A high-level architecture framework for Air Traffic Management (ATM) Operations

This paper presents a preliminary high-level architecture framework for Air Traffic Management (ATM) Operations in the context of the aviation transportation enterprise. The analysis contained in this paper examines ATM Operations as a specialized case of a logistics process and utilizes key concepts of transportation theory. The analysis used to develop the high-level architecture examines ATM Operations as a socio-technical Systems of System (SoS) where the human is examined as an integral part of the system, together with other physical components such as automation and infrastructure. The framework is developed using a systems methodology and presents a high-level architecture of functions and data. It also presents a set of notional operational and service-level requirements. In this paper we use the example of ATM Operations in the United States (U.S.) to illustrate the application of the high-level framework. As more research is conducted in both breadth and depth, it is expected that this high-level architecture will evolve. The framework presented in this paper is intended to help aviation stakeholders in their quest to develop new capabilities while meeting the mission needs of the organization. The framework is intended to be used in planning and coordinating systems research and development. It is expected the framework can also be used as a basis to help define expectations between organizations.