ATC Spring Break

Be it ever so humble (or not), there’s no place like home. A La-Z-boy, a wireless internet connection, an adult-sized pillow, food less than a half mile away... this is the good life. I don’t have a million-dollar landscaping job but I don’t have to share it with anyone either.



So, what did I learn ? A-number-one ? ERAM is in serious trouble. If you don’t know what ERAM is then you probably aren’t in aviation. If you are in aviation and don’t know that ERAM stands for En Route Automation Modernization, you need to get up to speed quickly.

ERAM is the Alpha and the Omega of ATC automation. It has to work. If it is declared an absolute and utter failure tomorrow, on Monday, we have to start all over again and find a way to make Son of ERAM work. Or Grandson of ERAM. It simply has to work.

(If you’re really behind on the ERAM story, type “ERAM” in the search box at the top left of this page and read everything.)

I have nothing new to say. The question is, do I try to organize my thoughts -- once again -- and say the things I’ve said before -- once again -- on the slim hope that somebody, somewhere will listen and act upon them ? After all, who’s to say I know what I’m talking about ? The truth is, I don’t even know. So much knowledge has been lost about the ATC profession -- specifically about automating ATC -- in the two upheavals of the profession -- that I’m not even sure of what I know. It’s simply the best information that I’ve been able to piece together. For all I know, I could have pieced it together wrong.

So, do I go through it all again ? Or do I just stick to retirement and taking pictures ?



What do you think ? Let me know.

Don Brown
March 26, 2010

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