ENAIRE, Spain's state-owned air navigation service provider, has reached a new milestone in the digital transformation of aeronautical information by registering new geospatial services from its Aeronautical Information Service (AIS) in the System Wide Information Management (SWIM) environment. SWIM is the framework for the intelligent exchange of aeronautical information.
This step forms part of the European deployment of SWIM, the architecture promoted by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), EUROCONTROL and the European SESAR programme to enable secure, interoperable digital information exchange among all participants in the air traffic management (ATM) system, including ENAIRE.
This initiative strengthens ENAIRE's role as Spain's official Aeronautical Information Service (AIS) provider and advances its transition towards an Aeronautical Information Management (AIM) model.
ENAIRE's newly registered services provide direct, up-to-date access to digital aeronautical information and aerodrome maps. They allow other systems and organisations to automatically integrate official data into their operational tools and into applications compatible with Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) standards, such as Web Map Service (WMS) and Web Feature Service (WFS).
These capabilities allow users to consult and retrieve structured aeronautical information directly from ENAIRE's official systems and request on-demand aerodrome maps generated using data from the current AIRAC cycle or the next published cycle.
Unlike traditional models based on documents or static publications, the new services allow digital aeronautical data to be exchanged directly between systems at entity level and automatically integrated into operational applications, air traffic management platforms, flight-planning systems, simulation tools and geospatial analysis applications.
Users can filter information by spatial criteria or specific attributes and receive the results in standard formats such as JSON, GeoJSON or GML, as well as cartographic representations tailored to their operational needs.
A further step towards an Aeronautical Information Management model
This advance marks a new chapter in the transformation ENAIRE began more than a decade ago, moving from a traditional model centred on publishing aeronautical information to an Aeronautical Information Management (AIM) model based on processing and distributing quality-assured digital data.
As part of this process, ENAIRE has developed advanced aeronautical data management capabilities through services including its Insignia application, digital datasets, geospatial services and applications tailored to different user groups, including pilots, drone operators and air traffic management professionals.
The addition of these new SWIM services marks another step towards an ecosystem in which aeronautical information is no longer distributed solely through publications, but is available as an accessible, interoperable digital resource that machines and automated systems can reuse.
Contribution to the European ACADIA project
These services are being registered as part of the European ACADIA project (Acceleration of Aeronautical Digital Information Availability), a EUROCONTROL-led initiative that brings together more than 20 European organisations to coordinate the implementation of the SWIM capabilities required under Regulation (EU) 2021/116.
Against this backdrop, ENAIRE recently began testing the three SWIM AIM services required by European legislation. The aim is to bring them into service progressively, allowing users to integrate authorised, up-to-date and quality-assured digital aeronautical information directly into their systems and operational processes.
The initiative is supported by the SESAR Deployment Manager and funded by CINEA, the European Commission's European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency.
Towards more connected and efficient aviation
Deploying AIS geospatial services in SWIM will improve the availability and quality of the aeronautical information used by airports, air navigation service providers, network managers, operators and airspace users.
It will also support new digital capabilities, greater process automation and better synchronisation of operational information across the European air traffic management network.
This milestone further underlines ENAIRE's commitment to innovation, interoperability and the digital transformation of air navigation, helping to build a safer, more efficient and sustainable European air traffic management system.
About ENAIRE
ENAIRE is the air navigation service provider in Spain.
As a company of the Ministry of Sustainable Transport and Mobility, it provides air traffic control services during the en route and approach phases of all flights to and from Spain and overflights. In addition, it manages communications, navigation and surveillance services from ENAIRE in the airspace and the entire AENA airport network in Spain and provides aerodrome air traffic control services in 21 airports, including the busiest.
ENAIRE is the fourth largest European air navigation service provider, and it is a member of international partnerships A6 Alliance, SESAR (Single European Sky ATM Research) Joint Undertaking, SESAR Deployment Manager, iTEC, CANSO (Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation) and collaborates closely with ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization).
ENAIRE has achieved the highest rating for the key performance indicator regarding air safety at the European level for six consecutive years, securing the maximum possible score of 100%. It has also been awarded the EFQM 600 Seal for its safe, efficient, innovative and sustainable management of air navigation services.