The integrated voice communication system provides all the
communication facilities for Controllers, Pilots, Supervisors and
Instructors. Specifically these are radio-telephone transmission,
intercoms (standard and latched), and telephones (direct dial and
PABX).
The user is presented with a touch screen comms panel such
as that shown below. These can be default comms panel templates or
bespoke emulations of specific operational communications
panels.
The Comms Panel is the runtime application that provides the
comms facilities at BEST working positions when a simulation
exercise is run.
A Comms Panel Configuration Utility is used to create and
configure the Comms Panels. Using a visual interface the user can
create Comms Panels and define the links (direct lines and
intercoms) between them. The user can create any number of comms
panels and create groups of comms panels. When an exercise circuit
is created a group of comms panels is selected and the comms panels
within that group are distributed to the BEST positions within the
circuit. The comms panel also supports crash panel
functionality.
Voice Recognition
The voice
recognition system (VRS) is used to train controllers to issue air traffic commands to
prescribed standards. The commands recognised by the system can be edited, as can
the accuracy level required for recognition. The user can enter alternative
pronunciations for words to accommodate for different accents.
When running an exercise, the controller
issues ATC commands to a flight and the VRS responds with the
appropriate reply to the recognised command using a synthetic
voice. Where the issued command is recognised by the VRS the
aircraft will perform the associated action.