Finalist: Wavionix Software
Location Lausanne, Switzerland
Achievement Successful design and testing of a computer software tool for airport air-traffic procedures design. Designers of airport air-navigation procedures have long dreamed of a way to computerise what can be a frustrating and time-consuming task, based on endless manual calculations and simple trial and error.
Attempts have been made to create complex automated systems, but with limited success. A few years ago, however, an air-traffic controller, frustrated by manual procedures design, thought of the concept for a simple, user-friendly programme, which has now been developed into the Wavionix Procedures Designer. It reduces to hours a task which had previously taken days, or even weeks.
The system, which runs on a standard Autocad computer-aided design package, has had an enthusiastic reception. It not only allows procedures and departure/obstacle protection areas to be calculated and drawn instantaneously, but also provides a three-dimensional view of the result. The cost of the system, including training and support, has also been kept to £35,000 per licensed user.
A first limited release of the software took place in late 1994 and was taken up by the Irish, Danish and Swiss civil-aviation authorities. Following their comments, an upgraded version was put on general release in February 1996 Since then, the system has been taken up by aviation organisations worldwide.
Source: Flight International
