The Global Air Traffic Management (ATM) Operational Concept (GATMOC, Doc 9854), has provided direction to global and regional efforts for development of future ATM systems. The key conceptual changes envisaged in the GATMOC have already been realised in various parts of the world with varying levels of maturity (e.g. dynamic and flexible airspace management and accommodation of mixed capabilities, etc.). To furture acehive the realization of the GATMOC vision, an evolutionary transformation is needed to evolve into a trajectory-based operations (TBO) environment, where the curretn and future positions of aircraft are known with greater specifity and accuracy.
TBO is often referred to as the "operational realization" of the GATMOC and involves large-scale regional ATM modernization programmes and cross-industry initiatives on the development and deployment of future technologies. Moreover, for TBO to deliver its anticipated performance benefits, all capabilities and processes integral to TBO should be developed and deployed in a globally harmonized manner.
To ensure that this transformation occurs in a consistent, harmonized and integrated manner, the global ATM community needs a common reference and framework that will guide the development and implementation of individual, but inter-related capabilities and processes. Therefore, it is essential that all stakeholders have the same understanding of TBO in its entirety, including the interactions between supporting capabilities and processes.
