The PASSUR OPSnet Report 
Informing the Airport Operations Community
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"In today's environment,
our constituents want to be ensured of two things above all: that we are managing our finances prudently and shrewdly; and that we are ensuring the safest and most cost effective operation."
Steve Grossman, Director of Oakland International Airport - newest member of the PASSUR OPSnet family
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| MAY 2009 |
| Welcome to the May edition of The PASSUR® OPSnet™ Report, developed for the national community of PASSUR OPSnet users.
This month, we have more on our integration of PASSUR OPSnet and eNOTAMs, as we interview Terry Blue, Deputy Airport Director of Milwaukee General Mitchell International Airport. Terry tells us about his positive experiences so far, from both the airport and airline perspectives.
We preview PASSUR "Surface Management" -- our new module focused on adding the ground tracking component to PASSUR airspace and airport performance analysis and decision support for airlines and airports.
We also congratulate Boston Logan on winning the Balchen/Post Award for Outstanding Achievement in Snow and Ice Control.
Please let us know how we can improve this newsletter by contacting Ron Dunsky, Executive Editor, at rondunsky@passur.com.
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Milwaukee Talks About the Benefits of eNOTAMs
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This month Milwaukee General Mitchell International Airport became the first PASSUR OPSnet airport to go live with the new integration of PASSUR Field Condition Reporting (FCR) and the FS21 Flight Service eNOTAMs system. We asked Terry Blue, Deputy Airport Director, about his experience so far with the use of eNOTAMs. Here's what he had to say.
PASSUR: What made you decide to start using eNOTAMs?
Terry Blue: MKE was looking for a way to streamline the role of the Airport Control Center Operator (ACCO). The ACCO is the individual responsible for submitting NOTAM information to Flight Service for inclusion in the NOTAM system in accordance with FAR 139.339. Prior to OPSnet and the new eNOTAMs functionality of OPSnet, an ACCO would have to take several steps to complete the NOTAM process (issue or cancel):
- In accordance with 339(d), log the condition information received from the Operations Coordinator issuing the NOTAM.
- In accordance with 339(b), send the NOTAM to Flight Service either through the telephone or LMCO system.
- In accordance with FAA AGL Cert Bulletin 07-03, disseminate the NOTAM to the airport stakeholders through another local system (OPSnet, SITA, other).
OPSnet and the new eNOTAMs functionality enable MKE to consolidate several of these steps. This will provide for more rapid dissemination of NOTAM information, ensure uniformity of messages by making sure that the information being sent to FSS and the airport stakeholders are one and the same, and simplify the Control Center Operator's role. All of which become especially important when NOTAMs are flying fast and furious during winter operations.
PASSUR: How are your airline and other partners reacting to the change? Are they seeing a benefit?Terry Blue: OPSnet has been extremely well received at MKE. The airport stakeholders really appreciate the way MKE uses the system to disseminate up to date airport operational information so that they can make well informed decisions about how to operate their business at MKE. MKE's use of the eNOTAMs module on OPSnet has been seamless and nearly invisible to the stakeholders. [PASSUR's emphasis] 
PASSUR: What other benefits are you seeing? Terry Blue: As mentioned above, the MKE Airport Control Center Operators are able to rapidly disseminate NOTAM information to all airport stakeholders. The process for sending a NOTAM has now been streamlined in such a way that the Airport Control Center Operators have more time to focus on their other responsibilities. Though it's still too early to tell, this may eventually translate to a reduced minimum staffing level in the Airport Control Center during winter operations due to the lightened or streamlined workload. As resources are getting tight, MKE, like everyone else, is trying to accomplish more with less.
Additional information:
The eNOTAMs integration now allows airports to submit all their NOTAMs directly and automatically into PASSUR OPSnet - with updates filed directly with FAA Flight Services, emailed to all stakeholders anywhere, and added to the PASSUR OPSnet site simultaneously. Airports no longer need to use the eNOTAM website separately, and all submissions, as well as the official NOTAMs themselves, are logged for reporting purposes. For more information, please email Frederick Roe at froe@passur.com |
| Preview of PASSUR "Surface Management" |
PASSUR is hard at work on our latest addition to the PASSUR OPSnet suite: PASSUR "Surface Management."
Surface Management, in one sense, is simply what the name implies: ground tracking of aircraft on the airfield, using ASDE-X and other surveillance technologies.
However, given our legacy in air traffic management and airport/airline operational decision support, our approach involves a whole lot more than simply displaying aircraft moving on the ground:
- Focus on critical operational metrics that directly affect key performance indicators, like arrival and departure rates, taxi delays, and arrival and departure sequencing
- Focus on decision support rather than mere presentation of information, through "management by exception" "need to know" and other visual alerts
- Integration with existing PASSUR airline and airport solutions, such as diversion management, fuel optimization, and arrival gate management
- Integration with existing PASSUR technical capabilities, including real time analysis of terminal area conditions, PASSUR ETAs, runway configuration tracking -- for a gate-to-gate tracking solution
- Integration with existing PASSUR web software platforms, already used by many airports and airlines
If you would like to learn more about PASSUR Surface Management plans and get a sneak peak, please contact us at sales@passur.com, or call us at 888-340-3712. |
Boston Logan Wins the Balchen/Post Award for Outstanding Achievement in Airport Snow and Ice Control
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Congratulations are in order for Boston Logan, which last week was awarded the Balchen/Post Award for Outstanding Achievement in Airport Snow and Ice Control by the Northeast Chapter of the American Association of Airport Executives (NE/AAAE).
Last month when we did our snow season wrap-up, Vincent Cardillo of Boston Logan had plenty to say about PASSUR OPSnet's performance during the major snowstorm of March 1st and 2nd.
"By using the Master Coordination Screen, we at Massport were able to correctly determine the true arrival and departure demand. Knowing when, and to what degree, the flight schedule had been thinned, we were very aggressive in treating, grooming and plowing the runways. As a result we were able to maintain a continuous arrival and departure operation."
We'd like to congratulate Boston Logan for winning this award, and we're proud to be a partner with them.
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| Save the Date: The Annual PASSUR OPSnet User Conference |
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When: September 16th-17th, 2009
Join us for dinner on Wednesday night, and the conference Thursday. Please contact your PASSUR representative regarding attendance eligibility.
Details to come...
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