The French national aeronautical service provider, Service de l’Information Aéronautique (SIA) has ordered an aeronautical information management (AIM) system from the Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI).

The contract was jointly awarded to ESRI France and partners Thales and CGx AERO in SYS (CGx).

The new system, ‘nouvel outil de production de l’information aéronautique (NOPIA), will manage aeronautical data and create charts, including the national aeronautical information publication detailing regulations and procedures for aircraft in France.

NOPIA based on ESRI’s geographic information system software will enable French SIA operators to better manage and efficiently deliver information for flight navigation in French airspace.

The system is interoperable with the European aeronautical database (EAD), a centralised reference database of quality-assured aeronautical information for airspace users.

Thales and CGx will assist the French SIA by migrating chart production to the new system and migrating data needed into the world geodetic system 84, which is used to accurately represent the earth in aeronautical charts.

CGx will also implement its AI-Sky Data framework to help with the integration of aeronautical and geographic data.

The French SIA regulates and manages air navigation in France, including any international travel that begins or ends in the country.