Integrated multi-mode automation for air traffic control

An integrated multi-mode automation (IMMA) system comprising:

• one or more processors;
• an interface communicatively coupled to the one or more processors, wherein the interface is configured to connect to an air traffic control interface and to communicate with an air traffic control system via the air traffic control interface;
• and
• a computer-readable storage device communicatively coupled to the one or more processors, wherein the computer-readable storage device stores instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:
• receive air traffic data associated with two or more aircraft concurrently in flight within a controlled airspace;
• determine, for each of the two or more aircraft concurrently in flight within the controlled airspace, flight management capabilities of the respective aircraft, wherein determining includes identifying, for each respective aircraft, one or more trajectory-based flight management modes supported by the respective aircraft;
• select, based at least in part on rules applied to the air traffic data associated with each aircraft, a trajectory-based flight management mode for each of the two or more aircraft, wherein the trajectory-based flight management mode selected for each aircraft is supported by the respective aircraft, wherein the trajectory-based flight management mode selected for at least one of the aircraft is one of the one or more trajectory-based flight management modes provided by the IMMA system but not supported by the existing air traffic control system;
• notify the existing air traffic control system, via the air traffic control interface, of the trajectory-based flight management mode selected for each of the two or more aircraft;
• and
• transmit, to each of the two or more aircraft, a request that each respective aircraft enter the trajectory-based flight management mode selected by the IMMA system for the respective aircraft.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed, cause a computing device comprising one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

• receiving air traffic data associated with two or more aircraft concurrently in flight in an airspace controlled, at least in part, by an existing air traffric control system;
• determining, for each of the two or more aircraft concurrently in flight in the controlled airspace, flight management capabilities of the respective aircraft, wherein determining includes identifying, for each respective aircraft, one or more trajectory-based flight management modes supported by the respective aircraft;
• selecting, based at least in part on rules applied to the air traffic data associated with each aircraft, a trajectory-based flight management mode for each of the two or more aircraft, wherein the trajectory-based flight management mode selected for each aircraft is supported by the respective aircraft, wherein the trajectory-based flight management mode selected for at least one of the aircraft is one of the one or more trajectory-based flight management modes not supported by the existing air traffic control system;
• notifying the existing air traffic control system, via the air traffic control interface, of the trajectory-based flight management mode selected for each of the two or more aircraft;
• and
• transmitting, to each of the two or more aircraft, a request that each respective aircraft enter the trajectory-based flight management mode selected for the respective aircraft.