Worldwide ANSPs using COMSOFT’s AMHS systems joined to debate on latest and upcoming aeronautical communication issues.
Under the heading ‘AMHS – Part of the Big Picture,’ the fourth meeting of the COMSOFT AMHS User Group (CAUG) was opened on 3 May. Air navigation service providers (ANSPs) from all over the world attended the two-day seminar, addressing the development of worldwide AMHS connections, new features of COMSOFT’s products AIDA-NG and CADAS, as well as imminent topics such as FPL2012.
The CAUG members, all operating COMSOFT’s market-leading aeronautical messaging system AIDA-NG, compared their notes on the operational usage of the system and discussed its new features. Especially AIDA-NG’s various possible conversion functionalities for the new flight plan message format (FPL2012), still considering all different migration strategies and conversion rules specified for the different ICAO regions, found the audience’s vivid approval.
COMSOFT’s latest development supports ICAO FPL2012 bidirectional message conversion, meaning new-to-present and present-to-new.
COMSOFT’s new concepts for the operational usage of ATN directory services, and the transportation of digital NOTAMs via AMHS matched the CAUG members’ interests, as well as the presentation of COMSOFT’s new platform for eLearning.
Another relevant focus was put on the upcoming new XML-based formats, in particular digital NOTAMs or new meteorological formats, which was accompanied by the satisfying conclusion that COMSOFT’s system perfectly supports these future challenges thanks to its high flexibility.
The diverse schedule was completed by guest lectures of the attendees. Among others, Kolja Wabra of Deutsche Flugsicherung(DFS) gave an insight on planned AFTN enhancements and the AMHS operations between the civil and military communication centres in Germany.
Since the COMSOFT AMHS user group was founded in 2007, 35 organisations from 32 countries have joined the community. The annual meeting organised by the German ATC/ATM supplier steadily gains importance. As opposed to regional conferences, CAUG meetings bring together members from all ICAO regions to exchange their experience.
Stuart Dingle from NATS, UK confirmed: “Benefits of CAUG for me are it offers me an opportunity to understand the COMSOFT product development and to be able to discuss it in an informal manner, along with the added benefit of being able to discuss this with colleagues from other states that we may not meet in other forums.”
The user group members and the respective customer organisations have become the driving force behind the worldwide adoption of AMHS. COMSOFT’s AMHS products are currently involved in all worldwide AMHS links adhering to up-to-date ICAO standards.