FAA-Tested Solution Helps Airlines Migrate From Decommissioned Networks To NextGen

AvFinity, a developer of data communication solutions for the aviation industry, today announced the availability of AvFinity NADIN CONNECT AIRS, a solution designed to speed aviation's adoption of the FAA's NextGen digital communications advancements. The AvFinity NADIN CONNECT AIRS provides rapid benefits from NextGen efficiencies and an up-to-24-month reduction in an aviation company's development time for a CMHP (Common Message Handling Protocol) solution.   

With expertise in X.25 migration, CMHP test bedding and conformance testing, AvFinity has successfully completed FAA protocol testing, so aviation companies can benefit from shortened testing requirements prior to connectivity to the National Airspace System (NAS) subsystems. Instead of three separate tests taking close to a year, aviation companies using the AvFinity NADIN CONNECT AIRS need only successfully pass the conformance-testing phase.

AvFinity is one of few organizations to offer a solution that helps aviation companies migrate off older networks that the FAA has already decommissioned. By using AvFinity NADIN CONNECT AIRS, an aviation company can cut years off the process of studying the FAA library code, writing proprietary applications and submitting the code to lengthy FAA testing to develop an internal solution.

The AvFinity NADIN CONNECT AIRS interfaces aviation companies with the National Airspace Data Interchange Network (NADIN), the Weather Message Switching Center Replacement (WMSCR) and the Automated Weather Observing System (AWOS) Data Acquisition System (ADAS).  These three subsystems of the FAA's NAS provide key aviation services including the processing of flight plans, message exchange with the global Aeronautical Fixed Telecommunications Network (AFTN), weather and Notices to Airmen (NOTAMs). 

Offered as plug-and-play appliance loaded on AvFinity AEON AIRS, NADIN CONNECT AIRS can provide CMHP connectivity to NADIN and the FAA using TCP/IP. The unit enables aviation companies to connect directly to the FAA for NADIN/AFTN access and WMSCR and NOTAMs, passing data over TCP/IP through the added layer of the FAA's secure CMHP. CMHP, introduced by the FAA to transition aviation companies to digital communications by providing message delivery assurance over IP, emulates the robustness of the legacy X.25 network, without its current problems including protocol-induced bottlenecks inherent with older FAA-decommissioned architecture.

"Implementing CMHP as rapidly as possible allows airlines to communicate operational messaging traffic using TCP/IP to FAA's NADIN quickly and reliably," said Steve Perkins, AvFinity chief technical officer.  "Aviation companies benefit monetarily too.  Variable operating costs end for packet charges, link rates and gateways.  CMHP allows users to connect with a flat fee structure and some services at no cost."

FMI: www.avfinity.com