Definition
A computer system that shares real-time aircraft arrival and surface movement data between air traffic control and airline ramp operations to improve coordination of taxi flow, gate assignments, and ground handling at busy airports.
Plain English
A shared computer tool that lets controllers and airlines see the same picture of arriving and taxiing aircraft, so the airport can move planes around on the ground more smoothly.
Context Anchor
Seen in FAA material about airport surface operations, especially at larger or busier airports. Pilots usually do not operate SMA directly; they benefit from the ground instructions and traffic management it supports.
Derivation
‘Surface’ refers to the airport movement area — taxiways and ramps where aircraft move on the ground. ‘Movement Advisor’ describes the system’s role: it advises ground operations about aircraft movements rather than controlling them directly.
Why Pilots Care
Reduces the chance of runway incursions and ground collisions by giving controllers a clearer picture of surface activity.
Intuition Check
SMA is not a person giving informal advice to pilots. In this context, an advisor is an information system that supports airport surface traffic decisions.
Example Sentence 1
The SMA feed gave the airline’s ramp tower advance notice of arrival pushes, helping them stage gate crews before the aircraft taxied in.
Example Sentence 2
During low-visibility operations, SMA helped the controller track ground vehicles near the taxiways.