ROCKVILLE, MD, September 23rd, 1998 -- Lockheed Martin Air Traffic Management announced today that on September 14 the FAA issued an Operational Readiness Declaration (ORD) on the Common ARTS system at the New York TRACON. Common ARTS is a replacement for the air traffic control systems in use at 136 of the FAA's terminal control facilities. The system is now operational at New York, Denver, Chicago, Southern California, and at 14 smaller facilities around the country. Upgrades at Dallas/Fort Worth are scheduled for later this year.

The New York TRACON transition represents a significant achievement for the FAA's Common ARTS deployment. Often termed "the most intricate metroplex in the world," New York has 66 operational displays, 5 sensors, and handles 5000 - 7500 flights a day. Air Traffic Control is divided among five areas of operation, with three major airports, LaGuardia, Kennedy, and Newark, within 17 miles of each other. The airspace encompasses portions of four states, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania, and the Atlantic Ocean.

Jane Rudolph, vice-president of Domestic Programs at Lockheed Martin Air Traffic Management, said, "Given the complexity of the New York airspace any impact to operations during transition will have a profound effect on the entire National Airspace System (NAS). The seamless transition to the new system and the declaration of Initial Operating Capability (IOC) and ORD in a period of 21 days is a testament to the high performance and the high reliability of the modern air traffic control (ATC) technology used in Common ARTS. We at Lockheed Martin are proud of this accomplishment and wish to acknowledge the ATC professionals at the New York TRACON for their continued dedication and support."