Airspace management system and method

Abstract

An airspace management system and method includes an alternate quick look mode display option which allows a user to designate a specific geographic region for display in a specified area on a display screen. Within this specified area, which can encompass a portion or all of the display screen, radar plot data is displayed for at least one aircraft for which input radar information is received. Symbols can be assigned to aircraft to differentiate friend and enemy aircraft; colors can be assigned to differentiate friend and enemy aircraft and plots; and radar-measured height information can optionally be displayed. In this quick look mode, near real-time positions for all aircraft within the quick look mode window are displayed, since selection of the quick look mode window bypasses normal time-consuming tracking information processing. Thus, a controller can view only essential plot and identification data in an aerial combat situation or to control an aircraft on a landing approach for example, with other portions of the display screen other than the quick look mode window, remaining unaffected. This airspace management system and method thereby combines the most useful attribute of an automated system, namely the automatic tracking of all aircraft, with the most useful attribute of a manual system, namely the near real time display of aircraft locations.