MMM-FAA-Delay Replacement

rrslssr · Feb 2, 2024, 10:01 PM

I was disappointed to be told that the FAA added a nonexistent API key which effectively broke the MMM-FAA-Delay module: Stuck at “Loading Airport Data” #3 .

So I did a little digging and found that the FAA maintains a website that contains XML data showing currently affected airports’ status: Airport Status Information.
Today’s status are:

<AIRPORT_STATUS_INFORMATION><Update_Time>Fri Feb 2 15:22:15 2024 GMT</Update_Time><Dtd_File>http://www.fly.faa.gov/AirportStatus.dtd</Dtd_File><Delay_type><Name>Ground Delay Programs</Name><Ground_Delay_List><Ground_Delay><ARPT>SFO</ARPT><Reason>runway construction</Reason><Avg>38 minutes</Avg><Max>1 hour and 30 minutes</Max></Ground_Delay></Ground_Delay_List></Delay_type><Delay_type><Name>Airport Closures</Name><Airport_Closure_List><Airport><ARPT>GPT</ARPT><Reason>!GPT 01/213 GPT AD AP CLSD EXC ROTARY WING DLY 0545-1100 2402010545-2402031100</Reason><Start>Feb 01 at 05:45 UTC.</Start><Reopen>Feb 03 at 11:00 UTC.</Reopen></Airport></Airport_Closure_List></Delay_type><Delay_type><Name>Airport Closures</Name><Airport_Closure_List><Airport><ARPT>LAS</ARPT><Reason>!LAS 12/067 LAS AD AP CLSD TO NON SKED TRANSIENT GA ACFT EXC PPR 702-261-7775 2312132300-2403132300</Reason><Start>Dec 13 at 18:00 UTC.</Start><Reopen>Mar 13 at 19:00 UTC.</Reopen></Airport></Airport_Closure_List></Delay_type></AIRPORT_STATUS_INFORMATION>

I was also able to find a file that appears to define all of the elements used in the Airport Status Information XML data: AirportStatus.dtd.
This is a partial listing from that file:

<!-- DTD for the testfly.faa.gov XML Airport Status page, which is available at                  -->
<!-- http://testfly.faa.gov/flyfaa/xmlAirportStatus.jsp                                          -->
<!-- 2.2  12/16/13 Corrected spec for FCA_Data element (1 per CTOP) and added FCA element        -->
<!-- 2.2           FCA element quantity is 1 or more; FCA_Name added in FCA element              -->
<!-- 2.1  11/19/12 Moved the CTOP Avg to the CTOP element                                        -->
<!-- 2.0  11/12/12 Added CTOP as a Delay_type                                                    -->
<!-- 1.2  03/30/06 Lat and Long made into attributes of the Point and Center tags.               -->
<!-- 1.1  03/15/06 Added the Delay_type called Airspace_Flow_List per ETMS 8.2 AFP Requirements  -->
<!-- 1.0  06/09/03 Created                                                                       -->

<!ELEMENT AIRPORT_STATUS_INFORMATION (Update_Time, Dtd_File, Delay_type*)>
<!ELEMENT Delay_type (Name,(CTOP_List|Airport_Closure_List|Ground_Stop_List|Ground_Delay_List|Airspace_Flow_List|Arrival_Departure_Delay_List))>

I tried using the config for the default newsfeed module to see if it would accept the FAA XML data, but I see that the rss data is defined differently.

And while I’d be happy to attempt to write my own module, I fear that that would take me many, many months given my current knowledge level (…which I am actively working to increase.)

So, my request is to have someone write a replacement for the MMM-FAA-Delay module using the information I uncovered.