What is the primary function of MTCD?

The primary function of MTCD, or Medium Term Conflict Detection, is to predict aircraft position and trajectory conflicts up to 20 minutes in the future. This capability is crucial for air traffic management as it allows controllers to anticipate potential conflicts between aircraft and take preventive measures to ensure safety in the airspace. By providing advanced warnings of possible separation infringements or route conflicts, MTCD plays an essential role in enabling timely decision-making and maintaining safe distances between aircraft during both en-route and approach phases of flight.

In the context of air traffic management, proactive measures taken based on MTCD predictions help to mitigate risks and enhance overall airspace efficiency. This predictive capability contributes significantly to the optimization of air traffic flows and the overall safety of aviation operations.