Source Ars Technica · Published · Open the original ↗
Capability
FAA expands AI advice to manage air traffic congestion across entire US airspace
Airlines praised the AI tool, but the air traffic controllers’ union wasn’t involved.
The US government has expanded the use of an AI tool for advising air traffic controllers to assist in managing air traffic across the entire national airspace system. Airline executives have voiced support for the rollout, but the US labor union representing air traffic controllers has said it was not involved in designing or testing the AI-driven system.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) says the $875 million SMART system has helped reroute 180 flights since being implemented in airspace over Washington, DC, on September 21. The agency claims that this saved an average of 10 minutes per flight and almost 80 gallons of fuel per flight, and it is apparently hoping such results can be replicated nationwide through the expanded deployment.
The opening of the report, quoted unchanged from Ars Technica. The full text continues at the source.