Metron Harmony

Harmonizing air traffic operations from gate-to-gate

Metron Harmony is an advanced, integrated Air Traffic Flow Management (ATFM) solution with capabilities that provide strategic, pre-tactical and tactical efficiency, post operations metrics and performance analysis of air traffic operations for Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSP), aircraft operators and airport authorities. With a focus on improving overall system efficiency and predictability, while enhancing safety, Metron Harmony delivers the necessary information to stakeholders for the benefit of the entire air traffic system. Metron Harmony supports the following operational domains associated with gate-to-gate operations, which can be deployed together or independently:

• Strategic, pre-tactical and tactical traffic flow management through slot allocations and Calculated Takeoff Times (CTOT);
• Pre-tactical and tactical departure management for merging into an en route stream or to a common departure fix;
• Pre-tactical and tactical aircraft sequencing, scheduling and runway allocations to meet airport arrival operating constraints;
• Pre-tactical and tactical airport surface management for optimizing operations;
• Fuel, emissions and noise impact modeling, monitoring and reporting;
• Operational and post operations metrics and performance analysis.

Metron Harmony ’s Integrated ATFM solution provides an integrated view of system-wide operations for gate-to-gate optimization.

THE NEXT GENERATION OF ATFM

Metron Harmony provides ANSPs, aircraft operators and airport operators an I-ATFM system for enhancing safety and improving efficiency and predictability from gate-to-gate, ensuring fair and equitable use of all airspace, and enabling future curb to curb efficiency improvements.
Metron Harmony enables seamless airspace and globally harmonized operations from gate-to-gate:

• Across operational domains — surface, departure, en route and arrival;
• Across planning time frames — strategic planning, pre-tactical, tactical and post operations;
• Between service provider and aircraft operator — coordinating efforts and aligning objectives for mutual benefit;
• Across international boundaries — data exchange and strategic control.

OPTIMIZE DECISION MAKING FROM GATE-TO-GATE

Metron Aviation’s vision for I-ATFM is consistent with the ICAO Procedures for Air Navigation Services – Air Traffic Management – Doc 4444 key terminology and concepts. Metron Harmony is a system-wide, full spectrum approach to addressing the complex operational issues facing air transportation service providers and users.

The most significant aspect of Metron Harmony is the realization of gate-to-gate I-ATFM, including CDM functionalities, through the active engagement of system stakeholders across the aviation community. Specific displays, system interfaces and business rules encourage information sharing between active participants, including ATC facilities, aircraft operators, airport operators, the flying public and other airspace users. Metron Harmony optimizes decision-making by providing the right information to the right people at the right time.

Integrated ATFM supports all phases of operational planning across all domains and enables seamles airspace and globally-harmonized operations from gate-to-gate.

REAL-TIME INFORMATION ACROSS ALL DOMAINS

The power of Metron Harmony comes from merging more than just data, but combining actual real-time information across multiple domains. For example, a traffic flow manager can see actual surface congestion and predicted departure delays, while determining the best capacity and slot allocations at an airport. Additionally, tactical departure and arrival coordinators can see pre-tactical slot allocations and prioritize delayed aircraft. This combined information enables advanced decision support without the negative effects of stove-piped systems and information silos. This vision represents a future state for the safe, efficient, predictable and collaborative flow of aircraft through the air traffic system. Depending on the current state of ATC, ATM and collaborative decision associated with one or more ANSPs, the changes necessary to implement this vision will vary considerably.

THE METRON HARMONY VISION

In addition to the technology impacts, there are cultural and political implications to effective implementation of I-ATFM. Metron Harmony supports not only the vision, but also recognizes that transition is necessary from current operations to an I-ATFM system. Transition from and integration with legacy systems can be accommodated by Metron Harmony. Also, identifying the as-is and to-be architectures, systems, operational procedures, participants and roles and responsibilities is also supported by Metron Aviation and a staff of experienced technologists, operational air traffic management personnel, ANSP service professionals and airline operations personnel. Metron Aviation’s vision extends the common definitions of ATFM which address strategic, pre-tactical and tactical phases of ATM performed by the ANSP authority in collaboration (e.g., Collaborative Decision Making (CDM)) with aircraft operators and airport operators. The extensions recognize that the fundamental functions associated with I-ATFM apply to all authorities and phases.

Integrated ATFM provides all users with a system-wide view of operations and encourages information sharing between active participants, including ATC facilities, aircraft operators, airport operators, the flying public and other airspace users.

AREAS of OPERATION

• Traffic Flow Management – When an imbalance exists between air traffic demand and capacity, users are able to model and implement ATFM initiatives to most effectively resolve the issue. Metron Harmony fully supports CDM goals and processes.
• Departure Flow Management – Metron Harmony increases departure flow efficiency by streamlining the coordination of departures from runways to congested airspace resources (e.g., fixes, FIR boundaries, destination airports, airways) through automation, decision support and communication capabilities between the Air Traffic Control Towers (ATCT), terminal ANSP elements, and Area Control Centers (ACC).
• Arrival Flow Management – Metron Harmony provides time-based sequencing and scheduling advisories for arrival traffic consistent with airport, terminal and en route constraints.
• Surface Operations Management – Metron Harmony provides surface operations management that maximizes surface utilization and enhances safety while minimizing delays and fuel burn.
• Environmental Management – Metron Harmony also provides modeling, monitoring, assessment and planning to fully understand the environmental impact of all aircraft in the airport, terminal and en route domains.