Airport Collaborative Decision Making

A-CDM (Airport Collaborative Decision Making) is a EUROCONTROL-led initiative to improve operational efficiency at European Airports.

To achieve this, new systems and processes have been introduced to gather and share the necessary information, so a common situational awareness is available to all partners. 

 

All of us, to varying degrees. The objective of A-CDM is to get each flight where it needs to be in the turnaround process as soon as possible, and it helps to be able to rely on each other. Adhering to the A-CDM process means that we all work with the same information, with common rules, so all of us can plan our work better. This results in increased efficiency across all stakeholders, which translates into lower fuel burn, more flights per aircraft per day and fewer tugs for the same number of pushbacks, just to name a few. Getting more done with less is always positive, and while not everything may work perfectly at all times, A-CDM encourages us to focus on continuous improvement.

Yes, authorised users may be granted, upon request, access to a MAG secure web link with a login to a web view of the A-CDM client data.  These views of the A-CDM data can offer limited edit access (e.g., TOBT) but will primarily be for a read-only view of most of the data that is visible in ACISP. It is a MAG requirement that all users of this facility will need to have a MAG Active Directory account with Multi-Factor Access enabled, linked to a different corporate-provided device (company mobile phone) for each account. Email acdm@stanstedairport.com or acdm@manairport.co.uk for details.

This may occur for various reasons, for example:

EOBT and TOBT should be aligned. Alert CDM08 (EOBT Compliance Alert) is generated if TOBT is more than 15 minutes later than EOBT.
If TOBT is earlier than EOBT, the maximum allowed difference is 10 minutes. International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) recommends that a flight should not depart more than 15 min earlier than its EOBT. If TOBT were equal to TSAT, considering that Start-Up can be requested up to 5 minutes before TSAT, this would be equal to the maximum of 15 minutes before EOBT. 

It is recommended that EOBT and TOBT are kept aligned. The EOBTatc should be adjusted by resubmitting or delaying the flight plan whenever its difference to the TOBT varies by more than 15 minutes.

TOBT can be updated as often as you wish until TSAT is issued. After TSAT has been issued, a TOBT may be updated a maximum of five times. If a sixth update of TOBT is required, please delete the previous TOBT first. This will reset the internal counter, giving you five more TOBT inputs while in Level 3 A-CDM operations and three more once we go live with Eurocontrol.

Please keep in mind that TOBT is used for planning purposes by many partners, among them the flow controllers at Eurocontrol. Therefore, please try to provide a reliable and stable TOBT. We do understand, however, that in individual cases it might become necessary to update the TOBT several times or late in the process.

Generally, as soon as you learn of the handling delays yourself. The earlier you update your TOBT, the more time Operations have to adjust the departure planning and redistribute free capacity. The Network Manager also has more time to find a suitable CTOT for your flight.

EOBT and TOBT are separate values. TOBT may only be updated by the local person responsible for TOBT to ensure the integrity of the information. When the EOBT in the FPL is updated, the person responsible for TOBT must update it too.

In case EOBT and SOBT differ, an alert CDM02 (SOBT vs. EOBT discrepancy) will be sent. We will not automatically refuse to let your flight depart, but in order to avoid an investigation later, please adjust airport slot with ACL or refile FPL.

When TOBT and TSAT differ, you can always move TOBT closer to TSAT, but this may influence a change to TSAT. So please adjust your TOBT as soon as possible to align with your new plans. 

This information is available via your Ground Handling Agent, the docking guidance display or by radio through DELIVERY. You could also use the Airport Community app, available for iOS and Android, which contains all relevant A-CDM information.

This information is available by radio from DELIVERY.

After you receive start-up approval, you have five minutes to commence pushback.

Keep us informed about any delays before missing any time windows, so we can still give the capacity we reserved for you to another flight.
If yours was a case where this was not possible, you can still update your TOBT afterwards and receive a new TSAT, but be aware that your target times might have been deleted after not having adhered to them. Your TOBT responsible person needs to re-enter a new TOBT to start off the new sequencing process.

You need to have your TOBT updated. However, TOBT updates will be rejected after start-up approval, so please call DELIVERY and inform colleagues about your delay before contacting your Ground Handling Agent to update TOBT so you can receive a new TSAT. The Ground Handler will need to contact Stand Planning to delete the ARDT, ASRT and ASAT timestamps.

If you do not have a CTOT, TSAT may be delayed from TOBT due to runway capacity, this creates a smooth flow of movements across the runway and airfield to avoid congestion.

Our analysis shows that early TOBT updates result in better CTOTs than at non-ACDM airports. Late TOBT updates shortly before intended start-up request leave the Network Manager no time to find a suitable CTOT and may result in extra delays as on non-CDM airports.

Start-Up via R/T shall be requested according to TSAT (tolerance window TSAT -/+ 5 minutes). Datalink requests may be sent earlier. Within the response message, the flight crew will find the following information: “Start-Up approved at TSAT HH:MM”

A Minimum Departure Interval is occasionally requested by adjacent airspace sectors in order to manage or avoid a short-term overload situation.

If a flight does not ask for start-up approval within the TSAT tolerance, its TOBT is deleted, and it will be suspended. You can trigger a de-suspension simply by entering a new TOBT.

A Cancel-DPI will be sent two minutes after TOBT deletion. This is intended to give you the chance to enter a new TOBT without Eurocontrol issuing a flight suspension in the meantime.
If TWR determines that your flight has missed its TSAT window, a Cancel-DPI will be sent immediately.

All requests should be addressed to:

Stansted - ACDM@stanstedairport.com

Manchester - ACDM@manairport.co.uk

You can contact the Airfield Operations team on:

Stansted - 01279 662478

Manchester - 0161 489 3331 (Option 5)