Note: Single-source report; awaiting corroboration.
Will Cummings-Grande, an aerospace engineer at NASA's Langley Research Center, attended the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Tower Data Link Services (TDLS) Application Specialist training at the Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center in Oklahoma City. This two-day hands-on course is required for controllers working with the digital clearance delivery system at 72 U.S. airports.
Cummings-Grande shadowed an active controller through exercises, gaining firsthand experience with the TDLS system. He aimed to obtain current operational insights into digital clearance delivery beyond theoretical research.
The digital clearance system reduces radio frequency congestion by allowing pilots to receive and confirm clearances digitally, keeping channels open for urgent communications. Cummings-Grande leads NASA’s Air Traffic Management and Safety project efforts to expand this digital capability to ground operations, including pushback timing, routing, and runway assignments.
During the course, Cummings-Grande collaborated with controllers from several major airports, exchanging ideas and refining concepts based on their feedback. This partnership helps bridge the gap between research and real-world air traffic management.