Safety is at the core of what ANSPs do. But delays in updating Air Traffic Management Manuals (ATMMs) can make it difficult for Air Traffic Controllers (ATCOs) to get the information they need while also being compliant with current updates.
This post explores some of the common document management challenges that ANSPs face and how dynamic content management systems like Yonder can help to ensure compliance with the latest regulations at all times.
Keeping on top of changes
Each month new requirements from ICAO/EU or updated procedures to make the ATM environment more safe and efficient or temporary adaptations require updates to the ATMM. These “service orders” are formulated, approved and added to the relevant section of the ATMM, The processes for documenting and communicating these changes stem from a paper-based world. PDFs have replaced paper but PDF-based document management systems do not solve several age-old problems:
Information is not user-specific
Air Traffic Controllers are responsible for keeping up to speed with the latest updates for their role and location. To do this they have to skim through pages and pages of information to find the changes that are relevant to them. This not only wastes valuable time but also means that important information for their location might be overlooked.
The process is slow
It can take months for an approved “service order” to make its way into the ATMM. This means that ATCOs have to search in multiple places – within and outside the ATMM – to be up-to-speed on changes that impact their job. Wouldn’t it be nice if the process of communicating changes could keep pace?
Yonder: Dynamic content management for ANSPs
These were exactly the type of challenges that inspired Yonder to create its dynamic documentation management solution. The Swiss-made software offers three key advantages for ANSPs over static PDF-based systems:
Automatically share updates with the people who need to know
With legacy systems, air traffic controllers have to read through pages of revisions to locate the changes they need to know about. With Yonder, ATCO’s automatically see the latest changes that impact their role. This reduces information overload, saves time and helps to avoid mistakes.
Always compliant
Compliance officers will be happy to know that Yonder also records the change history including who initiated, edited and approved changes and a dashboard showing who has read and acknowledged the changes. So it is easy for an ANSP to demonstrate compliance to regulators.
Always accurate information from a single source
Often “service order” updates affect multiple parts of the ATMM, which means that several editors copy/paste that information into multiple documents. In Yonder, information is reused. Updated information in the source document automatically reflects in all other parts of the ATMM that use the information. No copy/pasting required.
“If a service order affects different units of the ATM, you might have three or four people formulating the same changes across different documents. We urgently needed a dynamic content management system where everyone is – quite literally – on the same page.”
Manuela Berger
Head of OPS Regulations and Change Management, Skyguide
How Yonder is supporting Skyguide
Swiss air navigation service provider Skyguide recognized the need to replace its rigid document management. After hearing about Yonder and consulting with other customers that use Yonder, the Skyguide team opted for a proven Software-as-a-Service tool that matched their workflows and could be implemented quickly.
What can Yonder do for you?
Yonder ensures that Air Traffic Controllers always have accurate and role-specific information at their fingertips. It’s a flexible, future-proof system that allows you to make the leap to full digital content with confidence.
Book a free demo to find out more.