Interval Management Concept of Operations

Interval Management (IM) is a broad description of ADS-B-enabled applications that involve one aircraft positioning themselves relative to another aircraft. An appropriately equipped aircraft is cleared by the controller, who is using decision support tools, to achieve and/or maintain an interval, in time or distance, relative to one or a few other aircraft. IM-related work has had several other names in the past: sequencing and merging, self-spacing, merging and spacing. IM consists of both flight deck (FIM) and ground (GIM) components and roles. There are two possible levels of responsibility: Spacing (IM-S) – controller has separation responsibility and Delegated Separation (IM-DS) – flight crew has separation responsibility from target aircraft only.