Skyline-X’s Time-Based Flow Management
technology helps controllers merge traffic flows
into a more efficient final approach flow
utilization and arrival consistency through
the application of a tried and tested distance
based spacing tool.
A strategic partnership
Airways and Leidos entered into this
innovative partnership to demonstrate a new,
collaborative process for designing,
developing, and implementing a flexible
next-generation ATM system. These
companies have joined forces to validate
next-gen ATM technologies to benefit
ANSPs globally, as Airways complements
Leidos’ capabilities with training, simulation,
and technical support expertise.
The two companies have a combined
future vision for air traffic management, and
the partnership has thus far proven to be
highly effective in delivering the building
blocks to meet this shared vision, as well as
providing a platform to collaborate on other
commercial opportunities.
Leidos is supplying its SkyLine-X solution
under a partnership agreement in which
Airways participates in product design and
development, taking the lead in testing and
deployment. This kind of collaboration is
common for HMI development, but unique
for controller tools and operational
functions. Given the success evident in the
SkyLine-X program, the organisations have
been exploring other commercial
opportunities, where customers can derive
the benefits that each company provides. For
example, Airways and Leidos are currently
developing training and simulation offerings
that will complement SkyLine-X. Airways
and Leidos will cooperate on several
customer opportunities spanning the air
traffic management sector.
When teaming up, the corporations faced
the challenge of physical distance – with
Airways based in New Zealand and Leidos’
headquarters in Reston, Virginia. Leaders
from both organisations recognised that to
successfully deliver an innovative and
effective system, more than just a life-cycle
replacement, they would need to approach
their partnership in an innovative way as
well. Leaders committed to having their
teams immerse themselves in each other’s
cultures and business practices to drive a
spirit of true collaboration.
As an illustration, they formed multiple
work groups meeting weekly via business
conferencing. They also created a joint
development environment with more than
30 combined Airways New Zealand-based
60 AIR TRAFFIC TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL 2020
software engineers and air traffic controllers
working with Leidos software engineers in
the USA. Both locations have software labs,
with weekly updates allowing incremental
testing contributing to releases for more
formal testing. The result has supported a
deepened level of shared understanding and
a real-world perspective of ATM.
The collaboration has already seen the
successful delivery on-time and on-budget of
two operational releases into the current
SkyLine-X system, and the partnership
model has already saved Airways’ customers
around US$2.6 million per year or US$36
million across the life of its current ATM
platform. The Airways and Leidos
collaboration plays a vital role in delivering
more resilient, flexible, and efficient air
navigation services to aviation customers.
Key to supporting those improvements is
SkyLine-X’s intuitive and accessible HMI
interface, multi-channel architecture, TBFM,
data-link and the ability to integrate an
oceanic, domestic approach, en-route, and
tower functions into one system.
The new SkyLine-X ATM system is on
track to become fully operational in Airways’
new ATM centres in 2020, with the oceanic
integration operational in 2021. v
TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
SkyLine-X delivers a system that is both highly
resilient and scalable, realises a lower cost of
ownership, and improves safety and supportability