ACE

Avenue Compliant Escape

Objectives

Providing the next generation ATC Simulation capability.

Approach

Building on previous experiences: porting ESCAPE platform onto AVENUE logical architecture.

This major upgrade of ESCAPE particularly addressed the areas of:

Details

2003 Successful Management of integration and validation of component model version (ACE) of real-time ATC simulation facility at EUROCONTROL, and provision of training to international clients

Background

AVENUE was an industry wide project to provide international standards for ATC systems. The aim the new version of the real-time facility was to make it compliant with the AVENUE standards. This introduced a new version of the middleware based on the CORBA component model

Challenge

AVENUE provided Requirements in a UML format. These requirements would be used to redefine the real-time facility requirements. The UML requirements allowed a more complete set of tests to be developed using Test Director and to link these tests to the requirements. Additional features included in the ACE project included interfacing live data into the ATC simulation platform.

Actions

Lead a team to analyse UML Requirements. Enter Requirements in Test Director. Define the test strategy and processes based on a complete re-engineering of the simulation platform. Manage the platform. Ensure that a complete set of tests are available to system test and validate the platform. This is the first time that the platform will have been thoroughly tested. Define regression processes, so that subsequent releases are of a higher quality.

Result

Half way through completion the project was postponed. I remained on the project to validate existing work was integrated to enable the project to restart if such a decision was made. The project was restarted with a high priority after a 6 month hiatus. I had battled many teams to successfully integrate during the hiatus, when the teams saw the project as a low priority, Due to my persistence; the project was completed and integrated successfully. Agency management and the European Commission had decided that the ACE version must become the default version of the real time simulation facility. The technologies used were proved during the project and as such adopted in European wide directive for new ATC systems.

Meaning

This was the first project that I suffered the major setback of cancellation. I persevered to complete the integration through continual motivation of my team.

My persistence was rewarded when the project was highlighted as a key element to EUROCONTROL and European future strategy.

I headed a team of up to 8 engineers during the life-time of the project. I provided training courses to member states in use of the facility. I became de-facto project manager. (I was an independent contractor, and could not officially take the role as project manager.)