Automatic terminal information service: Key element for increasing safety and efficiency

Determining sector capacity is a fundamental pillar for ensuring safe and effective air traffic management. Sector capacity is usually expressed through the number of aircraft that are allowed to enter a given sector in one hour. Controlling the flow of aircraft and regulating their number in the space ensures that the air traffic controller is able to maintain safe distance between the aircraft and does not exceed the maximum level of permissible workload. Each air navigation services provider is thus looking for ways to increase sector capacity. One of the innovative approaches to optimizing sector capacity is the use of the Automatic Terminal Information Service (ATIS). When comparing the controller availability factor and terminal area capacity with and without ATIS, it was found that the controller availability factor increased by 2.5% after the introduction of ATIS, and the sector capacity increased by 36.2%. This evidence confirms that implementing ATIS has a positive effect on the overall capacity of the Terminal maneuvering area, with a probability greater than 95% that these changes did not arise due to random variation. Such an integrative approach is proving to be a promising path to more efficient and safer air traffic. The reduction in transmission duration means air traffic controllers spend less time communicating ATIS information, allowing more time for traffic control and separation planning. This increased efficiency translates to a higher sector capacity, enabling controllers to manage more aircraft simultaneously.