Aeronautical Information Exchange Model (AIXM) & Weather Information Exchange Model (WXXM) Conference

The United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will host the second annual Joint AIXM/WXXM Conference on May 4-6, 2010 in Washington DC. The conference is intended for the aeronautical information and aviation meteorological (MET) communities; including software developers, program managers, experts, and users of aeronautical and weather information. The general topic of the conference is… Continue reading Aeronautical Information Exchange Model (AIXM) & Weather Information Exchange Model (WXXM) Conference

SWIM – How much information should we be sharing?

I would like to propose a simple rule: anybody asking how much information we should be sharing in air traffic management should have their Christmas bonus cancelled… Here is why.   System Wide Information Management (SWIM) is the concept and set of rules, procedures and other needed elements that underpin the net-centric approach of the… Continue reading SWIM – How much information should we be sharing?

Performance Based Navigation (PBN) – Why the "N" should be an "O"

The abbreviations game In aviation we seem to be creating abbreviations at a rate that raises the specter of our grandchildren not having any usable combinations left any more. This remark from a well respected colleague of mine who used to work for UPS airlines does in fact indicate a few problems that go beyond… Continue reading Performance Based Navigation (PBN) – Why the "N" should be an "O"

8.33 kHz Channel spacing – what is this?

The radio spectrum, a scarce resort One of the most basic activities in a cockpit is tuning the radio to the assigned frequency of whoever we want to talk to. Contacting ground control, the tower or one’s own company is done by turning a few knobs until the right numbers show in the radio control… Continue reading 8.33 kHz Channel spacing – what is this?

Latest edition of SITA's "Air Traffic Management Highlights" now available

The latest edition of SITA’s newsletter, Air Traffic Management Highlights, dedicated to the ATM community is now available. In this publication, you will learn more about two major initiatives undertaken by our industry in 2009: • The Data Link Services Implementation Rule adoption by the European Commission and • SITA’s selection by EUROCONTROL to deliver… Continue reading Latest edition of SITA's "Air Traffic Management Highlights" now available

29th Digital Avionics Systems Conference (DASC) – Call for participation

The 29th DASC will be held on 3-7 October 2010 in Salt Lake City, UT at the Hilton Salt Lake City Center. It is bylined “Improving our environment through green avionics and ATM solutions”. Conference Chair Bob Lyons has this to say about the 29th Digital Avionics Systems Conference. Concern over the environment is very… Continue reading 29th Digital Avionics Systems Conference (DASC) – Call for participation

Safety briefing – the missing element

This blog is about air traffic management. But, by the nature of our business, we tend to travel more than the average citizen and the pilots among us spend half their life strapped to the aircraft that carry us around. So it is appropriate to say something for once as a passenger rather than the… Continue reading Safety briefing – the missing element

2010 ICNS Conference – Call for participation

The 2010 Integrated Communications Navigation and Surveillance (ICNS) conference will take place on May 11-13 2010 at the Westin Washington Dulles Airport Hotel in Herndon, VA. The conference this year is by-lined as “The challenged of NextGen, new issues for aviation’s future”. The Conference, jointly sponsored by government, civil and military, and industry, addresses long… Continue reading 2010 ICNS Conference – Call for participation

My FAB my Castle – is there hope for the European air traffic management enterprise?

I guess from a purely political point of view, criticizing the Functional Airspace Block (FAB) concept is probably not correct. I will not criticize the FABs. What I will do is share a few thoughts with you and also raise a few questions. Who knows, someone may even have the answers. So what is a… Continue reading My FAB my Castle – is there hope for the European air traffic management enterprise?