NASA Invites Media to Visit 360-Degree Virtual Air Traffic Control Tower at Ames Research Center

SILICON VALLEY, Calif., Dec. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- As millions of Americans prepare to travel over the holidays, NASA is working to help make their experience even smoother, safer and more efficient, thanks to FutureFlight Central, a full-scale, simulated air traffic control tower, at NASA Ames Research Center in California's Silicon Valley.

Reporters are invited to visit FutureFlight Central from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. PST, Wednesday, Dec. 14. Experts available to discuss NASA's next-generation technologies for air traffic management will include:

• Steven Beard, Chief, Aerospace Simulation Research and Development Branch, NASA Ames
• Leighton Quon, Project Manager, Airspace Technology Demonstration, NASA Ames
• Rich Coppenbarger, Aerospace Researcher, NASA Ames
• Steve Smith, pilot and former NASA astronaut, NASA Ames

Media interested in attending must contact Abby Tabor, Ames Public Affairs Office, at [email protected] or 650-537-3908 by 5 p.m. Monday, Dec. 12, for credentialing and access to the event.

At FutureFlight, NASA, FAA and industry partner researchers use a state-of-the-art air traffic control simulator to study ways of optimizing management of the airspace around terminals. This includes timing departures and planning flight arrival paths most efficiently, enhancing controller communication, and mitigating safety risks inherent in high-volume traffic. Real users, such as air traffic controllers and pilots, come to FutureFlight to test NASA-developed tools in an ultra-realistic environment simulating their home airport under different environmental and traffic conditions.

On Dec. 14, NASA Ames will demonstrate busy conditions at Los Angeles (LAX) and Charlotte (CLT) airports by night and by day, under rain, snow, sleet and sun. The newest tools currently being tested at FutureFlight are expected to graduate to testing in the field, starting in September 2017, for three years of development and testing. As always, NASA is committed to transforming aviation, as only NASA can.

Video footage of FutureFlight Central, along with remarks from the facility manager and a NASA aerospace researcher using the simulator, will air on the NASA Television Video File. For downlink information, schedules and links to streaming video, go to:

http://www.nasa.gov/ntv

Find out more about NASA Ames Research Center at:

http://www.nasa.gov/ames

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SOURCE NASA Ames Research Center