FAA TO TRIAL AI AIR TRAFFIC TOOL OVER WASHINGTON DC

The Federal Aviation Administration is preparing to deploy an artificial intelligence tool called SMART to advise air traffic controllers in the congested airspace above Washington, DC. Government and industry officials said the system could begin operating at the region's three major airports as soon as Monday, 21 September. The FAA describes SMART as using AI models to predict air traffic flows and identify potential conflicts, based on factors including airline schedules, weather, airport capacity and airspace conditions. The deployment is intended as the first step towards a nationwide rollout across the 29 million square miles of airspace the FAA oversees.

SMART forms part of an $875 million, 12-year contract awarded in June to Air Space Intelligence, a Boston-based company. The FAA says the tool will give it, airlines and operators a shared view of conditions, aiming to cut fuel burn, improve on-time performance and speed recovery from weather and congestion. The launch comes as the FAA has faced a nationwide shortage of air traffic controllers and has sought new technological solutions. Philip Mann, principal consultant at Vector Strategic Consulting, who spent 17 years at the FAA, called the limited launch the "right call", noting the system carries unknowns unlike any it has fielded before.

Reports said the airline industry had been confused for several weeks about the FAA's plans to introduce the tool. Anonymous airline officials said their concerns eased once the FAA confirmed SMART would not change existing procedures for controllers or airlines. Instead, the agency said the tool would produce "alternative route information" made available through existing FAA systems. The Washington launch is expected to form the basis for SMART's planned nationwide expansion.