Online Geospatial Education Program Office
Title: Improving Situational Awareness on Instrument Approach Procedures: A GIS Approach to Charting Terrain
Author: Brent M. Baumhardt
Advisor: Professor Peter L. Guth
Topic Category: GIS and Next-Gen Aviation
Abstract: Situational awareness is paramount to navigate and safely land an aircraft during inclement weather. Years of human factor studies prompted the need to depict terrain information on instrument approach procedures as an additional aid to provide the pilot increased situational awareness at terrain impacted airports. However, many airports fall below the threshold criteria to add terrain information, often at airports where general aviation aircraft operate. As an alternative to expensive electronic aircraft displays this paper describes the development and methodologies of using a combination of ArcGIS Python scripting and GDAL open source libraries to develop a series of tools providing a user the ability to add terrain information to any instrument approach procedure.
Introduction:
Aeronautical charting has been in use since the Wright Brothers first took flight at Kitty Hawk over a century ago. While the ability to navigate from point to point in adverse weather conditions has significantly improved with technology and standardized charting, the workload presented on a pilot to navigate through the four phases of flight is always a constant challenge. The four phases of flight can be classified as departure, enroute, arrival, and approach with each phase having unique charting requirements. The terminal area of an airport consumes three of the four phases of flight, departure, arrival, and approach and constitutes the bulk of aircraft mishaps.
Within the terminal area of an airport the three phases of flight are occurring simultaneously in most instances choreographed by Air Traffic Control (ATC). The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) as well as similar countries around the world produce standard terminal procedures for approach, departure, and arrival. The instrument approach procedure (IAP) presents the greatest workload on a pilot. The IAP content requires the pilot to divide their time executing the IAP, monitoring the aircraft navigation/engine instruments, and communicating with air traffic control in many instances without reference to the earth's horizon. In the airlines these items are grouped together as cockpit resource management with the purpose to reduce crew workload and safely navigate.
Department of Transportation Volpe IAP Study:
In the 1990's the Department of Transportation began an evaluation of the organization and content of the IAP. The Volpe National Transportation Systems Center conducted a series of experiments to better obtain an idea as to a pilot's interpretation of information depicted on the IAP in hopes of developing guidelines on charting aeronautical information to reduce pilot workload. In addition to reorganizing the layout of the IAP the experiments demonstrated there was an interactive relationship on how information was charted as it related to textual fonts and line weight thicknesses (Department of Transportation, 1991). The experimental premise was how quickly could the pilot find the information and cognitively translate into an action required to properly execute the instrument approach to a safe landing.
There are various aeronautical publications produced by the FAA, each having a specific purpose. However, over the years the IAP has endured much criticism for being too cluttered. In my experiences as an aviator IAPs too often duplicate information intended for other publications. With a chart size remaining constant of approximately 8.3 by 5.8 inches IAPs constitute the smallest of the publication series yet are relied upon for the most critical phase of flight, the approach to landing.
The construct of the IAP can be broken into five components the pilot briefing section, planview or overview, profile view, minima, and airport sketch. The procedure (Figure 1) on the following page represents the format utilized prior to the Volpe study which information annotated in the red boxes prepares the pilot to execute the procedure is scattered in numerous places within the IAP. The Volpe IAP (Figure 2) consolidates the information from three locations (Figure 1) to a single pilot briefing bar annotated in a single red box (Figure 2). While these are not from the same airport they show the changes resulting from the Volpe study. This subtle consolidation provides easy extraction of information and experimental feedback of the reorganized chart reads like a book from top to bottom in a logical order.
In addition to aeronautical charting requirements follow on studies also concluded situational awareness was enhanced by charting topographical features such as bodies of water, shoreline, and shaded terrain reliefs. In practice IAPs are generally used during inclement weather where reference to ground is obscured when conducting an approach to land. Some critics have argued the addition of the topographic features only masks the textual information and in some cases (Figure 2) the shaded terrain relief can actually blend the textual information into the screens of brown making it difficult to read the information under certain conditions.
Fortunately technology has advanced the generation of IAPs through engineering design software (AutoCAD) as well as the pilot's ability to utilize these aeronautical charts from the traditional bound hard copy booklet to retrieval on electronic mobile devices such as the iPad. This advantage provides an opportunity to discover better methods of delivering and organizing information on the IAP.
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Figure 1: Pre Volpe IAP (Department of Transportation, 1991) Figure 2: Post Volpe IAP (Current FAA Publication)
Project Research Foundational Basis:
The foundational premise for my project to develop a capability to add terrain to existing FAA IAPs was based on the Hendrick Motorsports accident in October 2004. The accident occurred at Martinsville, Virginia during daylight hours in inclement weather with an experienced crew totaling over 12,000 hours of flying. Current standards limit charting terrain to the following criteria:
• A 2000 foot rise within 6 nautical miles of the airport OR
• A 4000 foot rise within the "to scale" area of the instrument approach planview
An analysis of the accident (Figure 3) comparing the actual path flown to the published procedure flight path. The top two images are extracts from the actual procedure which did not meet the necessary terrain criteria and the bottom is a shaded terrain relief to provide perspective of rising terrain from the airport located in the lower right corner. The aircraft arrived from the southeast (A) to enter into the holding pattern at the locator outer marker (B). Following a single circuit of the holding pattern the aircraft proceeded inbound to the airport at 4000 feet (C) and well above the desired descent path as annotated below with the red dashed line. Upon reaching the runway threshold (D) at 2600 feet the pilots did not have the runway in sight and should have executed the missed approach. However, due to complete loss of situational awareness they continued on course at 1400 feet (E) until 8 nautical miles past the airport and eventually impacting Bull Mountain (National Transportation Safety Board, 2004).
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Figure 3: Analysis of accident investigation, Martinsville, Virginia. (National Transportation Safety Board, 2004). Elevation data is 30m USGS National Elevation Data (NED).
Project Objectives and Goals:
For this project, I have developed a process and capability to add a shaded terrain relief to an existing FAA IAP to improve situational awareness on procedures not meeting the terrain criteria. The series of tools were developed utilizing Python, Geospatial Data Abstract Library (GDAL) with the architecture for tool operation to be accomplished through the ArcGIS Python Addins. The choice to use ArcGIS Python Addins as opposed to ArcGIS Toolbox was the need to allow the user the ability to dynamically draw their planview extent to be used for eventual extraction of elevation data. Target audience for these tools is the general aviation pilot flying light aircraft who has no background in geographical information systems (GIS) utilizing the Esri ArcGIS software. The tools are coded to minimize user interaction due to limited GIS skills and will only require the pilot to enter in the airport code, the IAP name and dynamically draw the planview extent. The input of the textual parameters, airport code and procedure name, will provide the unique keys to relate the planview extent and polygon shaded terrain relief to a single IAP within the File Geodatabase
There are three core functions (Diagram 1). IAP transformation will use GDAL binaries to translate the GeoPDF to GeoTiff from a specified folder. Terrain manipulation and user interactive extents will use Python extracting and appending data to a File Geodatabase. Error trapping has also been included to ensure proper user inputs as well as progress processing messages will be displayed in the Python window.
Diagram 1: Core Functions
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Data Sources:
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) provides accessibility to a seamless elevation dataset called the National Elevation Dataset (NED). A review of the NED fact sheet provides a mosaic of varying spatial resolutions which include 1 arc second (approximately 30 meters), 1/3 arc second (approximately 10 meters) , and 1/9 arc second (approximately 3 meters). NED is processed with the North American Datum 1983 in geographical coordinates and is available for download in one degree by one degree tiles. File formats consist of ArcGrid, GRID Float, IMG, and GeoTiff. For this project 1 arc second NED is used to generate the polygon shaded terrain relief depicted on the IAPs due to a small scale. The NED has been imported into a File Geodatabase as a mosaic dataset for seamless coverage ensuring coverage. Coverage in IAP planviews spans from 33 to 66 nautical miles across the IAP planview depending on scale.
The Global Hazards Information Network is a non-profit organization partnering with other non-profit, academic, and government organizations bringing together resources to share geospatial data for the purpose of research and humanitarian aid at a reduced expense. All data strictly conforms to the Federal Geographic Data Committee metadata tagging standards. The Global Airports dataset downloaded from the Global Hazards Information Network is a subset of the Department of Defense's Digital Aeronautical Flight Information File (DAFIF) in Esri shapefile format. For this project the Global Airports shapefile is needed to extract field elevation to provide a foundation for mathematical calculation.
The FAA is in the process of making available to the public IAPs in GeoPDF format. File and printer compatibility issues have delayed the release. For this project I created a GeoPDF from an existing Department of Defense IAP at Nellis AFB, Nevada.
Table 1 provides a summary of the data sources and purpose:
Table 1: Data Sources
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Toolbar Functions/Discussion:
The individual Python scripts were packaged using the Esri Python Addin assistant to assemble the toolbars and then eventually loaded for use into ArcMap. Two toolbars were created: Terrain Generation and Instrument Approach Procedure Terrain Editor. Traditionally most assemble their Python coding into Arc Toolbox but unfortunately Arc Toolbox would not allow for dynamic user drawing similar to an edit session in ArcMap. In addition to dynamic drawing, the user would be required to enter in an airport code and procedure name to uniquely manage planview extents and polygon shaded terrain . Alternatives investigated was the use of Python's graphical user interface (GUI) Tkinter (Figure 4) to be launched from the Esri Python Addin as a consolidated form for user input but processor competition between ArcMap and Python resulted in ArcMap crashing.
Figure 4: Python Tkinter GUI
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Capability to add terrain to existing IAPs required import of the IAP GeoPDF into ArcMap. Expensive commercial software such as TerraGo Composer and Feature Manipulation Engine (FME) interacted well with ArcMap but proved too costly. I used the free Geospatial Data Abstract Library (GDAL), an open source translator, which provides functions to explicitly convert rasters from one format to another. The "Import GeoPDF" button (Figure 5) executes a small block of Python code using Python's Operating System functions to assemble the required path and file variables before executing the single line GDAL translate command passed into a Windows Command line prompt from Python. Transformation to an IAP GeoTiff takes approximately 10 seconds and when transformed is imported into the user's ArcMap session (Figure 6).
Figure 5: Import GeoPDF Button
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Figure 6: Import of the IAP after transformation into GeoTiff.
The Terrain Generation toolbar contains a pair of combo boxes: "ICAO Code" and "Procedure Name" (Figure 7). These combo boxes allow the user to enter the needed airport code and procedure name. Entry of the airport code is limited to three characters which are used as one of two primary keys for database storage as well as later to extract the airport field elevation to mathematically calculate the shaded terrain intervals. Both the airport code and procedure name variables in the Python code have been declared as global variables and remain populated throughout the generation of the polygon shaded terrain relief.
Figure 7: ICAO Code and Procedure Name Combo Boxes
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Once the IAP is imported into ArcMap and the user variables entered into the toolbar (Figure 8), the user is able to dynamically draw the planview extent. The dynamic drawing provides the user the ability to accurately outline the planview depicted on the printed FAA procedure as well as reducing the processing time by extracting the elevation data. The tool is enabled when the cursor changes to a cross hair allowing the user to single click at each corner of the planview similar to drawing a polygon in an edit session.
Challenges I encountered during coding was the ability to draw a perfect polygon with no topology errors. Investigation into code to begin an edit session in ArcMap for the sole purpose to enable snapping tripled the code length and slowed the process. Each time the user clicks the mouse on a corner, the tool appends a pair of coordinates to an array with a final double click before the first corner selection to close the polygon. To mitigate edit session coding, following the double click the first pairing of coordinates in the array is extracted and appended to the end of the array to close the polygon. This eliminates any topology errors as well as the need to zoom-in when constructing the polygon. The result of the tool (Figure 9) shows the polygon encloses the planview only.
Figure 8: Planview Extents Interactive Tool
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Figure 9: Completed Planview Extent
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The last button on the Terrain Generation toolbar is the "Terrain Generator" (Figure 10). The process is best explained via the provided flow (Diagram 2) working from left to right/top to bottom. The Esri File Geodatabase contains the NED in a mosaic dataset along with the previously generated planview extent. Utilizing the user entered variables on the toolbar a "Select by Attribute" tool selects the proper planview extent where it is used with an "Extract by Mask" tool to extract a section of raster data from the mosaic dataset. Continuing with the middle row of the process the clipped raster is then processed with statistics, meters to feet conversion, and rounded to an integer in preparation for reclassification. Prior to reclassification a search cursor is opened to extract the field elevation from the Global Airports shapefile and the maximum elevation pixel from the processed raster. A series of mathematical calculations are conducted to define the shaded terrain intervals which are passed along as a reclassification remap range. Following reclassification into three terrain intervals the raster is converted to a polygon. Lastly along the last row of the process field calculations with the user variables are performed on the terrain polygon, appended to the File Geodatabase, and then added to the user's ArcMap session. The choice of converting to polygon following the reclassification was to allow the capability of the Instrument Approach Editing Toolbar to retrieve from a feature class via a search cursor and re-import into the ArcMap session. This omits the need to writing code to search for individual rasters as well as well as saves disc space. To manage intermediate data processed the Python code deletes contents within the scratch workspace and begins empty when generating a new polygon shaded terrain relief.
Diagram 2: Terrain Process Flow
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Figure 10: Terrain Generator Tool
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The next toolbar created was designed under the scenario the FAA amended a procedure which had terrain previously generated and is managed in the File Geodatabase. Much like on the Terrain Generation toolbar the "Import GeoPDF" button works in the same manner to transform an amended GeoPDF into a GeoTiff before adding to the user's ArcMap session. As discussed earlier the user variables of airport code and procedure name provided a unique database key to retrieve features from the File Geodatabase. The user is able to select from the combo box (Figure 11) the available airport codes which are returned via a search cursor on the planview extents feature class.
Figure 11: IAP Terrain Editor - ICAO Code
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Upon selection of the desired airport code this selection is then passed on as a global variable to the procedure name combo box to enable a new search cursor and list the procedure names associated with the airport code (Figure 12). Once selections are made, both user variable selections are passed along for a final selection in the shaded terrain feature class and then added to the user's current ArcMap session. Similar in previous toolbar discussion users then have the ability to symbolize as desired through ArcMaps Layer Properties and export to their choice of file output.
Figure 12: IAP Terrain Editor - Procedure Name
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Future Enhancements:
The next steps on the future of enhancing this capability is the consideration to migrate from a desktop application, ArcGIS, to a web service. While there are desktop applications which are free and open source, QGIS, these applications still require a significant amount of knowledge to operate. A web service approach simplifies configuration management, eliminates individual software licenses, and provides accessibility from any computer via a web brower.
Summary:
The addition of a shaded terrain relief to IAPs has proven to improve situational awareness and provide context to a pilots position in relation to the environment. I have described the tool functions, coding rationale, and challenges of an ArcGIS Python Addin which allows pilots with little ArcGIS experience to add a shaded terrain relief to an existing IAP. The Python scripts takes into account user GIS skills and requires only three inputs from the user: airport code and procedure name textual variables and the user to dynamically draw the planview extent. All processing of data is managed in a scratch workspace and preconfigured Esri File Geodatabase populated with an elevation mosaic dataset.
The creation of the additional toolbar to edit IAPs does not cover the gamut of scenario possibilities when an IAP is amended. While the scenario for the IAP Terrain Editor toolbar was predicated on the procedure remaining in the same geospatial extent this is not always the case. Outside the scope of this project additional functionally would need to be developed to prevent duplication of planview extents and shaded terrain in the File Geodatabase. This could include logic to validate if the procedure has shifted providing the user the ability to delete previous generations before proceeding to regenerate the shaded terrain.
While the Volpe study addressed legacy charting standards, successful development and capability was described in this paper presenting a future opportunity to add other topographical references to IAPs other than terrain. Such items could include the charting of transportation and populated area features (Figure 13) or a reclassified landcover. Pilots are migrating from the traditional paper copy procedures and consuming aeronautical information via electronic mobile devices such as the iPad. This capability to display a variety of aeronautical information in numerous formats alters the scope of aeronautical charting and perhaps eventually eliminates paper as well.
Figure 13: Future capability with transportation and populated areas
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Research References
A. Helmetag ; G. Smietanski ; M. Baumgart and W. Kubbat. (1999). From digital elevation model data to terrain depiction data, Proc. SPIE 3691, Enhanced and Synthetic Vision, 116. Retrieved July 21, 2014 from Web of Science:
C. Borst, F. A. Sjer, M. Mulder, M. M. Van Paassen, and J. A. Mulder. (2008). Ecological Approach to Support Pilot Terrain Awareness After Total Engine Failure, Journal of Aircraft, Vol. 45, No. 1, pp. 159-171. Retrieved July 21, 2014 from Web of Science:
D. Liu, K. Goodrich, B. Peak. (2010). Effects of a Velocity-Vector-Based Command Augmentation System and Synthetic Vision System Terrain Portrayal and Guidance Symbology Concepts on Single-Pilot Performance, International Journal of Aviation Psychology, Vol. 20, Issue 2, pp. 160-182. Retrieved July 21, 2014 from Web of Science:
Department of Transportation (DOT). (1999). Investigation of Controlled Flight into Terrain. Retrieved July 3, 2014, from
Department of Transportation (DOT). (1995). The Effect of Instrument Approach Procedure Chart Design on Pilot Search Speed and Response Accuracy: Flight Test Results. Retrieved June 20, 2014 , from
Department of Transportation (DOT). (1998). Terrain Display Alternatives: Assessment of Information Density and Alerting Strategies. Retrieved July 3, 2014, from
Department of Transportation (DOT). (1991). Design Considerations for IAP Charts: Approach Course Track and Communication Frequencies. Retrieved July 3, 2015, from
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). (2014). 8900.1 Change 331 Volume 4 Aircraft Equipment and Operational Authorizations/Chapter 15 Electronic Flight Bag Authorization for Use. Retrieved July 2, 2014 from m
Flight Safety. (1996). An Analysis of Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT) Accidents of Commercial Operators 1988 Through 1994. Retrieved July 3, 2014 from
GDAL. (2014). Geospatial Data Abstraction Library. Accessed July 3, 2014 from
Global Hazards Information Network (GHIN). (2015). Global Airports. Retrieved June 16, 2012, from GHIN:
International Air Transport Association. (2011). Flight Crew Computer Errors (FMS, EFB) Case Studies. Retrieved June 20, 2014 from %20Incident%20- %20IATA%20Flight%20Crew%20Computer%20Errors%20Case%20Studies%20Oct%202011.pdf
National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). (2004). Controlled Flight Into Terrain Beech King Air 200, N501RH Stuart, Virginia October 24 2004. Retrieved June 20, 2014 from
United States Geological Survey. (2015). National Elevation Dataset. Retrieved May 1, 2015, from USGS:
United States Census Bureau. (2015). TIGER/Line Roads. Retrieved June 26, 2015, from United States Census Bureau:
United States Census Bureau. (2015). TIGER/Polygon Urban Areas. Retrieved June 26, 2015, from United States Census Bureau:
Appendix 1: Terrain Generation for Instrument Approach Procedure Tool Reference Guide
1) Introduction
These toolbars provide the user the ability to add a shaded terrain relief to an existing Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) instrument approach procedure (IAP) or update a revised FAA IAP by importing the generated terrain from a connected database. These toolbar buttons import the FAA IAP in your map document, provides the user dynamic input to enter/select specific airport information and dynamically draw or select a planview AOI, transform a digital elevation model into shaded terrain with three elevation intervals, and finally export to a layered PDF. Extensive automation was included in the scripting of these toolbar functions to reduce user workload and ensure consistent results. To operate these toolbars the user must have at minimum ArcGIS 10.1, Python 2.7, and the Geospatial Data Abstract Library (GDAL) for your appropriate operating system installed.
2) Downloading and description of folder/file contents
Download the IAP Terrain Generation Tool with provided MXD, sample data, and Python Esri Addin scripts at:
Data is zipped utilizing 7-ZIP. 7-ZIP software can be downloaded here:
Once you have downloaded the zip file extract the folders to your local drive. Inside the extracted folder "IAP" you will find a series of folders and files. Explanation of folder and files is below:
➢ AddNewTerrainPythonaddin folder: This folder contains the raw tool coding located in the "Install" folder, any images applied to the toolbar, an XML configuration file, and a "makeaddin.py" to create the Esri Addin file. To view the tool coding go to the "Install", right click the AddNewTerrainPythonaddin.py and select "Edit with IDLE". There is no need to import this Esri Addin as it has already been imported in the supplied MXD.
➢ Data folder: This folder contains an Esri File Geodatabase and all required data to successfully operate the provided toolbars. Contained within the "TerrainGeneratorData.gdb" is a digital elevation model imported into a mosaic dataset , a "PlanViewExtents" feature class, an "US_Airports" feature class, and a "ShadedTerrain" feature class. There is no need to add any data to the map document as the tools automatically read and write the data from the file geodatabase. The "PlanViewExtents" and "ShadedTerrain" feature classes are derived datasets from the data sources annotated in Table 1.
Table 1: Data Sources
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➢ Document_Help folder: This folder contains the help documentation needed to successfully operate the individual tools. This help documentation is accessible from a button on the toolbar.
➢ GeoPDF folder: This folder contains a sample IAP (IAP), "ils_locdme_z_rwy_21l_State_Plane_Meter_NAD83.pdf" in a GeoPDF format which is transformed from a GeoPDF to a GeoTiff and imported into the provided MXD.
➢ GeoTiff folder: This folder contains a transformed "ils_locdme_z_rwy_21l_State_Plane_Meter_NAD83.pdf" should the user not have GDAL installed on their machine.
➢ ReviseProcedureTerrainPythonaddin folder: This folder contains the raw tool coding located in the "Install" folder, any images applied to the toolbar, an XML configuration file, and a "makeaddin.py" to create the Esri Addin file. To view the tool coding go to the "Install", right click the "ReviseProcedureTerrainPythonaddin.py" and select "Edit with IDLE". There is no need to import this Esri Addin as it has already been imported in the supplied MXD.
➢ Scratch folder: This is a temporary workspace folder and what the ArcGIS environments are set to for creating intermediate data. This folder is deleted and created again at the beginning of every new terrain generation operation.
➢ TerrainGenerator.mxd file: This file is a provided Esri map document containing the imported Python Esri Addin toolbars and the "US_Airports" feature class for situational awareness.
3) System Requirements/Configuration
➢ ArcGIS 10.2 or higher
➢ Python 2.7 or higher
➢ Geospatial Data Abstract Library (GDAL)
Download here:
To determine version of GDAL to install open the Python command line by typing in "Python" in the search under the "Start" button and select Python (command line). In this example the below image indicates the system is running Microsoft Compiler (MSC v. 1500) for 32bit machine.
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Even though the operating system currently running is Windows 7 64 bit the release you will select to be directed to the downloads is annotated below.
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The below image provides the available downloads for this version of Microsoft Compiler for both the core GDAL install and Python binary libraries.
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Once downloaded double click the GDAL Core ".msi" file to launch the installer and follow the instructions. Following successful install run the installer for the Python bindings.
The last items to set is the "GDAL_DATA" environment variable through system environmental variables. Navigate to the core installation which should be C:\Program Files\GDAL\gdal_data. To set the environmental variables right click on your "My Computer" icon and select "Advanced system settings" if operating on a Windows 7 machine.
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The following dialog box will appear and click on the "Environmental Variables" button as shown in the below image.
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Next in the top section of the "User Variables click "New" and enter GDAL_DATA in all caps and the path to the gdal-data folder. Click OK when complete.
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Next append the path variable by scrolling to the variable in the bottom window, selecting and hitting "Edit". Hit the "END" key, add a semicolon and add the main GDAL folder.
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Click "OK" to close all dialog boxes and open a Python command line prompt. Type in the following to confirm the installation.
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Another test to ensure GDAL is installed correctly is to run the GDAL transform command from Windows Command Line.
➢ Go to Windows "Start" button and type in the search window cmd and the below window will open.
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Navigate to the subfolder "GeoPDF" folder within the "IAP" root folder you unzipped from the download. Copy the address of this location and inside the command window type "cd" and then right click in the command window to paste the path. It will look like the image below:
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Hit the "Enter" key and this will point the command window to the directory as displayed in the below image:
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Copy the following: gdal_translate -of GTiff ils_locdme_z_rwy_21l_State_Plane_Meter_NAD83.pdf ils_locdme_z_rwy_21l_State_Plane_Meter_NAD83.tiff
Right click in the command window and paste the copied text. It should look like below:
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Hit the "Enter" key and if successful a counter will increment in 10 to display the progress of the transformation as shown below:
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4) Examination/Preparation within the "TerrainGenerator.mxd" file
Open the "TerrainGenerator.mxd" located in the root "IAP" folder and double click to open. Upon opening there should be layers visible with a series of points and a few polygons loaded in the Table of Contents (TOC) "US_Airports" and "PlanViewExtents".
If the "US_Airports" and/or "PlanViewExtents" feature class does not appear it can be added by traversing to the provided data folder by clicking on the button annotated in the below toolbar.
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This will open the "Add Data" dialog box where you can traverse to the "TerrainGeneratorData.gdb" and select the "US_Airports" and hit "Add".
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To validate the Python Addins are already imported into the map document click the drop down "Customize" in the map document and select "Addin Manager". They are imported if they match the view annotated below:
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If the Python Addins are not present they can be easily added through the following steps:
➢ Close the "TerrainGenerator.mxd" as it must not be open for the import of the Python Addins.
➢ Open Windows Explorer and navigate to where you unzipped the downloaded folder.
➢ Inside the "IAP" folder there are two folders:
o "AddNewTerrainPythonaddin"
o "ReviseProcedureTerrainPythonaddin"
➢ Enter the "AddNewTerrainPythonaddin" folder and double click the "AddNewTerrainPythonaddin".
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The below dialog box will appear to confirm the Addin which is confirmed by clicking the "Install Add-in".
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➢ Enter the "ReviseProcedureTerrainPythonaddin" folder and double click the "ReviseProcedureTerrainPythonaddin".
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The below dialog box will appear to confirm the Addin which is confirmed by clicking the "Install Add-in".
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➢ Open the " TerrainGenerator.mxd" located in the "IAP" folder and validate the Python Addins are imported into the map document by clicking the drop down "Customize" in the map document and select "Addin Manager". They should appear as annotated below:
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To open the individual toolbars click the "Customize" button on the "Add-In Manager". The "Customize" dialog box will open allowing the user to check the desired tool bars:
➢ IAP Terrain Editor
➢ Terrain Generation
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Once those tools are selected from the Customize dialog box the following toolbars should appear:
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Before beginning, to monitor the progress and any errors open the Python dialog by selecting the "Geoprocessing" dropdown in the map document and choosing "Python".
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5) Terrain Generation Toolbar discussion and operation
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STEP 1: The "Import GeoPDF" button on the toolbar transforms the a GeoPDF into a GeoTiff and imports the GeoTiff into map document. The GeoPDF file must be placed in the GeoPDF folder. One has been placed in the folder to assist with the demonstration.
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STEP 2: The "ICAO Code" combo box is where the user inputs a three letter ICAO Code from the PDF they imported in the previous step. The ICAO Code has been outlined below in a red box of 'LSV'. Enter LSV in the "ICAO Code" combo box. The 'K' annoated before the 'LSV' is not needed and indicates in the continental United States.
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STEP 3: The "Procedure Name" combo box is where the user inputs the procedure name. Enter ILS OR LOC DME X RWY 21L in the "Procedure Name" combo box. Do not enter in the slash in the procedure name to avoid issues with special characters but spaces are acceptable.
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STEP 4: The "Planview Extent" button is an interactive tool allowing the user to dynamically draw the extent of the procedure planview creating a new polygon extent and writing the feature to the "PlanViewExtents" feature class in the "TerrainGeneratorData.gdb". Leave the ICAO Code and Procedure Name fields populated as these variables are used to write the planview extent into the database. Clicking this button will change the cursor to a cross-hair allowing the user to click around the edge of the procedure planview. The user can begin at any corner of the planview but upon reaching last unclicked corner the user will double click here as opposed to single clicking closing the polygon. An example of the clicks is provided below.
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Following the double click, select the "Select Elements" button annotated below to cancel the interactive tool and click the refresh button located in the lower left next to the Table of Contents.
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STEP 5: The "Terrain Generator" button will generate a shaded terrain relief consisting of three elevation intervals and add to the current map document. Leave the ICAO Code and Procedure Name fields populated as these variables are used to write the terrain into the database.
STEP 6: Following adding of the shaded terrain relief to the map document the user can symbolize via the standard ArcMap layer properties through the "Categories" option using the "GRIDCODE" as the value field to categorically symbolize. User can adjust the transparency as they under the "Display" tab in the "Layer Properties" dialog box. The "Layer Properties" dialog box can be opened by double clicking the "terrainPolyLayer" in the table of contents. A view of the shaded terrain relief re-symbolized below.
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STEP 7: Lastly the user can export their revised procedure with terrain to a PDF or JPEG by clicking through the standard ArcMap document export by selecting from teh dropdowns "File > Export Map".
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6) IAP Terrain Editor Toolbar discussion and operation
Similar in appearance to Terrain Generation toolbar this toolbar provides the user easy function to import a revised FAA procedure, select from populated ICAO Code and Procedure Name list, and finally add the previously generated terrain from the geodatabase. This tool does not create any new planview extents or generate new shaded terrain but simply retrieves stored data.
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STEP 1: Similar to the previous toolbar the "Import GeoPDF" does the same thing and transforms the a GeoPDF into a GeoTiff and imports the GeoTiff into map document. The GeoPDF file must be placed in the GeoPDF folder.
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STEP 2: Instead of typing the ICAO Code on this toolbar as in the last the user will click on the down arrow of the combo box and select an ICAO Code. There is a dummy record with an ICAO Code of 'JTY' to demonstrate the functionality.
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STEP 3: After selecting the ICAO Code on this toolbar the user will click on the down arrow of the combo box of the "Procedure Name" which will list the procedures available having terrain generated and stored in the database. In the list following the creation of the terrain with the first toolbar there will be two procedures to choose from: ILS OR LOC DME X RWY 21L and ILS OR LOC DME Y RWY 21L. The ILS OR LOC DME Y RWY 21L has been to demonstrate the functionality.
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STEP 4: The "Add Terrain" button will add already created terrain stored in the database based on the criteria selected in the ”ICAO Code" and "Procedure Name" combo boxes. Leave the ICAO Code and Procedure Name fields populated as these variables are used to extract the terrain from the database.
STEP 5: Following adding of the shaded terrain relief to the map document the user can symbolize in the same manner as describe in STEP 6 on page 9.
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STEP 6: Lastly the user can export their revised procedure with terrain to a PDF or JPEG by clicking through the standard ArcMap document export by selecting from teh dropdowns "File > Export Map".
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