COMSOFT Aeronautical User Group (CAUG) took place in Karlsruhe, Germany, this week, bringing together its worldwide users to discuss operational and technological challenges arising from new technologies applied in the Aeronautical Information Management (AIM) and Aeronautical Message Handling System (AMHS) domain.
The annual events programme helps to enhance the functionality, usability and quality of COMSOFT’s product lines AIDA-NG and CADAS through presentations and discussions, making for an interesting and dynamic dialogue between supplier and user. This year’s overarching theme ‘Mastering the Change – Best Practices’ was made up of topics dedicated to the ongoing changeover in various areas of aeronautical messaging and information management.
The operational use of the brand-new European Directory Service (EDS) provided by EUROCONTROL, virtualising safety-critical aeronautical applications, AIM data origination, different views on Aeronautical Data Quality (ADQ) and upcoming product features were key topics in the packed two-day agenda. Electronic Terrain and Obstacle Data (eTOD) was also part of the schedule, announcing the current need for this data to ensure flight safety, as well as the appropriate COMSOFT solutions that can easily manage this complex data.
Even more encouraging this year was that several topics could be illuminated from different perspectives, as representatives from several ANSPs also provided presentations on key topics: Vietnam’s VATM presented the successful steps they had taken in the ICAO roadmap AIS to AIM using COMSOFT’s CADAS product line and their further plans for the transition, while DSNA’s contribution focused on the AMHS Deployment in French Overseas territory.
Swiss skyguide provided their views on ADQ from the management and engineering perspective, while COMSOFT complemented the supplier’s view. In a similar cooperation, COMSOFT detailed the full range of options for the operational use of the European Directory Service, to which German DFS were able to promptly respond and present the ways in which they plan the service to work for them.
Other topics included technological progression, namely from NATS UK as they presented their safe approach to applying the latest virtualisation technologies in combination with COMSOFT’s AIDA-NG.
CAUG has been popular since its launch in 2007 in order to preserve and promote the advancements in AIM and AMHS technology to their respective user organisations. Currently 84 per cent of all worldwide AMHS connections are made by organisations represented in the CAUG using COMSOFT’s AIDA-NG, with connections more than doubling over the last 12 months.