Honeywell’s new software suite allows the smart integration of air and ground traffic control with maintenance operations
Honeywell has launched a new smart airport technology with the main aim of enhancing the safety and efficiency of airside operations at airports.
The Honeywell NAVITAS software suite enables the smart integration of air and ground traffic control with maintenance operations to allow airports to accommodate growing air traffic while improving safety and on-time performance.
Honeywell highlighted that the new solution complies with the latest industry standards set forth by organizations — including the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and European Organisation for Civil Aviation Equipment (EUROCAE).
The new solution also includes modular and scalable software components, which provide real-time insights for air traffic controllers and maintenance operators. The components assist personnel in visualizing and routing aircraft movements — from enhancing situational awareness about traffic conditions and more safely expediting aircraft turnaround times, to automating fault diagnostics for airside equipment.
“Airports around the globe are seeing dramatic increases in traffic, and while that makes the world more connected, it increases complexity to ensure safe and reliable operations,” said Sonja Strand, vice president and general manager for Honeywell’s Global Airports Business. “NAVITAS helps orchestrate these complex environments through mobile applications, dashboards and heads-up displays that are intuitive. By harnessing the power of the internet of things, we’re making data user friendly, and making airports smarter in the process.”
Specific features of the NAVITAS modules include:
– Honeywell NAVITAS Tower Manager, which helps improve the productivity of air traffic controllers by enhancing situational awareness of airport surface operations. This tool gives controllers access to real-time information on ground, air traffic and meteorological conditions, presenting the information in a single interface and providing visibility into a multitude of traffic events while reducing the chance for error.
-Honeywell NAVITAS Surface Manager, which enhances ground traffic safety, fluency and throughput in a wide range of weather conditions, while helping to reduce their fuel burn and carbon footprint. The module also provides the software necessary for airports to use all four levels of an Advanced-Surface Movement Guidance and Control System (A-SMGCS), including surveillance, routing, guidance and airport safety support. This module also provides movement conflict detection and resolution, which can include “follow-the greens”-based guidance that automatically illuminates lighting on the tarmac to guide aircraft to clear taxiways.
-Honeywell NAVITAS Engineering Manager allows engineers and technicians to perform fault diagnostics. It features a mobile interface and automates the diagnostics and failure reporting.
-Honeywell NAVITAS Performance Manager features dashboards that allow airport staff to collaborate and analyze operations in line with key performance indicators. The module —which is accessible both on-premise and remotely — provides access to a common base of holistic information and allows for the application of big data analytics for real-time and predictive insights.
