What Happened
New Technology Rolled Out To All Centers Days Before Safety-Related Grounding
The Federal Aviation Administration expanded its new artificial intelligence-supported air traffic management tool, Strategic Management of Airspace, Routes and Trajectories (SMART), to all 22 of its air route traffic control centers just days before ordering a nationwide ground stop on departing flights. The tool aims to shift air traffic management from a reactive approach to a predictive one by merging about 200 data streams onto a single platform. According to The Washington Times, the FAA has said SMART recommends early routing or schedule changes to help flights avoid severe weather or congestion, with the aim of reducing delays and saving fuel.