40%, and 70% is probably the highest obtainable. The new scheme which is to be developed in the U.S. over the next 15 years is discussed with the aid of block schematic diagrams.