FAA Completes U.S. Conflict Probe Implementation

The FAA has deployed its URET (user request evaluation tool) at Miami's Air Route Traffic Control Center, making the conflict probe operational at all 20 FAA ATC centers around the 48 contiguous states.

URET automatically detects and advises of predicted conflicts between aircraft up to 20 minutes ahead, and between aircraft and special activity airspace 40 minutes ahead, and helps controllers create alternative routings.  This ability, combined with interfacility automation that exchanges flight plan and trajectory information, has allowed shorter routes and more efficient altitudes that wouldn't have been possible otherwise, the FAA says.

Data from URET-equipped centers show that controllers are more likely to assign direct routings, and allow user-preferred altitudes.  Through December 2005, the FAA claims URET has saved users 70.5 million flight miles that translates into $493.4 million.

URET was first deployed as a MITRE CAASD-developed prototype system at Indianapolis and Memphis Centers in 1996.  Lockheed Martin was awarded the contract for its nationwide deployment and the tool went operational at Kansas City Center in December 2001, followed by Indianapolis, Memphis, Cleveland, Chicago and Washington.  In 2003, URET's second phase of more capable and reliable equipment began, and a technical refresh of the hardware was completed in April 2004.  06-02-2006.

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