Collaborative decision making between the Federal Aviation Administration and the air transport industry

The RTCA Task Force on Free Flight Implementation recommended 35 near term improvements to the current National Airspace system, suggesting the highest return, lowest cost items be addressed first. The rate of return on Collaborative Decision Making (CDM) has been conservatively estimated at over 400:1. A software product called Flight Schedule Monitor (FSM) was built to display real-time airport loading using ATMS (Advanced Traffic Management System) input, generate and model outcomes of possible solutions to overloading, and encourage improved communications. Communications between the FAA and the Airline Operations Centers (AOCs) are passed via the “AOCnet”-a high speed digital network. The AOCnet will be used to address other RTCA recommendations. Special Use Airspace Status, traffic density, unusual weather conditions and airline information affecting NAS operations can easily be accommodated. The value of CDM lies as much in the process and potential as to what has already been accomplished