Development of Sarps for Aeronautical Information Conceptual and Data Exchange Model Based

AIS-AIMSG/1-SN No. 11 20/11/08

AERONAUTICAL INFORMATION SERVICES-AERONAUTICAL INFORMATION MANAGEMENT STUDY GROUP (AIS-AIMSG)

FIRST MEETING

Montréal, 2 to 4 December 2008

Agenda Item 7: Annex amendment proposals 7.2: AICM/AIXM

DEVELOPMENT OF SARPS FOR AERONAUTICAL INFORMATION CONCEPTUAL AND DATA EXCHANGE MODEL BASED ON AIXM VERSION 5

(Presented by Paul Bosman and Gergory Pray)

SUMMARY

This study note proposes that the new Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPS) for an ICAO standard aeronautical information conceptual model and data sharing/exchange format be based on the Aeronautical Information Exchange Model (AIXM) version 5. This will enable the global availability of aeronautical data in digital format, both static and dynamic, using state-of-the- art information management concepts and techniques. This will also protect the existing investments made by many States around the world in the development and implementation of AIXM-based systems.

1. WHY NECESSARY

1.1 Moving from AIS to AIM requires moving from manual processes and paper based products and services towards automated data processing and digital services. In this new environment, AIM will be required to:

a) capture and store the aeronautical data in digital format as early as possible in the data chain. As much as possible, the originator of the information shall become responsible for submitting data digitally into the AIM system. The storage database could be local or remote, national or regional;

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b) check and ensure that all data quality requirements are met (accuracy, business rules, completeness, etc.) and preserved (integrity, security);

c) make the data available in digital format to the next intended users that have the capabilities to process the data automatically;

d) provide services, including the production of AIS documents in paper and electronic format (AIP, charts, pre-flight briefing, etc.) using the data stored in the database and as little human intervention as technically possible.

1.2 The activities highlighted above require software tools and databases. These tools and databases need to contain the aeronautical data necessary to support air navigation. The structure of the data in the database needs to follow an established data model which specifies ICAO data requirements. As long as the output of an AIS service are only final products, such as AIP, NOTAM or PIB, the internal data model used by an automated system does not have a high impact on the external partners. Still, the developers of such systems depend on the AIS community to define and validate the requirements for these internal data models, as they have a direct impact on the capability of the system to satisfy the AIS needs.

1.3 In the new AIM approach, making the aeronautical data available in digital format for the next intended user significantly increases the importance of the data/exchange models. A common conceptual model and exchange format are an essential pre-requisite, so that our automated systems can interoperate and have a common understanding of the data received from other AIM systems and data originators. This is the role that AIXM can fulfil in the transition from AIS to AIM. Otherwise, expensive and hard to maintain translators between local AIM systems would be necessary.

2. WHY AIXM

3. International development

3.1.1 The Aeronautical Information Exchange Model (AIXM) was originally developed by EUROCONTROL exactly for the two purposes described above:

e) to provide a conceptual model, which is a formal, structured and comprehensive description of the data managed in the European AIS Database (EAD);

f) to provide a common data exchange specification for the systems that are connected to the EAD Static Operations Database (SDO), both as digital data providers and as digital data users.

3.1.2 From the beginning, there has been a clear distinction between the Conceptual Model (AICM) and the exchange format (AIXM). This clear separation continues to exist today, even if the AIXM acronym is now used in order to encompass the two components in the latest model version.

3.1.3 AIXM was later embraced by other States, outside the European Region (United States, Japan, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, etc.). Since AIXM provides an essential baseline for AIS system developers, the model has been widely used by industry in the development of databases used for AIS automation. As a consequence, AIXM based systems have been installed in many States world-wide. 3 AIS-AIMSG/1-SN No. 11

3.1.4 The AIXM version 3.3 and its updated version 4.5 have been in use since 2003. Both versions were limited to ‘static data’ management. The latest ICAO requirements for the provision of electronic obstacle data sets (AMDT 33 to Annex 15), instrument procedures data according to the latest version of PANS-OPS, complete airport mapping requirements (according to RTCA/EUROCAE ED99A), etc. are not fulfilled by either AIXM 3.3 or 4.5.

3.1.5 Since 2003, United States FAA and EUROCONTROL have joined efforts in order to satisfy the latest ICAO requirements and to bridge the gap between the original 'static' AIXM version (3.3., 4.5) and the future needs of the global ATM. This has been materialised in the development of AIXM version 5, which was published in March 2008.

3.1.6 The support and the direct involvement of the international AIS community, including industry, has been a key component of this development. This has been done through:

a) the publication of the AIXM 5 Design Document (“White Paper”) in 2006, which was reviewed with the stakeholders in a series of AIXM Conferences;

b) the publication of three consecutive draft versions of AIXM 5.0, see the www.aixm.aero Web site, used for trials and test implementations;

c) the creation of a virtual AIXM Forum, in which all AIXM stakeholders can raise questions, comment on the model, share their experience and propose improvements. To date, the AIXM Forum has more than 700 members. Almost all States worldwide and practically all commercial companies that provide AIS/AIM systems and tools are represented;

d) coordination with the EUROCAE WG44 – RTCA SC-193 that have developed the specifications for Airport Mapping Databases (AMDB); this resulted in full coverage by AIXM of the industry requirements for AMDB data;

e) coordination with the RTCA SC-206/EUROCAE WG-76 that are developing the new AIS/MET Data Link specifications; this ensures that AIXM is prepared to support the operational requirements identified by the working group;

f) coordination with the ARINC 829 Committee that is developing the new Open Navigation Database Standard (NDBX); this ensures that AIXM data can be used to feed the data provision chain of the future navigation database systems.

4. Capabilities

4.1.1 AIXM version 5 has been designed to meet the latest requirements for aeronautical information exchange. The following aspects characterise AIXM version 5:

a) alignment with the ISO 19100 series of standards for geospatial information, including the use of the Geography Mark-up Language (GML);

b) use of the Unified Modelling Language (UML), the widest used modelling standard, for the definition of the conceptual model; 4 AIS-AIMSG/1-SN No. 11

c) inclusion of a temporality model at feature level, which enables the model to describe the history, the current status and the future changes, for each feature;

d) support for the latest ICAO and industry requirements for aeronautical data, including obstacle databases, terminal procedures and airport mapping;

e) modularity and extensibility.

4.1.2 One of the most important aspects of AIXM 5 is that the temporality mechanism at feature level can provide "digital NOTAM". Basically, a digital NOTAM eliminates the free form text contained within a NOTAM and replaces the text with a series of structured facts about the affected the aeronautical feature concerned. The xNOTAM concept and its benefits are further explained in a separate information paper.

4.1.3 The AIXM 5.0 documentation includes the following:

a) a core Conceptual Model (UML), which describes the aeronautical information features and their properties, associations, values and validation rules;

b) a Temporality Concept, which enables capturing the evolution of the properties of an aeronautical information feature over time, from the start of its life until its permanent withdrawal. In particular, this model enables the provision of digital NOTAM;

c) a data Encoding Specification (XML Schema), which implements all the classes defined in the conceptual UML model;

d) an extension mechanism, by which groups of users can extend the properties of existing features and add new features, which are for local interest in that group and that are not relevant for global standardization;

e) additional documentation that explains the model and its intended usage. In order to support the adoption of the new version, work is on progress for the set-up of an AIXM 5 “knowledge database” in the form of an AIXM Wiki, expected to be live by the end of the year.

4.1.4 Learning from the experience of previous versions, AIXM 5.0 is no longer designed to support the needs of a particular application, e.g. EAD. Instead, it provides a series of elements from which dedicated specifications can be derived, based on operational needs.

4.1.5 It should be noted that the future ATM requires most data domains (such as MET, Flight Planning, Airport Operations, etc.) to be covered by conceptual information models and data exchange specifications. Certain coherence is needed between the different domain models. To date, at least the “Flight Object (FOIPS)” and the “Weather Conceptual and Exchange Model” (WCXM) have been developed with the necessary AIXM ties towards features that exist in the aeronautical information domain. 5 AIS-AIMSG/1-SN No. 11

4.1.6 Testing and validation

4.1.7 Following the publication of AIXM version 5.0 in March 2008, a series of test implementations and trials have been initiated, in order to validate the new model. The fact that AIXM 5.0 has been developed starting from AIXM 4.5, which is in operational use, already gives a good confidence in the maturity of the model. The new aspects of the model (temporality, use of GML, metadata, new information areas, etc.) are careful being tested and validated in order to confirm that AIXM 5 is fully prepared for operational implementations.

4.1.8 The testing and validation of AIXM 5.0 has been taking place through:

a) the EUROCONTROL Digital NOTAM (xNOTAM) Trial;

b) the FAA Digital NOTAM Submission Project;

c) the FAA Procedures and Charting application implementation;

d) developments by industry (information about known projects is provided on the AIXM Web - http://www.aixm.aero/public/standard_page/industry.html);

e) the 2008 Test Bed (OWS-6) organised by the Open Geospatial Consortium and which has an aviation thread (http://www.opengeospatial.org/standards/requests/50).

4.1.9 The feed-back from these test implementations is currently being collected by EUROCONTROL and by FAA. In general, the results show that AIXM 5.0 is mature and well suited to support the digital aeronautical information management needs, both for static and dynamic data. The issues that have been discovered most frequently concern missing values for certain data types. All identified issues will be fixed in an updated version AIXM 5.1, which is scheduled to be published by July 2009 and which shall be the version proposed for adoption in the ICAO SARPS.

4.1.10 Industry support

4.2 The support of the industry for AIXM is critical for its adoption. One would not expect to write digital data files by hand; good, affordable data management software is necessary. The industry that develops these tools has strongly indicated their support and willingness to adopt AIXM. This has materialised in AIXM-based systems that are available from almost all commercial companies involved in this highly specialised market. With the publication of AIXM 5, some of these companies have already started upgrading their system and examples can be found on the www.aixm.aero Web site, in particular as mentioned in the AIXM Forum discussions.

4.2.1 In conclusion, AIXM 5 has been developed in order to answer the needs of the digital AIM community and of the future ATM. It is considered that the incorporation of AIXM into ICAO SARPS is a safe approach because it has been tested, validated and already implemented in test or pre- operational systems. It builds on the positive experience of the earlier versions of the model and existing expertise in industry. This provides the guarantee that the ambitious deadlines of the AIS-AIMSG for achieving an ICAO standard conceptual and exchange model by 2010 can be met. 6 AIS-AIMSG/1-SN No. 11

5. PROPOSED SARPS CHANGES

5.1 The transition from AIS to AIM will be an evolutionary process, which will take at least 10 years to accomplish worldwide. Therefore, the proposed changes to the SARPS should be made so that the new digital AIM approach can coexist with the traditional AIS products for as long as necessary.

5.2 The most important change proposed to Annex 15 is a simple shifting and re-grouping of the current content, without any real changes in how the annex deals with the traditional AIS business. These editorial changes will ensure the required clarity for the way forward and will also give a strong signal that the transition to AIM has started.

5.3 Separate “data” from “publications” and “services”

Proposal

5.3.1 The Annex 15 content should be re-grouped into five first-level Chapters:

a) General – that will retain the current sections 3.1 (Responsibility and functions), 3.3 (Exchange of aeronautical information/data), 3.4 (Copyright), 3.5 (Cost recovery), 3.7 Common reference systems for air navigation);

b) Scope (of AIM data provision) – a new chapter, explaining high level what data categories have to be provided by the States. This chapter will refer to a modified Appendix 1 that would contain a high-level feature catalogue, covering both traditional AIS and the new digital AIM scope. With the time, the content of this chapter will be further specified, benefiting from the “AIM business needs / Enterprise Architecture” work (see AIS-AIMSG/1-SN No. 13);

c) Data quality (requirements) – a new chapter dedicated to data quality requirements, including the content of the current sections Quality system (3.2), AIRAC (Chapter 6) and all integrity, accuracy and resolution requirements that are scattered through the Annex. This could have one Appendix 2 with detailed numerical requirements (former Appendix 7);

d) AIS documents – a dedicated chapter that will group all existing SARPS for the provision of the IAIP: current section 3.6 (General specifications), Chapter 4 (AIP), Chapter 5 (NOTAM), Chapter 7 (AIC), section 8.1 (Pre-flight information), section 8.3 (Post-flight information), Chapter 9 (Telecommunication requirements). All existing guidance material for the composition of the AIP (current Appendix 1), SNOWTAM format (Appendix 2), ASHTAM Format (Appendix 3), Predetermined Distribution System for NOTAM (Appendix 5), NOTAM format (Appendix 6) should be moved in the AIS Manual (DOC 8126).

e) AIM digital services – a new Chapter providing SARPS for the provision of the data in digital format and for the establishment, as necessary, of new digital services. This will include high-level (performance) requirements for data exchange. These should be further detailed in a new AIM - Digital Services Manual (see further down). This would include all existing SARPS for digital data provision – section 8.2 (Automated aeronautical information systems), Chapter 10 (Electronic Terrain and Obstacle Data). 7 AIS-AIMSG/1-SN No. 11

5.3.2 The proposed implementation date for this editorial change is NOV 2010.

Rationale

5.3.3 This proposed new organisation of the Annex 15 would clearly separate the traditional AIS from the new AIM business. The quality of the aeronautical information being critical for the current and future operations, it is better to group all such quality requirements in a single Chapter instead of having scattered requirements through the Annex. The timeliness of the data and the advanced notification system (AIRAC) are also quality requirements.

5.3.4 Although this looks like a complex change, it is in fact a simple editorial re-organisation of the existing sections. This will open the road for the future refinement of the AIM specific SARPS, while also protecting the current requirements for AIS (IAIP provision). It will also give a strong signal that the transition to AIM has started.

5.3.5 New Appendix 1 – AIS/AIM Data Catalogue

Proposal

5.3.6 This new appendix will contain a high-level data catalogue, indicating the features for which information needs to be provided by the States. It should be structured in a number of packages: Airport/Heliport, Approach/Landing/Departure, Airspace, Navaids and Points, Routes, Organisations and Services, Surveillance, Obstacles, Terrain and Rules/Regulations. The content of each package should be a list of ‘feature types’, with a definition and a list of the properties of each feature.

5.3.7 The list of features could be extracted from the current list of AIXM features contained in the AIXM Conceptual Model (UML). For completeness, it will have to be cross-checked with the content of the AIP.

5.3.8 A sample of the proposed content of the new Appendix 1 of Annex 15 is provided at the end of this Study Note.

5.3.9 The proposed implementation date for this change is NOV 2010.

Rationale

5.3.10 This new way of specifying the data to be provided by AIS/AIM services would be independent from detailed definition of the AIP content and the exact content of the Conceptual/Exchange Models. The IAIP and the digital AIM Services will become the means of compliance for this high-level specification of the data scope.

5.3.11 The exact content of an AIP will then be specified in the AIS Manual and the exact scope of the Conceptual/Exchange Models will be specified in the new AIM – Digital Services Manual. This will enable certain flexibility, when necessary to make small adaptations in the AIP content or in the content of the new digital AIM services. Only important modifications of the SARPS (such as introduction of a new set of features) would require changes in Annex 15, Appendix 1. 8 AIS-AIMSG/1-SN No. 11

5.3.12 New – AIM Digital Services Chapter and supporting Manual

Proposal

5.3.13 A new Chapter of the Annex 15 will provide detailed specifications for the provision by States of digital aeronautical data and digital AIM Services. This chapter should cover the following main aspects:

a) Performance requirements for the Conceptual Model, such as: to be defined using the Unified Modelling Language (UML), to cover all the features mentioned in Appendix 1 of the Annex 15, to include a Temporality Concept that supports both static and dynamic data, to be supported by metadata that ensures full traceability of the processing chain and identifies and certifies the quality of the data, etc.

b) Performance requirements for Data Exchange, such as: the data sets to be defined in the form of XML Schema, compliant with the Geography Markup Language (GML) – ISO 19136, to cover all the features described by the Conceptual Model, etc.

c) Performance requirements for digital AIM services, such as: to implement Web services defined by the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC), to support both query/reply and publish/subscribe interactions, etc.

5.3.14 The exact means for the provision of the new digital data sets and services will be provided in a new “AIM Digital Services Manual”.

5.3.15 As one of its sections, the new Manual should contain the definition of the AIXM Conceptual Model (UML diagrams, feature catalogue, temporality concept). A second section will contain the definition of the AIXM Exchange Format (XML Schema). The UML model and the XML Schema would also be provided in software format, as attachments to the Manual.

5.3.16 Other sections of the new Manual should cover other important aspects of digital data provision, such as supporting communication networks, security and authentication, service registry, interfaces, etc.

5.3.17 The implementation of the new digital AIM data sets and services by the Member States should be done in a number of steps, building on the existing implementation dates for digital obstacle and terrain requirements:

a) NOV 2008 – (already specified) digital terrain for Areas 1 & 4 and digital obstacles for Area 1

b) NOV 2010 – (already specified) digital terrain and digital obstacle for Areas 2 & 3

c) NOV 2012 – (new) static digital data sets for airport, runway, navaids, points, routes, airspace of type FIR/UIR/TMA/P/D/R/Military/… and RNAV procedures;

d) NOV 2014 – (new) static digital data sets for the rest of the data; 9 AIS-AIMSG/1-SN No. 11

e) NOV 2015 – (new) dynamic digital data sets (“digital NOTAM”) for airport, runway, surface contamination, navaids, points, routes, airspace of type FIR/UIR/TMA/P/D/R/Military/… and RNAV procedures;

f) NOV 2017 – (new) dynamic digital data sets for the rest of the data.

Rationale

5.3.18 Specifying the exact content and format of the digital AIM services in a Manual rather than in the core Annex 15, would provide flexibility and adaptability of the new requirements to the reality of the practical implementation.

5.3.19 With the time, when the transition from AIS to AIM would be finalised, the existing AIS Manual (DOC 8126) could be terminated and the new AIM Digital Service Manual would become the only guideline document for the provision of aeronautical information by the States.

5.3.20 It is considered that the proposed incremental approach gives sufficient lead time to all States world-wide to adapt their local system and procedures to the new digital AIM requirements.

6. ACTION BY THE AIS-AIMSG

6.1 The AIS-AIMSG is invited to:

a) discuss this AIXM based proposal for the development of ICAO SARPS for a Conceptual Model and Data Exchange Specification and the corresponding re- structuring of the ICAO Annex 15 and of the AIS Manual;

b) consider the submission of the proposed re-structuring of the Annex 15 and of the AIS Manual to the ANC in Feb/March2009 as AMDT 36 for implementation by 2010;

c) request EUROCONTROL and FAA to draft the new AIM – Digital Services Manual for the Study Group for final discussion in the second Study Group meeting based on AIXM5 with an aim to submit this new Manual to the ANC as AMDT 37 for incremental implementation starting by 2011.

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APPENDIX

AERONAUTCIACL DATA TO BE PROVIDED BY STATES

DRAFT SAMPLE

Feature Properties Package: Airport/Heliport Airport [A defined area on Designator land or water (including any Name buildings, installations and ICAO Location Indicator equipment) intended to be used IATA Designator either wholly or in part for the Type arrival, departure and surface Certified ICAO movement of aircraft.] Private Use Heliport [An aerodrome Control Type intended to be used for the … etc. … arrival, landing, takeoff or Lowest temperature departure of vertical takeoff Abandoned and landing aircraft.] Aerodrome Reference Point Served City (multiple) Airport Management Contact (multiple) … etc. … Altimeter Source Runway [A defined Designator rectangular area on a land Type aerodrome prepared for the Length landing and take-off of Width aircraft] Width Shoulder Length Strip Width Strip Profile Surface Properties Associated Airport Heliport … etc. … … ETC. … … etc. …

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