Systems and methods for traffic prioritization

A method for traffic prioritization of surrounding air traffic relative to an ownship aircraft, comprising:

• determining if the surrounding air traffic has a descending vertical speed;
• prioritizing the surrounding air traffic with the descending vertical speed based on a bearing of the surrounding air traffic relative to the ownship aircraft;
• further prioritizing the surrounding air traffic based on a range of the surrounding air traffic from the ownship aircraft;
• and
• outputting the prioritized surrounding air traffic.

A computer program product for processing a digital signal, comprising:

• a tangible storage medium readable by a processing circuit and storing instructions for execution by the processing circuit for performing a method comprising:
• receiving a request to activate a traffic prioritization system to enable surrounding air traffic to be prioritized as preceding aircraft for display onboard an aircraft;
• receiving data regarding the surrounding air traffic from a traffic data source;
• determining which of the surrounding air traffic is within a prioritization zone for prioritization;
• determining from the surrounding air traffic within the prioritization zone, which of the surrounding air traffic has a descending vertical speed;
• if the surrounding air traffic within the prioritization zone has a descending vertical speed, prioritizing the surrounding air traffic based on the bearing of the surrounding air traffic relative to the aircraft;
• and
• generating a visual separation approach traffic graphical user interface for display onboard the aircraft that displays the prioritized surrounding air traffic to enable the selection of one of the surrounding air traffic as a preceding air traffic for a visual separation approach.