The S.S.T. simulation programme of the F.A.A., already in progress since May 1963, aims at determining system requirements both ground and air in the period 1970–75 and, as a future project, in the era 1975–80. In this context, air operations involving the following types of aircraft are under study:

(a) Current and future military aircraft with supersonic speed capabilities;

(b) Concorde-type operations;

(c) Mach 3 or mach 2.7 civil transport operations.

Since the start of the S.S.T. simulation programme, six studies have been undertaken, each of an average duration of 6 months.

From May 1964, a S.S.T. flight deck simulator (modified DC-8 simulator), located at the N.A.S.A. Research Center, was linked with the A.T.C. simulator at N.A.F.E.C., for communication of positional data (digital, including S.S.R.) and voice information, and thus formed part of the traffic sample under study, i.e. one aircraft among 108 others that can simultaneously be simulated at N.A.F.E.C.

Whilst previous exercises concentrated on terminal area (T.M.A.) requirements, the exercises in progress in July 1966 were designed to examine extended T.M.A. and en-route operations in the early 1970s, with Concorde and mach 3 or mach 2.7-type S.S.T.s flying in or through a mixed environment of subsonic traffic. Amongst other parameters, a variety of geographical zones, air traffic control centres, T.M.A. control units, route network configurations in the New York, Boston, Cleveland and California areas, were simulated with a view to determining the impact of specific regional terrain and traffic conditions.