Description

Sector Design Analysis Tool (SDAT) supports nearly all airspace and traffic data sources used within the FAA and overlays the traffic data on the airspace environment. The user is able to select from menus the portions of the data to display and how the data are displayed. SDAT permits the user to postulate changes in the airspace and/or traffic data to compare the analysis results to those with the original. SDAT analysis tools include measures of traffic loadings within control sectors or within a given radius of a specified fix. SDAT also performs a calculation of the expected number of ATC aircraft separations per hour in each airspace sector. This allows the user to see in advance how a proposed change could impact controller task load, particularly separation assurance task load, and possibly prevent errors resulting from excessive demands on the controllers’ attention.

The SDAT concept start was in 1985; it came in full operation in 1990. Developed by Washington Consulting Group.

Further Reading

• GAIN - Methods & Tools for Safety Analysis in Air Traffic Management.