NextGen Data Analytics: Letters of Agreement
Description
Today, operation constraints are documented via Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) and Letters of Agreement (LOA) and are not made available to the public in a consistent manner. SOPs are specific to an air traffic control facility and specify the procedures necessary for safe operation in the sector. LOA outline agreements establishing procedures and responsibilities between two parties (including crossing restrictions, holding patters, emergency procedure coordination, etc.) The LOA/SOPs are published internally as scanned PDFs and are the responsibility of the facility to maintain. To reduce the manual effort of tagging the documents for ease of reference, there is an opportunity to use modern data analytics and machine learning to produce and disseminate constraints in a standardized manner.
Detailed example
Test-based digitized SOPs and LOAs.
AI / analytics pattern
Natural Language Processing: AI that processes, interprets, and shares information in human language.
Automation level / stage
c) Deployed – The use case is being actively authorized or utilized to support the functions or mission of an agency.
Expected benefit
Providing LOAs or SOPs to stakeholders will enable flight planners (pilots and vendors) to study or ingest this information and thereby plan flight trajectories that remain consistent with air traffic constraints. It is also fundamental to Next Gen capabilities to share accurate data for purposes of creating new noise abatement procedures; improve NAS information for common situational awareness and alignment to implement new tools to assist in future time-based flow management.
Controls / human review
ATO: Yes; PIA: Not published
Data needed
documents