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The Airline Operations Center (AOC) is a facility built and operated by an airline to manage its aircraft fleet. Although an AOC has several distinct areas and manages large amounts of data, the computer-supported work processes are generally not well integrated or automated. This may lead to a lack of airline efficiency and increased workload for airline dispatchers.

The current work at the AORG is directed at developing tools that better integrate the huge amounts of data the AOC crew must deal with, as well as implementing increased automation and artificial intelligence to provide tailored and directed critical decision-making assistance for airline dispatchers.
 
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Purpose
The airport surface can be a major constraint on the throughput of National Airspace System (NAS). Winter weather events may slow airport surface operations due to snow, freezing precipitation, and icing. The need for aircraft de-icing can lead to taxi delays and to actions to ensure that aircraft do not exceed their holdover times. The requirement to treat (remove snow from) runways and taxiways may result in runway closures and changes in airport configuration with negative effects on acceptance rates.

Winter operations also pose challenges in complying with regulations regarding passenger tarmac and crew fatigue time. Collaborative decision making during such conditions may be hampered by less than ideal shared situation awareness between flight deck, airport authority, air traffic control, and AOCs.

The goal of the FACT project is to gain a better understanding of the effects of winter storms on NAS operations and to develop the knowledge and tools needed to improve efficiency (reduce cancelations and delays). Its user base includes the AOC, air traffic control tower, snow removal operation, and de-icing facilities.

Implementation
FACT is a web-based application that should improve winter weather operations within the AOC and at airports. It will gather onto a single screen the critical data required by decision makers prior to and during winter weather events. Data will be acquired from web sources and the FAA System Wide Information Management data repository and tailored to show only the most relevant information to decision makers.

Flight Awareness Collaboration Tool (FACT) mockup showing how data will be displayed as selectable layers on the U.S. map.
FACT mockup showing how data will be displayed as selectable layers on the U.S. map

Examples of the data FACT will acquire include, but are not limited to:
  1. Weather status and forecasts
  2. Reporting of runway closures for snow/ice treatment
  3. Runway braking action
  4. Visual display of surface traffic movement at airport
  5. Hourly arrival and departure rates
  6. Airport runway configuration
  7. De-icing areas
  8. Notices to Airmen
  9. Field conditions
  10. FAA Operational Information System
  11. Aviation Digital Data Service icing information
  12. Runway visual range
  13. Tracking of arrival flights in en route airspace
FACT will also support collaboration and information sharing between the AOC, air traffic control, airport authority, and de-icing operators. Historical data on the effects of winter weather will be used to build predictive models of airport capacity in response to anticipated storms. These models will be used to build predictive tools into FACT for additional decision-making assistance. One such tool will be the Winter Weather Airport Capacity Model, which predicts changes in airport departure rates from weather reports.

A screenshot of a functional Flight Awareness Collaboration Tool (FACT) protoype web-app
A functional FACT web app prototype. FACT will employ a quad-view user interface, consisting of a U.S. map, surface map, information view, and a communication view. This prototype will be demonstrated to airlines and airports, and feedback will be obtained for future modifications and improvements.

A web-based FACT prototype has been developed will be evaluated in selected AOCs and airport environments.
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Curator: Phil So
NASA Official: Richard Mogford
Last Updated: March 10, 2021