NATCA Bookshelf

The last week in February, Leidos hosted an Integrated Baseline Review (IBR) for Build 2, which will contain the Surface Metering portion of TFDM. This IBR resulted in zero major and one minor issue, with 17 action items to the FAA and Leidos. This is a great first step in the design process and paves the way for the remainder of the build schedule. One concern for TFDM is the security/connectivity of ATD-2, the surface metering prototype in CLT (Art.114 is Pete Slattery, CLT), and the connection with the prototype advanced electronic flight strips (AEFS). You can see Pete's updates for additional information, but the risk is with the timelines. Different connections require different security clearances and we missed one with ATD-2 and AEFS. No functionality will be lost on either program, but the waterfall may slip a few months. The Program Office has begun review of the most recent J6/10/11 documents, dealing with requirements, waterfalls, etc. One new requirement we are adding and finalizing is the ability to handwrite on the electronic flight strip. We have chosen to stay with nearly the same method as is available in AEFS. The hope is that the system is flexible enough for the TFDM facilities to not need handwriting, but you never know. Meetings have begun with the Time-Based Flow Management (TBFM) and Traffic Flow Management System (TFMS) groups to finalize requirements that each of our programs is asking of the other. Most of these deal with how the interfaces will react with one another, who has priority and when. A major component of these interfaces will be the gathering of APREQ times from Integrated Departure/Arrival Capability (IDAC) and how that will appear on the electronic strip. Another risk with TFDM is the training and the associated schedule. It is going to take each site and its NATCA administrators/cadres about six months to build their facilities configurations/adaptations. Currently, Leidos has the configuration/adaptation formatted in XML, which is nearly impossible to read if you've not had extensive training. They are working on a more controller-friendly user interface, but until that is completed, each site will need assistance from Second Level Engineering to create their configurations. This risk is more associated with the logistics of getting each site up and running than it is with the capabilities of the system, but it is something we are very aware of and are trying to mitigate. Advanced Electronic Flight Strips (AEFS) Suitability testing for the next build, 5.4.0.0, was completed on Thursday, March 15 (beware the Ides) and an official Suitability call from AJV-7 (Requirements) and NATCA was sent to the Program office. NATCA representatives from PHX, CLE, CLT, EWR, and IAH were all in attendance for the testing and during an out-brief Thursday, made the determination that the build was ready to be installed in CLT, PHX, and CLE. The next build, 5.5.0.0, and its requirements are still being worked but there is a working date of late August for its suitability testing and installation sometime in September. This build will be mostly dependent on what CLT will need with its interface with ATD-2. There will be other improvements/enhancements made, but CLT and ATD-2 will be the priority driver of requirements. CLT

• Cover