Warning System Provides Flight Crews With Air-To-Ground
Incursion Coverage
Honeywell International
and Sensis Corporation, in coordination with the FAA, recently
demonstrated a technology that can detect and communicate potential
runway incursions directly to an aircraft cockpit, alerting the
flight crew of a potential incident and addressing a concern that
has been on the NTSB's most wanted list since 1990.
The cockpit advisory technology sends potential ground, arrival
or departure conflicts directly to pilots as an audible alert using
a Mode-S data link and an existing modified TCAS unit in the
aircraft. The audible alert in the cockpit is generated by Sensis'
Airport Surface Detection Equipment Model X (ASDE-X) Safety Logic,
and is provided to pilots at the same time that ASDE- X transmits
the information to air traffic controllers. The runway incursion
cockpit advisory technology uses existing ground and avionics
systems, limiting the likely equipment changes to only software
modifications.
Currently, surveillance detection equipment notifies air traffic
controllers of potential incursions and then controllers must relay
the information to pilots via voice, resulting in less than optimal
response time.
"The cockpit advisory will ensure that pilots are aware of
possible conflicts with the safe operation of their aircraft in the
airport vicinity much quicker than current procedures and
technology allows," said Rick Berckefeldt, Honeywell Product
Marketing Manager for Safety and Surveillance Systems. "Only the
pilots that may be involved in a potential conflict receive the
audible cockpit warning, and advisories are only provided if a
potential conflict is detected," Berckefeldt said. "With the
audible alerts, no heads down time is required for the pilots
during critical approach, taxi and departure phases, helping to
ensure a safe flight."
Through the use of ASDE-X -- which fuses multilateration,
primary radar and Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast
(ADS-B) reports -- controller situational awareness is increased
with the frequent update of positions of all planes in the vicinity
of the airport and on the surface. Leveraging this rich data,
ASDE-X Safety Logic provides detection of potential and actual
runway incursions and simultaneously transmits alerts to
controllers and the pilots of the potentially affected
aircraft.
"The functionality and
performance of this demonstration -- which leverages currently
deployed systems -- proves that the technology exists to help
address runway incursions," said Tony Lo Brutto, Vice President and
General Manager of Sensis Air Traffic Systems. "With the adoption
of an open standard, FAA commitment for signal in space, test and
certification, and approved procedures, this capability can be made
available at the 35 high traffic density airports where ASDE-X is
currently being installed, as well as future installations."
The runway incursion cockpit advisory technology is being
demonstrated August 27-29 at the FAA Interim Contractor Depot Level
Support facility at Syracuse Hancock International Airport,
leveraging an ASDE-X test system and Honeywell test aircraft. The
FAA is in the process of installing 35 ASDE-X systems at some of
the busiest airports across the country.
Currently, nine are operational... and as ANN recently reported,
systems at Chicago O'Hare International Airport and Charlotte
Douglas International Airport are scheduled to be operational in
September.
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