FAQs and Glossary

Airport CDM stands for Airport Collaborative Decision Making. 

Airport CDM is a concept for improving operational efficiency at airports. Its objective is a comprehensive exchange of information between all parties involved and thus an efficient coordination of all processes in connection with aircraft turnround. Airport CDM is designed to help optimally use available capacities and operational resources, cut costs, increase punctuality, and reduce fuel consumption and emissions on the runway by minimising waiting times. Automatic communication with the NMOC leads to optimum CTOT allocation.

The process is obligatory for all flights operated in accordance with instrument flight rules (IFR). All ground handling partners are involved.

If the turnround process is not in accordance with the Airport CDM process, this can have an adverse effect on the individual flight concerned. As a result, start-up clearance will not be given and delays may occur. Alerts will be transmitted notifying users and ground handling service providers of any disruptions or irregularities.

The European launch of Airport CDM is a Eurocontrol initiative.

Changes to the ground handling process which may affect the ground handling time must be reported in the TOBT. The TSAT can be used to optimise resource planning (e.g. tow tractor disposal).

Someone responsible for TOBT and a recipient for the Airport CDM alerts must be designated. The start-up request must be in line with the TSAT. Automatic communication with the NMOC leads to optimum CTOT (Calculated Take-Off Time) allocation.

Start-up clearance is given by air traffic control in line with the TSAT.

TOBT stands for Target Off-Block Time. This time indicates when the aircraft is expected to be ready and refers to the time the ground handling process (excl. pushback and de-icing) will be completed and the aircraft would like to leave its parking position. The TOBT is managed by those responsible for TOBT and, if necessary, amended in the event of changes to the ground handling process. Based on the TOBT, a pre-departure sequence is generated which determines and communicates the TSAT for each flight.

The TOBT (Target Off-Block Time) can be entered and managed via the Airport Operational Extranet (AOE). The system is made available free of charge to those responsible for TOBT within the scope of the Airport CDM process.
We recommend that the TOBT be entered by the relevant ground handling service provider, who has direct access to the airport’s central database (Airport Operational Database – AODB).

In order to access the AOE (Airport Operational Extranet), please complete and return the User Agreement.

TSAT stands for Target Start-Up Approval Time. This indicates the time the pilot can expect to receive start-up clearance from air traffic control in line with the generated sequence. When calculating the TSAT, both the local capacity (runway) and the available network capacity (sector – CTOT) are taken into account.

The TSAT (Target Start-Up Approval Time) is communicated via defined channels. As a rule, the relevant ramp agent informs the flight crew of the current TSAT. DCL (Datalink Departure Clearance) can also be used.

Please feel free to contact us should you have any questions or suggestions.
More information on Airport CDM can be found here:

Aeronautical Information Publication (AIP)

www.euro-cdm.org

www.acdm-germany.de

ACC - Airport Control Center

Control centre for planning and controlling all aircraft operations and passenger handling processes at the airport

A-CDM - Airport Collaborative Decision Making

Concept created by Eurocontrol to improve collaboration between all aircraft ground handling partners

ACZT - Actual Commerce De-Icing Time

AEZT - Actual End De-Icing Time

AIBT - Actual In-Block Time

The actual time that an aircraft arrives at its parking position and switches off the engines; usually when ground handling begins

AIMS - Airspace Information Monitoring System; entspricht AVD

AIP - Aeronautical Information Publication

ALDT - Actual Landing Time

AOBT - Actual Off-Block Time

The actual time that an aircraft leaves its parking position; usually when ground handling ends

AODB - Airport Operational Database

Operational database including all master data; subsystem of FARMS

AOE - Airport Operational Extranet

Operational extranet with several subportals and the possibility to enter defined data into FARMS. Used within the scope of the Airport CDM process for TOBT entry by TOBT personnel.

ARDT - Actual Ready Time (for Movement)

When the aircraft is ready to be moved

ASAT - Actual Start-Up Approval Time

Time that an aircraft receives start-up approval from air traffic control

ASIMS - Advanced Sita Message Server

System for tracking processes and clearing IATA messages (LDM, MVT, PTM, PAL, CAL)

ASRT - Actual Start-Up Request Time

Time the pilot requests start-up clearance from air traffic control

ATA - Actual Time of Arrival

see ALDT

ATC - Air Traffic Control

ATD - Actual Time of Departure

see ATOT

ATOT - Actual Take Off Time

AVD - Aerial View Display

BTA - Actual On-Block

see AIBT

BTD - Actual Off-Block

see AOBT

CDM - Collaborative Decision Making

see A-CDM

CTOT - Calculated Take-Off Time

Issued by the NMOC

DPI - Departure Planning Information

Information on status updates regarding aircraft departure

ECZT - Estimated Commerce De-Icing Time

EEZT - Estimated End De-Icing Time

EIBT - Estimated In-Block Time

The estimated time that an aircraft will arrive at its parking position and switch off the engines; usually when ground handling begins

ELDT - Estimated Landing Time

EOBT - Estimated Off-Block Time

The estimated time that an aircraft will start moving by air traffic control according to the ATC flight schedule

ETA - Estimated Time of Arrival

entspricht ELDT

ETD - Estimated Time of Departure

see LOBT/TOBT

EXIT - Estimated Taxi-In Time

The estimated taxi time from the runway to the parking position

EXOT - Estimated Taxi-Out Time

The estimated taxi time from the parking position to the runway

FARMS - Flight and Resource Management System

Airport management system for storing master data, managing flight schedule operations, managing resources and providing the basis for exchanging data with external systems

FIDS - Flight Information Display System

System for displaying data on different screens

FMS - Flight Management System

FUM - Flight Update Message

Information on the status update of an aircraft

LOBT - Local Off-Block Time

Estimated time of departure by the ACC (Airport Control Centre)

MTTT - Minimum Turn-round Time

The minimum turn-round time (between on- and off-block) agreed with the ground handler or aircraft operator

NMOC - Network Manager Operations Centre

OFB - Off-Block Time

see AOBT

ONB - On-Block Time

see AIBT

SAMS - Slot Allocation and Monitoring System

System operated by Airport Coordination Germany (FHKD) to allocate slots to coordinated German commercial airports

SIBT - Scheduled In-Block Time

The time coordinated by Airport Coordination Germany at which an aircraft arrives at its parking position and switches off the engines; usually when ground handling begins

SOBT - Scheduled Off-Block Time

The off-block time coordinated by Airport Coordination Germany

STA - Scheduled Time of Arrival (aircraft on blocks)

STD - Scheduled Time of Departure (aircraft off blocks)

TFDPS - Tower Flight Data Processing System

System used by air traffic control for processing flight data electronically

TOBT - Target Off-Block Time

Target ready time; basis for the Airport CDM process and calculating the TSAT

TSAT - Target Start Up Approval Time

This indicates the time the pilot can expect to receive start-up clearance from air traffic control in line with the generated sequence

TTOT - Target Take-Off Time

Target time of departure, basis for exchanging data with the NMOC