SD, the government, defence and aerospace arm of SD-Scicon Plc, is to install an air traffic control computer system for the Civil Aviation Authority. Called ADIS, the Airport Display Information System will be initially installed at Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, and Manchester, to be extended to other airports in the 1990s. The UKP2m contract covers specification, installation, application software, and integration and delivery. Adis will be used to control planes on the ground and up to five miles in the air. It will integrate flight progress slips, flight support information, standard instrument departure profiles, and local weather conditions. This information will be displayed on a single screen, making the controller’s job easier by eliminating the several screens and consoles currently in use. The system will update the Civil Aviation Authority’s National Area System IBM 360 database at West Drayton, and provide access to the national flight database at the London Air Traffic Control Centre. These links will be via the Civil Aviation Packet Switching Network and an X25-based network that connects all CAA sites in the UK. The four systems are based on DEC MicroVAX 3400s running under VMS, and they will support a network of 3100 VAXstations. The interface was developed using DECWindows, and all features are duplicated to ensure constant availability. The syctem is modular in design and enables updates and maintenance without closing down the entire system.
