Chris Bowden - Manager- NAV CANADA, Talk: How Geospatial Data supports Aeronautical Information Services

NAV CANADA is a privately run, not-for-profit organization that is the Air Navigation Service Provider for Canada. With an airspace that spans all three coastlines of the country, from the west coast of British Columbia to the Arctic Ocean in the North to the east coast of Newfoundland, NAV CANADA covers a lot of territory. The Aeronautical Information Management group is responsible for creating instrument flight procedure designs (airways, instrument approach procedures, departure procedures), managing updates to aeronautical information relating to airports/aerodromes/Navigation Aids, airspace, obstructions and obstacles. In addition, the AIM group is responsible for creating the maps and charts that depict the aeronautical information and relevant contextual geographic information. Each of these functions rely on geospatial data to design, review, evaluate and provide relevant context. This discussion will outline how geospatial data is used to support the provision of aeronautical information services in Canada, and outline some of the current challenges and future opportunities associated with its use.