 |
 |
 |
 |
| |
|||||
|
|
|
Home > News & Events > MITRE Publications > The MITRE Digest > | |||||||||||||||||||
| Making the SCHEDULE June 2002
Today more than 5,000 planes fly through U.S. airspace at any given time. Keeping them on schedule is no small task. The FAA and MITRE, with participation across the aviation community, are working to develop innovative ways to keep passengers and cargo on time. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is as concerned about delays as are the travelers hampered by these problems. In 1999, after the worst summer of delays in airline history, the FAA and the user community (including general aviation and major carriers) launched an initiative to bring some immediate relief to the beleaguered industry. This initiative, originally called Spring/ Summer 2000 (now S2K+N), addresses the problem of delays head on. (The initiative was called Spring/Summer because thunderstorms, one of the most common causes for delays, occur most frequently in the United States from March through September.) Working together, the FAA and the airlines now share data, collaborate on weather information, and discuss strategy around the clock. This allows them to plan traffic management initiatives and mediate potential delays before they happen. “It was clear they had been working in a reactive mode,” notes Diane Boone, a CAASD outcome leader. “Now, the various team members are beginning to think proactively about the system.” A key component of S2K is regular teleconferences every two hours among the traffic managers at FAA en route facilities, major airport terminals, major airlines, Canadian facilities, and the military. Through this regular information exchange, all participants are made aware of possible traffic constraints across the country. “Sometimes there are as many as 40 people across the nation participating in these teleconferences,” explains Boone. “Typically, the bane of weather problems for pilots—thunderstorms—are evaluated. In addition, other weather-related variables that affect air travel such as fog, snowstorms, and high winds are discussed and analyzed. The same is true about problems related to National Airspace System equipment and airport runways that are quickly evaluated and put into the equation.” Based on the analyses, pre-coordinated “plays,” or routings from a playbook, can be implemented to route planes arriving and departing at airports around the country. “The teleconferences provide the critical opportunity to discuss the 'what if' scenarios, and come up with plans that everyone involved knows about,” adds Boone. “They didn't have a shared, common plan before, and now they do.” MITRE's role MITRE plays a major role in keeping the Spring/Summer initiative a productive one. In general terms, the MITRE team provides analysis in several areas: operational analysis at the FAA's Air Traffic Control System Command Center, “day-after” analysis, and trend analysis. “We work in somewhat of a shadow mode on the Command Center floor,
observing and providing process reviews,” explains Brad Hargroves,
project team manager. “These reviews provide a feedback mechanism
for process improvements and enhancements.” Finally, MITRE's trend analyses provide a “big picture/long-term view” of traffic management concerns that affect and influence the industry. “Since September, many air industry experts believed that air travel has been down about 10 percent across the country,” explains Hargroves. “Our analysis showed that traffic is actually up in many areas; the decrease in air travel is due to fewer flights at night; day air travel is, in many cases, just as busy as ever.” Has Spring/Summer been successful? Owing to the various components of the initiative, there are 50–200 fewer delays each day throughout the country. Maybe one of those flights was yours? —By Nadine Monaco NOTICE: This work was produced for the U.S. Government under Contract DTFA01-01-C-00001 and is subject to Federal Aviation Administration Acquisition Management System Clause 3.5-13, Rights In Data-General, Alt. III and Alt. IV (Oct., 1996). The contents of this document reflect the views of the author and The MITRE Corporation and do not necessarily reflect the views of the FAA or the DOT. Neither the Federal Aviation Administration nor the Department of Transportation makes any warranty or guarantee, expressed or implied, concerning the content or accuracy of these views. Page last updated: June 18, 2002 | Top of page |
Solutions That Make a Difference.® |
|
|
