Functional allocation of initial surface decision support tools to tower and traffic flow management systems

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is in the process of developing the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) surface decision support tool (DST) capabilities. Several FAA systems and organizations are involved in this effort, specifically Terminal Services (AJT) and System Operations Services (AJR). In order to ensure the proper exchange of data to support these systems during development, the FAA needs to develop interface requirements. Defining the interfaces necessary for managing airport surface operations, in particular departure management, between the Air Traffic Control Tower system, the Tower Flight Data Manager (TFDM), and TFM Systems first necessitated an evaluation of an initial set of Surface DST capabilities (those identified for initial implementation, referred to as the initial DSTs). A determination of which capabilities should be allocated to systems associated with tower and TFM is also necessary. The MITRE Corporation´s Center for Advanced Aviation System Development (CAASD) developed an initial allocation, referred to here as the Terminal-TFM Initial Functional Allocation. This paper describes the process used to develop the allocation and describes the initial allocation.