The Federal Aviation Administration is preparing to launch an artificial‑intelligence system called Strategic Management of Airspace Routing Trajectories (SMART) within the next few days. The tool will initially provide routing advice to air traffic controllers at the three airports serving Washington, D.C., with a 90‑day testing phase before any broader deployment, according to airline officials familiar with the discussions.
Limited scope eases industry anxiety
Weeks of uncertainty had airlines fearing that the AI would be woven deeply into daily air‑traffic management, potentially prompting flight cancellations and schedule disruptions. “I think that’s what people were freaking out about,” one anonymous industry source said. FAA officials, however, clarified that SMART will not create new procedures for controllers or airlines. Instead, it will generate alternative route suggestions that flow through the agency’s existing systems, a distinction described by another source as a “big relief.”
FAA spokesperson Hannah Walden emphasized the agency’s rapid modernization efforts, stating that SMART will help identify problems before they cause delays. “Instead of waiting for congestion or weather to cause delays, SMART helps us see problems coming and act before they do,” she said, adding that airlines have been “at the table” since the project’s inception.
Meetings and mixed reactions
On Sept. 10, FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford met with the CEOs of United Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and Southwest Airlines. According to airline officials, the CEOs responded “exceptionally favorable and supportive” to the FAA’s vision. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, who has championed the tool, described the rollout as a modest step within a larger 12‑year, $875 million effort to modernize the nation’s air‑traffic control system.
United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby praised SMART’s potential, saying it could “do more to reduce delays and cancellations than anything that’s happened in decades” if it works as expected. American Airlines CEO Robert Isom likewise applauded the FAA and Duffy for leveraging technology to make the airspace more efficient and safer, noting that the initiative, when executed thoughtfully, would benefit travelers.
The technology is being supplied by Air Space Intelligence, a Boston‑based software firm that secured the contract in June. The company declined to comment directly, directing inquiries to the Department of Transportation and the FAA.
During the rollout, SMART will focus on predictive analytics, especially forecasting the movement of weather systems rather than merely reporting current conditions. Bedford explained that better weather forecasts could prevent airspace from being closed longer than necessary, thereby freeing up capacity and reducing bottlenecks.
Despite the clarified scope, airline officials say several questions remain unanswered. They have asked whether controllers will directly use the AI, how routing information will be fed to airlines and controllers, whether airline staff will need training, and whether carriers can opt out of the system. Frequent meetings over the past three months have not yet yielded detailed answers, according to the sources.
Industry leaders, including the trade group Airlines for America, have expressed cautious optimism. While acknowledging the promise of predictive analytics to manage disruptions, they also note that the technology is not yet ready to overhaul flight operations overnight. The FAA’s methodical, “crawl‑walk‑run” approach—advocated by airline officials during discussions—appears designed to build confidence before expanding SMART’s reach beyond the initial Washington corridor.
As the 90‑day test period begins, the FAA will work with airlines to compare actual flight paths with SMART’s recommendations, evaluating accuracy and reliability. If the system performs as intended, it could become a key tool for alleviating congestion and weather‑related delays across the national airspace, marking a significant step in the agency’s broader modernization agenda.
Helene Elliott is the Lead Science & Space Reporter at News Raise. She reports on aerospace missions, astrophysics discoveries, quantum research, and environmental technology.
