MS/SE Concentration in
Air Transportation Systems (ATS)

Transportation is one of the most important and increasingly complex infrastructure networks of our modern society. The air mode of transportation has been using radars, wireless telecommunications and a distributed communications/ computer decision support system to control and separate aircraft since the 1950’s. Today, the ground mode of transportation is adopting many of these same technologies to attempt to deal with growing highway congestion. At the same time, the air mode is attempting to radically change the traditional forms of air traffic control to deal with growing congestion in the hub and spoke network that comprises our modern international air transportation system. Communications, Navigation and Surveillance (CNS) functions are migrating from totally ground-based systems to hybrid ground and satellite bases systems. Central control is migrating to distributed control. Airline Air Operations Centers are taking on increased roles and responsibilities through the use of Collaborative Decision Making (CDM). Trucking Operations Centers are tracking their fleets with space-based systems.

This emphasis looks at transportation operations, monitoring and control from a systems engineering perspective. It uses both analytical methods and complex simulations to give the student an awareness of how future transportation systems will evolve.

Concentration-specific courses:
Students must complete two required courses and two elective courses from an approved list. The two required courses are:

• SYST 560 Introduction to Air Traffic Control
• SYST 660/OR 660 Air Transportation Systems Modeling

The list of approved electives includes all basic methods courses and the following:

• CSS 610 Computational Analysis of Social Complexity
• SYST 571 Systems Engineering Management
• SYST 619 Introduction to Architecture-based Systems Engineering
• SYST 671 Judgment and Choice Processing and Decision Making
• OR 647 Queuing Theory