FAA Improves Air Traffic Control Efficiency and Passenger Safety


The FAA's Pacific Operations Control Center uses RGB Spectrum's QuadView® multi-image display processor to display multiple computer-generated visuals and video on a single large screen for real-time, correlated viewing of mission-critical information.

November 27, 2006, Alameda, CA - The Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) Pacific Operations Control Center (POCC) monitors, controls, and coordinates the Air Route Traffic Control Center and the Terminal Radar Approach Control in the Western sector of the U.S. The POCC is responsible for maintenance and data collection for air traffic support equipment. As part of its goal of continually enhancing the safety of air travel and improving efficiency, the FAA embarked upon a major technology overhaul in the POCC to enhance its IT and audio-visual systems.

The FAA enlisted the services of Spinitar, a leading systems integrator of audio, visual and information technologies, to upgrade its dated analog systems to the latest digital standard. Jay Rogina, Spinitar's Chief Executive Officer, explained, "The challenge for this particular installation was to consider the various uses of the control center, while anticipating the potential problems encountered by controllers during their day-to-day operations. With this in mind, we designed and installed a complete A/V system that is integrated with the existing FAA networks located throughout the country. The project encompassed a complete overhaul of processors, projection systems and networks connected to air traffic control, communications, and radar and navigational aids located throughout the POCC area of coverage."

A key element of the overall project was the design and installation of a state-of-the-art visual display system. This system had to support a variety of live inputs for display in real time to FAA controllers. To meet this requirement, Spinitar used RGB Spectrum's QuadView® multi-input, multi-image display processor which allows controllers to view up to four live computer or video images simultaneously on a monitor or projector. The display of multiple visuals on a centralized screen enhances the controllers' situational awareness by providing them with real-time, correlated viewing of mission-critical information.

The QuadView processor receives input from air traffic and ground radar, aircraft transponder data, maps, weather info, airplane routes and radar tracks, specialized data such as trajectory prediction, conflict warnings, traffic flow management, and arrival optimisation, as well as live video. The processor consolidates these various sources and feeds the combined multi-window image to a matrix switch which routes the processor's output to any of the six Barco projection systems and Sony plasma screens located throughout the operations control center.

Controllers use a wireless touch panel to select input sources and display configurations for QuadView display. Along with the freedom to roam the control center, the QuadView gives the controller versatile image manipulation capability, including the ability to resize, position, overlap, zoom and pan any input on the display.

Spinitar is a leading systems integration company dedicated to providing its clients with custom audio, visual, and information technologies, solutions and services. Spinitar designs, recommends and implements custom audiovisual technology solutions across a wide array of market segments, including government, business and education. Spinitar has offices in Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Diego and San Francisco. For more information, contact Spinitar at 800-722-6444 or www.spinitar.com.

RGB Spectrum® is a leading designer and manufacturer of videographic and multimedia hardware subsystems. Products include the View(TM) family of video windowing systems, the RGB/Videolink® line of scan converters, the DGy(TM) digital recording system, Quadra® universal scaler and synchronizer, SynchroMaster® keyers and overlayers and SuperWall(TM), ComputerWall® and MediaWall® multi-screen display controllers. RGB Spectrum is based in Alameda, California, and can be reached at 510-814-7000 and on the internet at www.rgb.com.

press contact: carol marcus
director, corporate communications
tel: (510) 814-7000

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