AIXM
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The Aeronautical Information Exchange Model (AIXM) is designed to enable the management and distribution of Aeronautical Information Services (AIS) data in digital format. AIXM is based on Geography Markup Language (GML) and is one of the GML Application Schemas which is applicable for the Aeronautical domain. It was developed by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the US National Geospatial Intelligence Agency (NGA) and the European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation (EUROCONTROL).The current version is AIXM 5.1.1.
The Aeronautical Information Exchange Model (AIXM) is designed to enable the management and distribution of Aeronautical Information Services (AIS) data in digital format. AIXM is based on Geography Markup Language (GML) and is one of the GML Application Schemas which is applicable for the Aeronautical domain. It was developed by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the US National Geospatial Intelligence Agency (NGA) and the European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation (EUROCONTROL).The current version is AIXM 5.1.1.
Model
AIXM has two main components: The Aeronautical Information Conceptual Model The AIXM XML Schema
The Aeronautical Information Conceptual Model
The Aeronautical Information Conceptual Model (AICM) is a conceptual model of the aeronautical domain. It describes the features and their properties (attributes and associations) within the domain. Therefore, it can be used as the logical basis for Aeronautical Information Management databases and AIXM. The model is designed using the Unified Modelling Language (UML).
AIXM XML Schema
The AIXM XML Schema is an exchange model for aeronautical data and a concrete implementation of AICM. It is an implementation of the Conceptual Model as an XML schema. Therefore, it can be used to send aeronautical information to others in the form of XML encoded data, enabling systems to exchange aeronautical information.
Version 5.0
Developed through a public design review at the 2006 Global AIM Congress, AIXM 5.0 was the first full UML- and XML Schema–based release, establishing a modular and extensible foundation for future growth. It aligned the format with ISO 19100 geospatial standards, including compliance with GML, and introduced an initial version of the temporality concept, enabling digital event updates and laying the groundwork for digital NOTAM. The scope of the model was expanded beyond airspace to include airport and procedure data structures, providing a more comprehensive digital representation of aeronautical information. This version is still used by some early adopters, including the FAA.
Version 5.1
Reinforced the notion of temporality through the Temporality Concept v1.0, establishing guidelines for managing permanent and temporary data changes, timesheets, and schedules. It standardized feature identification with UUIDs and XLink referencing between features. To support code generation, the UML/XSD structures were updated to define ownership of objects and features more formally. A dedicated GML 3.2.1 profile was introduced to harmonize geometric encodings. The content was also expanded to cover new airport, ground facility, procedural, obstacle, and navigational features.
Version 5.1.1
Fully backwards/forward compatible with AIXM 5.1. Introduced Temporality Concept v1.1, a refinement that clarified and enforced consistency rules without structural change. Addressed numerous schema bugs: corrected value lists, added nilReason where missing, and expanded allowable values (e.g. “electric” engine type). The UML model migrated to Sparx Enterprise Architect, with regenerated XML Schemas that now reference GML 3.2.1 remotely instead of embedding copies. It was the first version formally governed by the AIXM Change Control Board (CCB).
Version 5.2
Introduced unique identifiers for complex AIXM objects and upgraded alignment to GML 3.2.2, removing certain constructs (Orientable/Composite Curves) and tightening rules such as disallowing srsName in feature envelopes. Expanded content to cover GNSS infrastructures (GNSS, SBAS, GBAS), integrated ICAO requirements for runway condition reporting and Performance-Based Navigation (PBN), and introduced the DesignStandard object for associating features with design criteria. While AIP, obstacle, and airport mapping datasets remain based on 5.1.1, this version is the first to formally support ICAO Instrument Flight Procedure datasets. The technical documentation has not yet been released.
References
External links
Free 3D AIXM Viewer Free AIXM 5 2D and 3D viewer Delorean opensource AIXM tool
Text derived from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1342353053 under CC BY-SA 4.0; modifications have been made.