SESAR JU members develop a network performance-monitoring dashboard to anticipate degraded/critical air traffic situations across Europe’s network and enable timely and improved decision-making.

Developed by EUROCONTROL, the dashboard (integrated network performance management and monitoring) visualises up-to-date operational information obtained from stakeholders (Airspace uses, airports, air navigation service providers) and, allows staff in the Network Manager (NM) operations (ops) room to:

• detect and predict degraded situations at local/sub-regional and regional levels within the network;
• manage the network recovery process more efficiently using network-oriented solutions (e.g. Dynamic airspace configuration and/or short-term air traffic flow and capacity management processes – STAM - using enhanced computer-assisted slot allocation – E-CASA);
• collaborate better with stakeholders (FMPs, airports and airlines) using intuitive collaborative tools that support information exchange and improve decision-making.

A dashboard demonstrator was developed over 12 months by EUROCONTROL’s network and flow management operations experts, and with live observations in the NM ops room as well as task analysis and design-thinking sessions with ops staff.

Just before the COVID19 lockdown, the dashboard demonstrator was presented to 15 NM ops staff, who welcomed the interface, which provides them with a global view of the network status, the impact of network measures, and a personalised view on key areas of interest that Network Operations Controllers (NOCs and Senior NOCs) want to monitor.

The dashboard is also expected to support the evolution of roles and responsibilities (in critical situations) between local flow managers and the NM, with new working methods and procedures currently investigated by EUROCONTROL and ENAIRE experts, in order to  provide NM with the right information and human-machine interface features to take more responsibilities in critical situations.

Pre-COVID discussions & live observation

Work has now started on the next phase, which is to develop the prototype based on the demonstrator. This shall also include the new AI powered engine currently under development.
The goal is to connect the dashboard to the NM validation platform, where NM ops staff can start using the tool to train and validate it with real-time traffic, and to simulate critical days.

The Collaborative Network Performance Management solution (#49) is developed within the framework of the SESAR research project - Digital network management services (PJ.09 W2). This project has received funding from the SESAR Joint Undertaking under the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 874463

Network Performance Management Dashboard demonstrator