ATIS

ATIS (Automatic Terminal Area Information Service) is a system designed to operate as part of the Air Traffic Control equipment used at airports. The system uses dedicated audio and digital channels (D-ATIS) to send information on the weather situation and the state of associated airport equipment.

The information distribution service is provided either automatically by processing local weather forecast data received from the local weather system or the AFTN/AMHS network, or manually, with additional information sent by an operator. This processing translates the messages into sequences of words, which are then transmitted in text and audio on the configured output channels (ARINC/SITA VHF or VOR network).

The system uses a high-tech TextToSpeech engine to convert any text into audio and also to allow the customization of pronunciation when inadequate or incorrect (e.g. in the case of place names).
ATIS has been developed according to the ICAO and WMO standard and the ARINC 618, 620, 623 and ED-89A standards as regards the data-link.

The main operational features of the ATIS system are:
• real-time weather data acquisition from the local weather system or AFTN/AMHS network
• possible manual acquisition of weather data, of auxiliary information and any emergencies from operator workstations
• processing of acquired data
• speech synthesis of current data
• distribution of the ATIS bulletin on audio and digital channels
• management of the default phraseology and vocabulary.

The ATIS system is based on very reliable hardware and software, thanks to its redundant node architecture. This cross-platform system can also be accessed via the web, and is integrated into the Vitrociset IANS (Integrated Air Navigation System) platform. It is compact, modular and easy to maintain. It is also extremely flexible so can adapt to any updates to the regulations.

ATIS ensures full compliance with technical and functional user requirements and operational needs, a high level of reliability of the data transmitted, and a clear picture of the state of the system that enables the operator to find a quick solution in the event of faults.