The Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) has issued a Request for Information (RFI) to engage the aviation community in identifying standards efforts relevant to the provision of aircraft connectivity to the FAA’s System Wide Information Management (SWIM) infrastructure. RFI Information:
• The RFI is available at http://www.opengeospatial.org/standards/requests/111.
• Responses are due by 5 pm EST on 15 October 2013.
• A public Q&A webinar is scheduled for 1 October 2013 to provide the community with more information on the context and objectives behind this RFI. Register for the Webinar at https://www4.gotomeeting.com/register/198363519.
The FAA’s Aircraft Access to SWIM (AAtS) initiative is in a preliminary stage of requirements development and standards identification. Its goal is to establish a common operating environment between the flight deck, air traffic management and Airline Operational Control/Flight Operational Control (AOC/FOC) for collaborative strategic decision-making. Distribution of the operational information needed to support the safe movement of aircraft during all phases of flight in the National Airspace System (NAS) will increase capacity and efficiency and result in more timely departures and arrivals.
There are a number of aviation standards in development, concurrently and independently, by a variety of industry groups that are also pursuing the development of requirements and standards to leverage ground-based aviation related information and data networking technology to support aircraft operations. The need to understand the scope, applicability and relationship between these efforts is both critical and timely.
Staff and members of all such industry groups are encouraged to respond to this RFI and to participate and contribute information on:
• Technologies, standards and general trends relevant to AAtS
• Practical recommendations on harmonization opportunities and challenges
• Insights on how to best craft an interim path for the community and to develop a technical architecture that is forward thinking and can accommodate this emerging and evolving environment.
• Global harmonization considerations
Responses provided will guide the discussion at a community workshop, scheduled for 5-6 November 2013 in Washington DC (details to be made available at the 1 October webinar or shortly thereafter), and will be considered in the development of a report that will form the basis for harmonization guidance and recommendations.