ATAC Corporation, founded in 1979 in Sunnyvale, California, emerged from roots in Stanford Research Institute (SRI) and Ford Aerospace to become a leading provider of air traffic management systems, research and development, and technical services [3]. The company began with its first contract from the Office of Naval Research, focusing on computer tools and data analysis modeling. By 1983, ATAC had expanded to 95 employees with offices in Washington, DC and San Diego, establishing a presence at multiple federal facilities [3].
Under the leadership of Dave Schleicher, Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, ATAC maintains its commitment to innovation and technical excellence. Schleicher, a Princeton and Stanford graduate with over 30 years of experience in air traffic control and cockpit technologies, oversees all active projects, tool development, and IR&D initiatives [2].
- Airport and Airspace Delay Simulation (Simmod)
- Performance Data Analysis and Reporting System (PDARS)
- Air traffic control automation systems [3]
- FAA SE2025 SIR 1 Program: A 10-year IDIQ with a joint pooled ceiling exceeding $767M [3]
- NASA SimLabs III Contract: Team member under Metis Flight Research Associates, LLC, with a $62.8M ceiling over five years [5]
The company's research portfolio has expanded significantly through the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program, focusing on three key areas:
- Big Data Analytics integration with NASA's Digital Services Platform
- Collective Inference Data Analytics System (CIDAS-P)
- Explainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI) applications [4]
- Go-Around Prediction Service (GAPS)
- NAS Element Closure Planner (NECP)
- Low-altitude weather impact assessment tools (LAWHAR) [1]
- Urban Air Mobility Noise Integration Tool (UNIT)
- Infrastructure and operations planning systems [1]
- Systems Engineering
- Software Development
- Aerospace Engineering
- Graphics Programming
- Simulator Hardware/Mechanical Systems
- Safety and Mission Assurance
- Configuration Management [5]
The company achieved a significant milestone in June 2020 with the award of two NASA SBIR Phase 1 projects [2], further solidifying its position as an innovative leader in aviation research and development. ATAC continues to serve major federal agencies including the FAA, NASA, and Department of Defense, maintaining its founding principles of professional freedom and minimal bureaucracy while advancing aviation technology solutions [3].