Page 163 - Planning and Design of Airports

130 Airp o r t Pl anning

on unique, point-to-point interfaces for application-to-application
data exchange. By reducing the number and types of interfaces and
systems, SWIM will reduce redundancy of information and better
facilitate multiagency information-sharing. SWIM will also enable
new modes of decision making, as information is more easily accessed
by all stakeholders affected by operational decisions.

NextGen Data Communications
NextGen data communications will provide for two-way digital com-
munications between air traffic controllers and pilots for air traffic
control clearances, instructions, and other advisories. In addition,
digital communications will provide broadcast text-based and graph-
ical advisory information such as weather reports and notices to air-
men without relying on voice communications.
NextGen Enabled Weather
The NextGen network enabled weather (NNEW) will serve as the
core of the NextGen weather support services and provide a common
weather picture across the national airspace system. These services
will, in turn, be integrated into other key components of NextGen
required to enable better air transportation decision making. It is
anticipated that tens of thousands of global weather observations and
sensor reports from ground-, airborne-, and space-based sources
would fuse into a single national weather information system,
updated as needed in real time.
NextGen is due to be a phased transformation of the NAS through
2025 at an estimated cost of $20 to $25 billion. It should be noted the
early stages of NextGen development have been very volatile with
regard to the selection of technology platforms on which to base the
future air traffic management system, and it should be expected that
further developments in technology will result in variations to cur-
rent system plans. As such, it is imperative that the airport planner
keep up with current progress. The JPDO and the FAA frequently
update their Internet sites with NextGen system progress.

References
1. Airport Design, Advisory Circular AC150/5300-13, Federal Aviation
Administration, Washington, D.C., 2008.
2. Air Route Traffic Control, Airway Planning Standard Number Two, Order 7031.3,
Federal Aviation Administration, Washington, D.C., September 1977.
3. Air Traffic Control Handbook, Order 7110.65G, Federal Aviation Administration,
Washington, D.C., March 1992.
4. Air Traffic Management Plan (ATMP) Program, Development and Control Procedures,
Order No. 7000.3, Federal Aviation Administration, Washington, D.C., February
1988.
5. An Analysis of the Requirements for, and the Benefits and Costs of the National Microwave
Landing System (MLS), Office of Systems Engineering Management, Report No.
FAA-EM-80-7, Federal Aviation Administration, Washington, D.C., June 1980.