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A -- NRA 98-10 FOR RESEARCH TO SUPPORT RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, PROTOTYPING, AND IMPLEMENTATION OF SYNTHETIC VISION SYSTEMS AND TOPICAL AREAS IN SUPPORT OF THE NASA AVIATION SAFETY PROGRAM SOL NRA98-10 DUE 011599 POC Richard J. Siebels, Contracting Officer, Phone (757)-864-2418, Fax (757) 864-6131, Email R.J.SIEBELS@larc.nasa.gov WEB: Click here for the latest information about this notice, http://nais.nasa.gov/EPS/LaRC/date.html#NRA98-10. E-MAIL: Richard J. Siebels, R.J.SIEBELS@larc.nasa.gov. NASA LaRC plans to issue a NASA Research Announcement for efforts to support research, development, prototyping, and implementation of Synthetic Vision information systems and topical areas that have the potential to contribute to the realization of such systems. Synthetic Vision systems are intended to reduce accidents by improving a pilot s situation and spatial awareness during low visibility conditions, including night and Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC). The types of accidents expected to be most effected by synthetic vision technologies include Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT), Loss of Control, and Runway Incursion accidents. Aircraft categories covered by this announcement include low-end general aviation aircraft, high-end general aviation aircraft (business jets), and commercial transports. For the purposes of this effort, synthetic vision systems are characterized by their ability to represent, in an intuitive manner, the visual information and cues that a flight crew would have in daylight -- Visual Meteorological Conditions (VMC). This visual information and cues are depicted based on precise positioning information within an onboard terrain database, and possibly includes traffic information from surveillance sources (such as TCAS, ADS-B, air-to-air modes of the weather radar, ASDE, AMASS, etc.). In contrast, enhanced vision systems attempt to improve visual acquisition by enhancing significant components of the real world scene. Enhanced vision systems typically use advanced sensors to penetrate weather phenomena such as darkness, fog, haze, rain, and/or snow, and the resulting enhanced scene is presented on a heads up display (HUD), through which the outside real world may be visible. Both synthetic vision systems and enhanced vision systems will be investigated under the Synthetic Vision program. The Synthetic Vision effort will support two focal thrusts of research and development. The low-end thrust portion of the program will provide an affordable synthetic vision display system for the low-end general aviation aircraft operating in VMC. This system will enable safe transit to VMC in the event of the unplanned, inadvertent encounter of IMC, including low ceiling and low visibility weather conditions. It may also address loss of spatial awareness and unusual attitude issues (e.g., loss of control due to lack of attitude reference) in close cooperation with another element of the Aviation Safety Program, Control Upset Management. The high-end thrust will attempt to realize / demonstrate the potential safety benefits of synthetic / enhanced vision display systems for both high-end general aviation aircraft (e.g., business jets) and commercial transports to enhance situational awareness and tactical flight path management in IMC. CFIT accident reduction efforts will target the high-end operational environment for all phases of flight, including precision approach and landing and missed approaches using GPS-derived navigation. Runway incursion reduction efforts will target surface surveillance, GPS-based navigation, and Cockpit Display of Traffic Information (CDTI) to improve situational awareness on the surface. Also to be considered are onboard alerting strategies (or hazard detection) during surface operations. Candidate technologies that may be explored within the high-end thrust include, but are not limited to, digital data link, DGPS, LAAS, WAAS, ADS-B, integrated databases, HUD, TAWS, TCAS, GCAS, MSAWS, etc. An important, but not exclusive, emphasis in the synthetic vision element, will be on enabling technologies for synthetic vision systems, such as database and DGPS infrastructures. The intent is to supplement and complement (not duplicate or assume responsibility of) research and modernization work currently underway by the Federal Aviation Administration, other NASA projects, and other governmental and private entities around the world. NASA's role is intended to be supportive of key technology developments and, if necessary, to be a catalyst for government/industry cooperative efforts to establish the basic requirements and standards for commercial implementations. The NRA will solicit proposals in two categories: Synthetic / Enhanced Display Systems (low-end thrust and high-end thrust), and Enabling Technologies (including Database development). The display systems category will support complete system solutions for either the low-end thrust (low-end general aviation aircraft) or the high-end thrust (high-end general aviation aircraft and commercial transports) application. The enabling technologies category may be less complete systems or sub-systems that support either or both thrusts. The anticipated release date of the NRA is on or about October 15, 1998 with an anticipated proposal due ninety (90) days after release. Participation in this NRA is open to all individuals and categories of domestic organizations, including industry, non-profit organizations, educational institutions and other Government agencies. Foreign participants are permitted on a "no-exchange offunds" basis. Technical evaluations will be conducted through a peer review process by discipline specialists. Proposals for up to 4 years of research support will be solicited. Specific milestones and deliverables will be required for FY 1999 and FY 2000. The initial phase will have a period of performance from the date of award through September 30, 2000. Additional phases of the project may be proposed for up to a two-year period. Should a proposal be structured for consideration of additional phases, deliverables should be identified with a due date at least two months prior to the extension dates (October 1, 2000, and October 1, 2001) that would clearly demonstrate progress toward successful completion of the project. For example, the initial effort might be devoted to development and demonstration of a concept, with the additional phases devoted to pursuit of certification and implementation. Low-end thrust display systems proposals will be considered with maximum funding of $675,000 for the initial phase and $1,100,000 for FY 2001 and $850,000 for FY 2002 for additional phases. High-end thrust display systems proposals will be considered with maximum funding of $950,000 for the initial phase, and $1,600,000 for FY 2001 and $1,300,000 for FY 2002 for additional phases. Enabling technology proposals will be considered with maximum funding of $400,000 for the initial phase, and $900,000 for FY 2001 and $600,000 for FY 2002 for additional phases. Database proposals that address a complete solution to the provision of a world-wide terrain, obstruction, noise abatement, and airport database conforming to the standards being developed by the joint committee of RTCA 193 and EuroCAE 44 will be considered with maximum funding of $800,000 for the initial phase, and $1,800,000 for FY 2001 and $1,200,000 for FY 2002 for additional phases. Proposals that suggest early implementation of quality systems are encouraged and will receive higher ratings in the evaluation process. Interested parties may submit multiple proposals. Proposals should clearly identify which area the proposal should be considered for evaluation. Cost sharing arrangements will be given greater priority in the selection process. The solicitation and any documents related to this procurement will be available over the Internet. These documents will be in Microsoft Office Suite (Word 6.0, Excel 5.0, or PowerPoint 4.0) format and will reside on a World-Wide Web (WWW) server, which may be accessed using a WWW browser application. The WWW address, or URL, of the NASA/LaRC Business Opportunities page is http://procurement.nasa.gov/EPS/LaRC/class.html. The NASA Langley Research Center technical point of contact is Mr. Russell Parrish. Mr. Parrish may be contacted at (757) 864-6649. Prospective offerors shall notify the procurement point of contact of their intent to submit an offer. It is the offeror's responsibility to monitor the aforementioned Internet site for the release of the solicitation and amendments (if any). Potential offerors will be responsible for downloading their own copy of the solicitation and amendments (if any). Any referenced notes can be viewed at the following URL: http://genesis.gsfc.nasa.gov/nnotes.htm. Posted 09/22/98 (D-SN252868). (0265)

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