Information management - FIXM and Mini Global

Abstract

This paper provides recommendations for future development and use of the Flight Information Exchange Model (FIXM) based on experiences gained in preparation for and operation of the Mini Global II (MG II) project demonstration, held in April 2016. The recommendations are intended for those extending the FIXM standard beyond 3.0, and for public and private organizations that implement and distribute Flight Objects (FO) based on the FIXM. The MG II demonstration is one phase of the larger Mini Global project, in which the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the international aviation community cooperatively investigate the capability and utility of sharing flight, weather, and aeronautical data. The demonstration provides a unique opportunity for multiple Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSP) and Air Transportation Operators (ATO) to experience how the ICAO Flight and Flow Information for a Collaborative environment (FF-ICE) vision can be leveraged to share key information that impact a flight on a global operational scale. The MG II project incorporated the FIXM 3.0, Weather Exchange Information Model (IWXXM) and Aeronautical Information Exchange Model (AIXM) standards in varying degrees of fidelity, though the recommendations in this report primarily address the FIXM. All stakeholders were invited to submit recommendations, which were then refined by the team to produce the final set of recommendations summarized in this paper. The MG II demonstration expanded on the Phase I demonstrations by upgrading support to FIXM 3.0, and expanding the Global Enterprise Messaging Services that support ANSP's, Flight Operations Centers, and other stakeholders. The deployment of these capabilities in a simulated global environment allows for capability demonstration and testing of FIXM standards and data extensions, demonstrate a capability for international partners to integrate into a global system for data exchange, and evaluate the system's capability to collect flight data for analysis. The recommendations resulting from this experience provide guidance for future development and use of the exchange model as a basis for flight objects.