Canada’ air services provider has started construction of a “digital air services hub” demonstrator project. Nav Canada said the Kingston Digital Facility (KDF in Kingston, Ontario, about 200 miles east of Toronto) will validate the technology and operation of a future network of such centers spread throughout the country, each providing air traffic services for as many as 20 airports. “The KDF marks a critical milestone in validating the design, technology, and operational concepts that will shape the future of air navigation across the country,” the privately held not-for-profit company said in a news release.
When it’s finished, the KDF will provide services for Kingston and one other airport. When all the bugs are ironed out, it will be replaced by a permanent facility to serve up to 20 airports in the region. “The Kingston Digital Facility is more than a temporary facility—it’s a key step on the journey towards a new way of delivering air navigation services,” says David Sheppard, Vice President & Chief Technology and Information Officer. “This is about harnessing innovation and building resilience into Canada’s aviation system, ensuring we embrace technology that keeps our skies safe in lockstep with the global aviation community.” Nav Canada says 16 other countries, mostly in Europe, have already built digital hubs and are transitioning to the new tech.
Not Kingsto, build it in Prince George, B.C.
And in English, that article means they are doing what?
That _was_ English, Helen. It’s just a peculiar dialect of it that is spoken by governments and other major organizations: bureaucratese. Being retired from a fifty-year career working on, and managing, many large software projects, I’m fairly fluent. Given that there were only two direct quotations, I though Russ did a pretty good job of translating it into Human.English.
Supposedly, the US is working on the same sort of ATC modernization effort. The likelihood of it being compatible, or even inter-operable with the 17 other countries’ effort, is virtually nil. For me it is moot. I don’t expect to be above the ground, much less in the air, by the time it becomes a reality. If ever. We can’t even get everyone to agree on which side of the road to drive.
Our air navigation system was built on the premise that the pilot was in command. ATC and FSS had the job of supporting the pilots mission. This started eroding when Nav Canada was formed. We now have denial of service as a norm, because Nav Canada can’t manage its mandate. Instead of relying on more managers and more electronics, where are the actual people who care? Our ATC and FSS system have always been the voice of support, with controllers and radio operators that put the pilots first. My flying days are almost over, and I fear that the next generations won’t have the freedom of flight that was offered to my generation.
Oh Ye of little faith… This response probably relying on AI when it is “commissioned” will inevitably have a wrinkle or two before things get sorted, if they ever do. Then we’ll have a federal election, followed by a Royal Commission inquiry, followed by a crown commission to study a feasible course of action to be debated by a hand picked group of “industry representatives” who’ll then recommend termination, followed by another advisory panel with a mandate to get it done by the end of the decade. Cheer up, we’ll all read about it while sipping our Geritol/prune juice cocktails.
You stated “When it’s finished, the KDF will provide services for Kingston and one other airport. When all the bugs are ironed out, it will be replaced by a permanent facility to serve up to 20 airports in the region.” I’m a Canadian pilot who flies in Eastern Ontario and am totally perplexed. There are 20 airports in the Kingston “region” that require Nav Can services? Surely that does not include CYOW, CYUL, CYHU or CYYZ. What 20 airports could they be referring to?