Departure Flow Management
Web-based capability for increasing departure flow efficiency
Departure Flow Management (DFM) is a web-based capability that supports the automation of what has traditionally been a manual Approval Request (APREQ) release process. DFM includes processes, procedures, automation, decision support and communication capabilities to increase departure flow efficiency. The current Call for Release (CFR) or APREQ process requires a phone call from the Air Traffic Control Tower (ATCT) facility to the Air Route Traffic Control Tower (ARTCC) traffic management controller (TMC). The ARTCC TMC in turn relies on knowledge, radar scope and other tools to estimate an appropriate release time and provide departure release time approval. This process can result in hundreds of calls per day. By supporting electronic communication, and the calculation and assignment of release times, DFM will eliminate the need for the phone calls that are currently required to manage CFR.
The automated calculation, communication and assignment of departure times reduce workload and increase departure flow efficiency, while reducing a number of operational inefficiencies such as non-compliance with release time windows and unnecessary departure delays. An additional benefit is an increase in sector controller productivity. DFM utilization results in a smoother, more structured flow across sector boundaries, allowing for reduced complexity and a higher realized capacity than dictated by historically calculated Monitor Alert Parameter (MAP) values.
