SOPHIA ATC Systems presents SOPHIA AMHS, a native X.400 P7 User Agent for aeronautical messaging

SOPHIA ATC Systems, a Brazilian company focused on Air Traffic Management and aviation technology, presents SOPHIA AMHS, an aeronautical messaging workstation designed as a User Agent for the ATS Message Handling Service (AMHS).

SOPHIA AMHS provides operational access to AMHS environments through the X.400 P7 protocol, allowing users to compose, transmit, receive, query and manage aeronautical messages from a single interface. The system also integrates an X.500 directory, local message storage and complete traceability of operator actions.

SOPHIA AMHS main interface showing the operational message inbox.

A native X.400/P7 implementation

The client directly implements the protocol layers required for communication with an AMHS server, from OSI/ITOT transport to P7 operations, including session, presentation, ACSE and ROSE. Protocol structures are encoded using ASN.1/BER, with dedicated encoding and decoding tests.

Supported P7 operations include association establishment, message submission, message listing, message retrieval and deletion against the server message store. X.420 IPM content is used for message envelopes, including originator, recipients, subject and body.

Built around the operational workflow

The interface organizes traffic into dedicated mailboxes for ATS, FPL, OPMET and AIS traffic, as well as Sent, Outbox, Drafts and Trash. Message status follows the response returned by the AMHS server: a message is only recorded as sent after successful submission has been confirmed.

SOPHIA AMHS also provides guided composition of operational messages. ATS message types such as FPL, CHG, DLA, CNL, DEP and ARR can be composed field by field, with live generation of the corresponding message text and validation at both client and server levels.

Guided composition of an ATS Filed Flight Plan (FPL) message.

ATS, OPMET and AIS messaging

In addition to ATS messages, the workstation includes assisted composition for OPMET traffic such as METAR, SPECI, TAF, SIGMET and AIRMET, as well as AIS messages including NOTAM, ASHTAM and SNOWTAM.

The system includes an address catalogue integrated with X.500/LDAP directory services, automatic and manual message retrieval, non-delivery report handling, controlled deletion, local archival and detailed auditing of operational actions.

Traceability by design

Every relevant operator action can be recorded, including login, message reading, submission, forwarding, resubmission, deletion, restoration and printing. This allows the workstation to maintain a clear operational history while preserving the separation between the local console user identity and the AMHS messaging identity.

SOPHIA AMHS has been developed with technical reference to ITU-T X.400, X.420 and X.500, ICAO Doc 9880 for AMHS, and applicable ICAO and Brazilian standards for ATS, OPMET and AIS message formats. These references constitute the technical basis adopted during development and do not represent a declaration of certification or regulatory approval.

SOPHIA ATC Systems develops software and integrated solutions for Air Traffic Management, aeronautical messaging, operational visualization and aviation safety.

Systems. Control. Technology. Reliability.

Learn more about SOPHIA AMHS