iFACTS is designed to go active as Swanwick ACC changes over from using paper flight progress strips to electronic ones. The system continuously monitors the progress of all flights according to their flight plan, or their latest ATC clearance as entered into the electronic strips. If aircraft diverge from their clearance, controllers get an instant warning. It can also project the aircraft's flight plan trajectory up to 18min ahead if the controller requests it. When the controller has to clear an aircraft to change flight level or to carry out another manoeuvre, at the click of a mouse, he/she can call up a graphic representation of any potential conflicts. This enables controllers to test potential decisions quickly before making them. Swanwick ACC general manager Paul Reid, himself a former controller, expects them to form their decisions as they have always done, but now they have a system that does divergence monitoring and enables them to check their own decision-making.
Source: Flight International
