Sensis recently unveiled the latest version of its Aerobahn airport surface management system. Aerobahn Version 5 features increased map and view customization as well as new reporting and event threshold alerting functionality that will enable airlines, airport operators and Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSP) to facilitate effective Collaborative Decision-Making (CDM) initiatives. As a result, users can collectively make better real-time decisions for fewer delays, reduced emissions and an improved flying experience. “According to the FAA’s Surface CDM System Sub-Team, airlines have noted a taxi-out time reduction as high as 14% after deploying Aerobahn,” said John Jarrell, vice president and general manager of Sensis Air Traffic Systems. “That translates into significant cost savings.” Sensis Aerobahn combines airside operational information, such as flight schedules, with the exact location and identification of aircraft on the surface of the airport for a real-time, comprehensive view of surface operations. Aerobahn enables users to observe departure queues, view actual arrival demand and contrast the demand with available gates for arriving aircraft. Users can also set Aerobahn to provide a visual alert when performance thresholds, such as taxi-out times, are met or exceeded. All events are recorded for future playback, providing users with the ability to identify trends, develop new procedures to mitigate delays or similar events in the future and provide justification for process improvements. For irregular operations, such as bad weather, users have better situational awareness of aircraft location and the elapsed time of specific events, such as deicing operations. In addition, users can customize their view and tools to maximize use of the service.