Key facts
- Airline industry officials have eased concerns about the FAA's new AI tool, SMART, for managing air traffic.
- The tool will initially be used in a limited way, focusing on generating alternative route information.
- SMART is set to debut soon, offering advice for flights serving the Washington D.C. area.
- A 90-day testing period will precede a wider rollout.
- The AI tool is not expected to create new procedures for air traffic controllers or airlines.
- FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford stated the tool will forecast weather systems to improve airspace availability.
Airline industry officials have largely stopped panicking about the Federal Aviation Administration's upcoming artificial intelligence tool for managing flights and easing air travel congestion, according to people familiar with the situation. Weeks of confusion over the FAA's vague description of the tool, dubbed Strategic Management of Airspace Routing Trajectories (SMART), eased after agency officials clarified its limited initial use.
The SMART tool is slated to debut in the coming days, providing advice to air traffic controllers for the three airports serving the nation's capital. FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford indicated that after a 90-day testing period, the tool could be rolled out more broadly. Initially, airlines were concerned about how extensively the AI would be integrated into daily air traffic management, with some fearing it could lead to increased flight cancellations and reschedulings.
However, industry officials now understand that SMART is not expected to introduce new procedures for air traffic controllers or airlines. Instead, it will generate alternative route information that will be passed through the FAA's existing systems. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has promoted the tool as a means to alleviate sky congestion.
Several meetings between airline executives and FAA officials, including one on September 10 with Administrator Bedford, helped to assuage these concerns. The CEOs of major airlines like United, American, Delta, and Southwest were reportedly supportive of the FAA's phased approach. Bedford explained that the initial 90-day phase will focus on testing the system and building airline confidence in its predictive analytics, particularly in forecasting weather systems to optimize airspace availability.
The technology is being developed by Air Space Intelligence, a Boston-based software company. The SMART tool will identify alternative routes, especially during adverse weather, and send these recommendations through established FAA channels, ultimately reaching controllers via their current systems. This is expected to provide more options for managing air traffic and reducing disruptions for passengers.