FAA Expands AI Air Traffic Control Advisory System SMART to the Entire U.S.

1. 07:02
   Hacker News AI

   FAA tees up $875M AI tool to help manage air traffic congestion

   The FAA plans to launch its AI-based SMART system to advise air traffic controllers in the congested airspace over Washington, DC, as soon as September 21, as a first step toward a nationwide rollout across the 29 million square miles of US national airspace. SMART uses AI models to predict air traffic flows and identify potential conflicts based on airline schedules, weather, airport capacity, and airspace conditions, aiming to cut fuel burn, improve on-time performance, and speed recovery from congestion. The tool is part of an $875 million, 12-year contract awarded to Boston-based Air Space Intelligence in June, which also covers a Flow Management Data and Services system to replace the current system at the FAA's Air Traffic Control System Command Center in Virginia.

2. 05:20
   Ars Technica · AI

   FAA expands AI advice to manage air traffic congestion across entire US airspace

   The FAA has expanded its $875 million SMART AI system, which advises air traffic controllers, from Washington, DC airspace to all 22 centers nationwide after it helped reroute 180 flights and saved an average of 10 minutes and nearly 80 gallons of fuel per flight since September 21. The cloud-based tool combines weather, flight path, traffic flow and controller staffing data to recommend schedules, routes and arrival order, though an FAA team in DC validates its recommendations before they reach controllers. Airline executives support the rollout, but the union representing air traffic controllers says it was not involved in designing or testing the system.

1. 06:28
   Ars Technica · AI

   FAA expands AI advice to manage air traffic congestion across entire US airspace

   The FAA has expanded its $875 million SMART AI system, which advises air traffic controllers, from Washington, DC airspace to all 22 centers nationwide after it helped reroute 180 flights and saved an average of 10 minutes and nearly 80 gallons of fuel per flight since September 21. The cloud-based tool combines weather, flight path, traffic flow and controller staffing data to recommend schedules, routes and arrival order, though an FAA team in DC validates its recommendations before they reach controllers. Airline executives support the rollout, but the union representing air traffic controllers says it was not involved in designing or testing the system.

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