Air Traffic Flow Management System (ATFM) is a stand-alone Strategic and Pre-Tactical airspace management system providing state-of-the-art Air Traffic Flow (ATF) Management (ATFM) capabilities for assisting in planning traffic flow, evaluating traffic density, resolving traffic overloads and locating possible conflicts ahead of time. ATFM receives Flight Plans (FPLs) from AFTN (or similar systems) and generates Load Histograms (traffic loads) and Conflicts (future separation violations) tables. The operator is provided with a set of tools to assist him in resolving traffic overloads and future conflicts by changing the FPLs. The final FPL changes are disseminated via the AFTN to all users. Increased traffic safety is achieved by early prevention of traffic conflicts and congestion. Improved traffic planning allows for more efficient utilization of the airspace.
System Highlights
• Advanced HMI, tailored to support ATFM
• Strategic and Pre-Tactical ATFM
• ATF presentation and analysis tools
• Advisory tools for ATF load resolving
• Presentation of the information both as histograms and tables and as an Air Situation Picture (ASP), with cross-connection between them
• ICAO compliant Flight Data Processing (FDP)
Capabilities
ATFM caters to both strategic and pre-tactical ATFM:
Strategic ATFM
Strategic ATFM activity takes place from 6 months to one day before the scheduled flight. It enables preparing departure slots demand forecast, based on international flight plans (CFMU like) and domestic airlines demands.
Pre-Tactical ATFM
Pre-Tactical ATFM activity takes place from one day before the scheduled flight to the flight's departure time. It enables allocation of departure times for domestic flights and advisories for required changes in international flights, coordinated with the proper authorities (CFMU in EUROCONTROL, FAA).
System Features
ATF Load Advisory
• Air Traffic Flow analysis by measuring future air traffic load and detecting overloads. Optimal recommendations are provided by flight departure time changes by the following rules:
o First-Come-First-Served
o Flight type (airline, charter, private, cargo etc.).
o Inter and intra-airline priorities. High priority flights are the last to be changed.
• Presentation of load histogram for sectors, sector crossing, report points, and Airport departures and arrivals.
• All proposed changes are subject to operator's approval.
Flight Data Processing (FDP)
• Automatic generation and update of FPLs from AFTN (or external sources) and from operator manual inputs
• "Strip-less" display of FPLs
• Support for erroneous data correction
• Automatic extraction of additional information (NOTAM, weather)
• Automatic generation of FPL tracks based on the FPL data and operator manual inputs
• Automatic distribution of changes in the FPL
Conflict Advisory
• Locating future conflicts, using extensive 3D modeling of aircraft behavior considering operational parameters (such as control clearances and volumes)
• Providing separation alerts informing of violation of separation rules
• Providing presentation of the Air Situation Picture forecast at the time of conflict (including side views)
Activity Predictor
Provides presentation of the Air Situation Picture forecast in a sector for given times, to support ACC controller in work planning.
Advanced HMI
The ATFM system provides a variety of HMI advanced tools for the Air Traffic Flow Manager:
• ATFM oriented support - FPL Outlook table (forecast) and load histograms
• Specific support for the flow manager
• Operator-configurable displays and Flight data tables
• Displays for Decision support tools, including side-views, measurement tools and sequence-of-arrivals
• Extensive FPL track data-block including all the relevant flight data (replacing the traditional paper "strips").
Additional Tools
• On-line Map Editor for defining maps, forbidden areas and control spheres
• Graphic printouts.
Technical Data
Flight Data
• AFTN or similar systems
• OLDI
Coordinate Systems
• Geographic coordinate systems
o EDS-50
o WGS-84
• UTM