Technical Support

Atom™ is possibly the world’s most modern and recently built ATC system in operational use today. Atom™ was designed for the world market to be used by many different organizations and in many configurations. While highly modularized, it is not “cut and pasted” from some less appropriate system, but instead designed from the beginning to be adaptable to many different functions and users. Atom™ is built with a large number of parameters so it can be adapted locally by technical support for optimal use according to each customer’s specific needs.

Application Software:

Atom™ software is object-oriented and is built in the modern C++ language. The language is standardized, taught at the university level, widely used in industry and supported by a vast number of commercial software engineering tools. This means that the Atom™ system can be rapidly and efficiently expanded and modified to meet the ever-changing needs of the aviation community, whether it is new ICAO messages or procedures or user-requested modifications.

Application Adaptation Parameters:

Atom™ uses several databases that can be locally maintained to configure the application including airways, fixes, airports, airlines and boundaries and its behavior when processing ICAO messages depending on flight state, and the content and format of flight strips.

Technical Software:

The Atom™ System Command Center allows technicians to view the status of all the workstations and their software applications and allows the technician to remotely stop and start workstation software. There is also an event log maintained by each workstation that can be viewed remotely by the technician. These and other files can be saved and sent to DISC by e-mail for trouble shooting and support.

Technical Adaptation Parameters:

Atom™ uses many parameters to grant access to screens and information and to configure the functions of the system:

Hardware:

Atom™ uses commercial-of-the shelf PCs that can be easily repaired by local vendors and DISC-provided spare parts so that first-level support can be provided by local technical staff. Hundreds of thermal flight strip printers of the same type as Atom™’s are also used by the FAA and NavCanada and are manufactured by a company with a large commercial customer base for the same technology.

Training:

DISC provides complete training for controllers, technicians and other users.

Telephone and Internet Support:

DISC trains local technical staff in first-level troubleshooting and problem solving. We are also available by telephone for any problem and we provide software fixes and updates by download from our website.