Objective:

The Surface CDM Team was formed to leverage the findings of the previous Surface Management Working Group (SMWG) and the Eurocontrol and Eurocae WG69 policies.  The SCT is fully immersed in the implementation of TFDM Surface Metering capabilities, applying subject matter expertise in a collaborative environment to improve airport surface efficiency and information sharing.  Surface Metering will provide pertinent surface data into the Traffic Flow Management System at a single airport and provide a more efficient surface operation through a collaborative information sharing process.

Traffic Managers rely on accurate and up-to-date information in order to maintain a safe, orderly, and expeditious flow of air traffic. In reality, this real-time information is used to make decisions that will affect the flow of air traffic in the future. This includes information related to the position of aircraft on the ground.

There are numerous airports and air traffic control towers (ATCTs) that utilize surface surveillance tools to monitor the traffic situation on the surface of an airport. These surface surveillance systems have the ability to provide surface situational data to other system in the NAS, such as the Traffic Flow Management System (TFMS). It has long been the desire of Traffic Managers to have surface data incorporated into the TFMS to enhance the planning and predictive capabilities of Traffic Management Tools.