FAA to launch AI system to predict flight delays before takeoff - KTXS

FAA launches AI system to predict flight delays before takeoff

WASHINGTON (TNND) — Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford unveiled the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) new artificial intelligence system Monday, which officials say is designed to reduce flight delays before they begin.

The system, called SMART, short for Strategic Management of Airspace, Routes and Trajectories, began operating in a limited mode Monday in the airspace around Washington, D.C. The FAA plans to gradually expand its use to other parts of the country.

SMART centralizes 200 data streams, including airline schedules, weather forecasts, flight paths, airport capacity, traffic flow, airspace conditions and controller staffing metrics, according to a news release. Its AI-supported engine then provides a shared picture of future demand and potential constraints, allowing aviation specialists to recommend route or scheduling changes before disruption spreads.

“Thanks to President Trump’s leadership, we are already making remarkable progress on building a brand new air traffic control system. But to really improve the flying experience for the American people, we needed to build a 21st century scheduling tool like SMART,” Duffy said in a statement.

The FAA says the system moves air-traffic management from a reactive approach to a predictive one, helping officials plan hours, days and even weeks ahead instead of responding after delays have built.

According to the agency, SMART could reduce delays and cancellations, ease controller workload, improve routing around congestion and bad weather, and lower fuel use. DOT also said lower airline operating costs could ultimately mean lower ticket prices for travelers.

All recommendations generated by the system will be reviewed by FAA staff, and local air-traffic-control leaders can accept or reject its scheduling suggestions. The FAA stressed that the technology cannot replace air traffic controllers or take control of an aircraft.

SMART is part of the agency’s broader Flow Management Data and Services program, which is intended to replace the legacy Traffic Flow Management System and serve as the FAA command center’s data backbone.