Guidance for Planning, Design, and Operations of Airport Communications Centers (2018)

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Introduction 7 Although the operational details of an ACC can be complex, planning and designing the facil- ity is based on commonly used project management and analysis techniques used in many other aspects of airport management. The first task is the creation of a project team responsible for developing and implement- ing the ACC, followed by the initial development of a Concept of Operations, or CONOPS. The CONOPS is a document that presents a high-level statement of the purpose and goals of the ACC, as determined by the facility’s stakeholders and users. This document becomes the guide for all future decisions and direction. An ACC can be built without a CONOPS, but the likelihood of completing a successful ACC project goes up considerably with the use of a CONOPS. A CONOPS may indicate numerous options, configurations, and functions as appropriate for an ACC. There is no “one-size-fits-most” solution. Through careful identification of the objec- tives and outcomes the airport operator wants to achieve, the best approach and optimal solution can be chosen. 1.1 Definition of an ACC For this Guidebook, an ACC is a central physical location in an airport where one or multiple internal (and potentially external) organizations work together to develop a comprehensive picture of one, many, or all aspects of airport operations. The ACC gathers data from various sources using various methods and produces information to portray an accurate picture of air- port conditions on which informed management decisions can be made. The ACC is an integral focal point for airport operation through normal conditions, irregular operations, and emergency situations. (The one exception to this definition—where an airport operator may want to create a “virtual” communications center where there is no specific physical location—is discussed later in this Guidebook.) 1.2 Guidebook Structure The purpose of this Guidebook is to give airport operators the tools needed to consider, plan, design, implement, and operate ACCs. Section 1 outlines the basic foundation for the need of an ACC, identifies important terminol- ogy, suggests an approach for ACC design based on the development of a project management plan and a CONOPS, and identifies some basic structural considerations of an ACC. Section 2 lists organizational components and considerations which may or may not be included in an airport’s ACC, but which should be considered before making a final decision on the scope of the ACC functionality. These components will help to frame the direction of the CONOPS and its effect on the project management plan. Section 3 outlines the basic steps for developing a project management team responsible for successfully implementing the ACC initiative. This Section includes recommendations on select- ing a project team, basic project management artifacts, planning scheduling, and project risk. Section 4 delves into the CONOPS approach and its importance and role in determining a future course of action, as well as the steps an airport operator should take to develop a relevant CONOPS for their environment. Section 4 also discusses the importance of situational aware- ness in a communications center and how an airport operator can seek to achieve operational intelligence.