London Heathrow Airport is launching a new initiative to improve its competency, decrease flight delays, and improve flight punctuality, for its passengers.
The airport is debuting its Airport Collaborative Decision Making (A-CDM) concept to partner with its airlines, ground handlers, air traffic control and airport employees, for increased knowledge sharing and informed and consistent decision-making.
The airport, which is currently operating at 99.2 percent capacity, has recently been severely criticised for its operational ineptitude, due to its increased workload.
Tim Hardy, the director airside of BAA Ltd, owner and operator of London Heathrow Airport, said, ‘With more than 1,300 flights every day, it’s crucial that we continue to look for ways to improve operational efficiency and thereby enhance passenger experience. A-CDM is about more than technology, it’s about behaviour change. It relies on every area of the airport’s operations working collaboratively to share information in pursuit of this common goal. We are excited to be launching this revolutionary new system and look forward to seeing the results.’
The A-CDM offers to break the life cycle of each flight into 16 stages, and report its progress at each stage to the operational crewmembers at the airport. The initiative is expected to improve the operational effectiveness of the aircraft, and lower the fuel consumption during flights, by helping to reduce taxiing times, in addition to providing ways to share information with all of the partner agencies.
John Proudlove, the NATS GM for Heathrow, said, ‘With CDM, air traffic controllers are able deliver a more efficient operation based upon accurate, comprehensive airfield information.’
