Aeronautical data quality implementation – A new challenge for current and future Air Traffic Management

This workshop was co-funded by the European Commission's Innovation and Networks Executive Agency (INEA), as a part of a European initiative in the global context to improve the quality of aeronautical information and to raise awareness for the importance of Aeronautical Information Management (AIM).

The provision of aeronautical information is a highly complex and critical process, which represents a major challenge in aviation.

Over the next years the number of commercial aircraft flying in Europe is still expected to increase significantly. These aircraft will be managed within the same amount of airspace as is currently available, but with increased efficiency levels and safety standards. To support the new systems that will allow the growth of air traffic within the European Air Traffic Management Network (EATMN), aeronautical information and data needs to demonstrate levels of quality and integrity that have never been possible before.

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has defined aeronautical data and aeronautical information quality requirements in terms of accuracy, resolution and integrity that should be met and maintained within the EATMN when processing aeronautical data and aeronautical information. Those ICAO requirements are considered to provide a sufficient baseline for current data quality requirements but there are known deficiencies that should be addressed, notably to support future applications.

Examination of the current situation has demonstrated that the quality requirements relating to aeronautical data and aeronautical information are not always met. The significant amount of paper-based systems and manual activity still taking place bear the inherent risk of the introduction of errors and the degradation of data quality. In accordance with the requirements of the Interoperability regulation, aeronautical information should be provided progressively in an electronic form, based on a commonly agreed and standardized data set.

Aeronautical data quality implementation requires information and data to be structured in accordance with ISO standards for geospatial information, including the use of the Geography Mark-up Language (GML). The Aeronautical Information Exchange Model (AIXM) was developed to meet these requirements, and enables the management and distribution of data and information in a common digital form.

The application of AIXM enables digital data and information to be exchanged with the associated metadata that provides the ability to determine the origin, verification, validation, validity, accuracy, and integrity, at all stages from origination through to publication in the AIP and beyond.

Implementing ADQ will support the new concepts of operations that will enable Luxembourg to optimize its available airspace to the levels desired, whilst increasing safety and efficiency standards by providing assured, digital, dynamic aeronautical data and information for current and future Air Traffic Management (ATM) concepts.

Many national actors, play a critical role in providing aeronautical data and information of appropriate format, in a timely and quality-assured manner, to meet the regulatory requirements of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.

Only by implementing a dynamic and integrated management of trusted and high-quality digital aeronautical data – in collaboration with all the parties involved – a safer and more efficient air traffic may be enabled.

The purpose of the ADQ workshop was to:

• Provide an overview of how aeronautical information is currently handled in Luxembourg;
• Inform on how data originators and stakeholders will be supported to meet the legally binding requirements for the aeronautical data they are providing;
• Let the participants know about the challenges of digitalization of aeronautical information services;
• Brief all the partners on the formal arrangements that are going to be established with them in the near future.

The valuable contribution of all the stakeholders during the 2-days-workshop strengthened the awareness of the stakes of high-quality and trusted aeronautical data in the time of “big data” and will ensure improved quality by talking one language under the umbrella of the Single European Sky.