The FAA has awarded Boston-based Air Space Intelligence (ASI) an $875 million contract to implement technology that the agency says will more efficiently manage the U.S. skies.
ASI's software will reduce flight delays, improve traffic flow and increase airspace capacity, the agency said. Initial operations using the software will be in the fall.
Currently, explained the FAA, the National Airspace System has a limited ability to anticipate the effects of high flight volumes, weather disruptions and runway closures -- problems that are exacerbated because airlines, other flight operators and the FAA often use different data sources and timelines.
The cloud-based ASI technology, the agency said, will provide airlines and air traffic controllers with a shared view of the airspace before flights depart. The platform will also use AI to analyze airline schedules, weather, airport capacity, airspace conditions and operational constraints to predict traffic flows and identify potential conflicts before they occur.
"With these two new technologies, the FAA can house all critical data in one platform and proactively identify delays and available airspace to mitigate them days, weeks and even months in advance," said the FAA.
An air traffic control overhaul
In a statement, the trade group Airlines for America (A4A) called the program an "encouraging step forward."
Airlines, said A4A CEO Chris Sununu, are coordinating closely on the system with the FAA to ensure it will provide more efficient routings and more predictable information about system capacity.
"We appreciate the FAA's willingness to work with airlines to ensure this program provides benefits to the traveling and shipping public," Sununu said. "A program of this kind has been talked about for decades, and this administration is finally taking action."
Last year, Congress provided $12.5 billion for an overhaul of the U.S. air traffic control system. Advocates say at least another $19 billion is needed to fully fund the program, which Department of Transportation secretary Sean Duffy has committed to completing during the President Trump's term in office.