Boeing

The Boeing Company today released a set of high-level system performance requirements for a future air transportation system. A group of aviation professionals including participants from Boeing, known collectively as the Working Together team (WTT), developed the requirements in a series of meetings over the past six months. The requirements were generated from the perspectives of a wide range of users of the air transport system and were compiled into a System Performance Requirements Document. This document marks the completion of the first phase of work that will lead to the development of a revolutionary new global air traffic management system.

"The public release of this document is the culmination of months of meetings and discussions among the team's participants," said John Hayhurst, president of Boeing Air Traffic Management.

"Release of this document does not imply full endorsement by every stakeholder. Because of the diversity of stakeholders involved in the WTT, team members did not always achieve consensus during this process," Hayhurst continued, "but the participants are to be commended for contributing to this team effort.

"While this is just the first phase in a long process, the stakeholders' willingness to address the future needs of air transportation from the broadest possible perspective will eventually result in a system that will move people and cargo around the world more safely and more efficiently than ever before," Hayhurst said.

The Working Together team is an extensive collaborative effort, modeled after the successful teaming concept Boeing used during the design and development of its 777 airplane. The core concept behind a WTT is to gather a wide range of input on the needed capabilities of a new system from the various groups who will use that system.

"We are pleased with the results of the first phase [of the WTT] and look forward to continuing our association with Boeing ATM's process in the future," said John O'Brien of the Airline Pilot's Association, of which several members participated in the team. "Their approach to defining the requirements for the system of the future is a necessary step in leading to the safest, most robust and cost effective system," O'Brien said.

Since the events of Sept. 11, there has been a significant thrust for the development of a more secure and safer air transportation system. The fundamental requirements developed by the Working Together team form the initial step in the process of addressing both the new concerns about security, including economic security, and ongoing concerns about the safety, capacity and efficiency of air transportation.

The next phase of Working Together team activities will occur on two fronts. Team members in the United States will focus on refining the requirements released today, addressing gaps between current system development plans and stated requirements of system users that will drive the creation of a new air transportation system.

A second Working Together Team will focus on generating the specific system requirements for users within the European and trans-Atlantic flight regions.

According to EUROCONTROL, another participant on the team, "The proposed direction of change in ANS [air navigation services] by Boeing and the approach taken have common elements with our European approach. EUROCONTROL would like to encourage these initiatives for the benefit of the aviation community. Close co-operation will ensure world-wide acceptable developments."

The European team is currently being assembled, and their initial meeting will occur sometime in the next few months.

Complete text of the System Performance Requirements Document.