DC10RealMan,
Your example is actually a good argument for automation. Either the aircraft would inform the ground system (by Mode S or whatever) of its performance characteristics or the ground system would observe the actual performance and react accordingly. Even in the latter case the surveillance system would always get to see more data than the controller and could intervene immediately. Even with the most experienced controller his/her attention may be elsewhere as the situation develops.
Jerricho,
It is interesting to ask about what happens when the automated system goes away. The Airbus fly-by-wire system finally falls back to differential throttle for yaw and horizontal stabiliser trim for pitch. An aircraft has been landed in the simulator using only these controls. I have explored in some detail how the same fail-soft philosophy could be applied to ATC.
Some people think that separation could be delegated wholly to the aircraft by combining ACAS and Free Flight. I don’t think it could be, but if ACAS is being considered for separation it could certainly be used in a fall-back situation.
The reason I have joined your thread is because I believe automation will come to ATC sooner than many people think and that there is an important choice to be made between a ground-based system with controllers and an air-based system operated by the aircrew. I would like to see current controllers participating much more in the discussion and not just keeping their heads down.
The most animated session at the ATCA conference was the one on the US FAA Trust Fund. There just isn’t the money for SESAME or NGATS because even if it works in Europe and the USA who is going to pay for the infrastructure in Russia, Africa, China or South America? We need to focus on identifying a workable Concept of Operations and not just on making a shopping list of technologies.
Whether you call it de-skilling, loss of knowledge or dumbing-down it’s a real phenomenon in every business. You guys (and gals) have an enormous history to be proud of. As an engineer I’d just like to help you prevent the politicians and managers from making a complete bedtime drink out of it all.