The Traffic Flow Management-Modernization (TFM-M) is a major new program to modernize the FAA traffic flow management infrastructure. The program goals include enhancing information sharing between commercial aviation system users as well as improving system-wide cooperative and collaborative planning, decision-making and congestion management. These will result in improved National Airspace System (NAS) performance, increased security and safety, reduced delays and lower operating costs.

As a successor to the Enhanced Traffic Management System (ETMS), a key factor for the success of TFM-M is to ensure that the new system provides a robust replacement for the current ETMS system. Given the broad depth of understanding RLM has of operational ETMS, we are in a strong position to help meet this critical requirement, in all aspects of software development, from specifications to implementation and validation.

Flight modeling is a critical component of a traffic management system. As a member of the TFM-M team, RLM has already been involved in improving the flight trajectory algorithm to include the initial altitude as a modeled value, thus reducing the calculated climb time for high altitude airports by approximately 30 seconds, where a variance of 5-10 seconds is considered significant.

The Java API library, initially developed by RLM to facilitate integration between ETMS and the Flight Schedule Monitor (FSM) from Metron, enables Java programs to easily connect to and exchange messages with the ETMS system. This library will be used to facilitate integration of new TFM-M components with operational ETMS.

As part of the TFM-M effort, RLM has provided transition plans for the Aviation Weather Network (AWN), ARINC and National Airspace Data Interchange Network (NADIN) interfaces. These documents provided detailed information on the configuration and the failover strategies for supporting these interfaces at both the Volpe Center and at the William J. Hughes Technical Center (WJHTC).