A collaboration between some of the world’s most cutting-edge IT solutions specialists and air service providers has seen the development of a Total Airport Management Suite (TAMS) for the seamless integration of airport processes. The software facilitates cross-operational management of air and landside processes by connecting the various subsystems into one airport control centre, on the basis of a holistic operational concept.
The object of the TAMS programme, which was supported by the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology, is to make airports more efficient without the need for expensive infrastructure work. The integration of the airport processes into one Airport Operations Control Centre not only boosts the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of airport operations, but also lessens their impact on the environment.
The joint project was a partnership between global leaders in the fields of IT and aviation. Siemens Mobility and Logistics developed the world’s first TAMS-capable integration platform, with consolidated support for every typical airport process, from flight schedules and resource management through to statistics and billing. Barco Orthogon, Inform, ATRiCS, the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and Stuttgart Airport were all behind supporting technologies for the platform’s multitude of functionalities.
TAMS uses a range of visualisation technologies to display the information required by airport operators, air traffic controllers, airlines, ground handling companies or security forces, and generates forecasts, provides optimisation suggestions and supports the various airport process owners. Employees can obtain up-to-date in formation on operations via their smart phones or computers, so that decisions can be made in a coordinated way, based on a joint picture of the situation.
Through its optimisation airport operations, the IT solution could play an important role in reducing air traffic delays, which, according to the EUROCONTROL Performance Review Report, cost the industry over €1.5 billion every year in Europe.
