FAA Debuts SMART Airspace Management Tool (faa.gov)

The FAA began limited use of the Strategic Management of Airspace, Routes and Trajectories (SMART) tool on September 21, 2026, in airspace around Washington, D.C., with plans to expand nationwide. SMART centralizes 200 data streams — weather, flight paths, traffic flow and controller staffing — into one AI-supported platform that recommends scheduling changes reviewed by FAA staff. The DOT is deploying $12.5 billion in modernization funds under the Working Families Tax Cut, targeting completion by the end of 2028, and has recruited roughly 4,000 controllers with about 11,000 currently in towers.