The safe zone for paired closely spaced parallel approaches: implications for procedures and automation

Changes to air traffic control procedures and requirements for on-board automated systems can be investigated by examining the dynamics of collision potential between two proximate aircraft along closely spaced parallel approaches (CSPA). For these aircraft, there exist relative aircraft positions and trajectories that can-and cannot-provide separation assurance and wake avoidance. These relative positions comprise a "safe zone" (an area in which separation assurance and wake is provided), which depends on aircraft dynamics, pilot performance, alerting system performance, wake transport mechanics, and a determination about the blunders for which protection should be afforded. A systematic evaluation of the dynamics of the safe zone was performed, with implications for the design of paired CSPA procedures.