JPDO Transfers Net-Enabled Test Environment Technology to the FAA

The JPDO established the Net-Enabled Test Environment (NETE) to allow NextGen partner agencies to create an environment for testing concepts, building information services, and demonstrating new NextGen capabilities. Now, the JPDO is transferring technical management of the NETE to the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) System-Wide Information Management (SWIM) portfolio to enhance ongoing research and development activities and give industry partners access to NETE data. NETE is critical to the advancement of NextGen because it provides a matured process in the R&D environment for the NextGen community to continue development and deployment of information-sharing services.

Flight Operations Centers: Transforming NextGen Air Traffic Management

The JPDO has released a new Report titled, Flight Operations Centers: Transforming NextGen Air Traffic Management. Commissioned by the JPDO and supported by the NextGen Institute, the Report documents the findings and recommendations of the JPDO's Airline Operations Centers (AOC)/Flight Operations Centers (FOC)/Wings Operations Centers (WOC) Study Team.

The Study Team's Report highlights the role FOCs should play in the evolution of the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen). Specifically, the findings and recommendations in this report support the functions of FOCs in the future TBO environment (see "JPDO Trajectory-Based Operations Study Team Report"). FOCs will be instrumental in developing, negotiating, and re-negotiating 4D trajectories with FAA to meet the users' individual aircraft and fleet objectives in TBO. The report also identifies opportunities for making broader system improvements through expanded FOC-NextGen interaction. It recommends that a new public-private partnership can provide the foundation for accelerating implementation of NextGen capabilities, reducing program risk, and improving return on investment.