FAA Estimates Complete Coverage In 2013
The FAA has given the green light for full-scale, nationwide
deployment of ADS-B following its successful roll-out at four key
sites, the agency announced Friday. The commissioning of the system
means that air traffic controllers are now able to use the new
technology to separate aircraft in areas with ADS-B coverage.
Controller screens in those areas will show aircraft tracked by
radar as well as aircraft equipped with ADS-B avionics, which
broadcast their positions.
The new system tracks aircraft with greater accuracy, integrity
and reliability than the current radar-based system. ADS-B targets
on controller screens update more frequently than radar and show
information including aircraft type, call sign, heading, altitude
and speed.
The commissioning follows the successful deployment of ADS-B in
Alaska, the Gulf of Mexico, Louisville and Philadelphia. Those
sites were chosen because they provided target-rich environments
for operational testing or presented different challenges
reflecting the complexity of the nation’s airspace. This
approach ensured that ADS-B was tested in the most extreme
environments, allowing the agency to uncover and resolve any
anomalies before the commissioning.
Nationwide ADS-B coverage will be complete in 2013. Every part
of the country now covered by radar will have ADS-B coverage. More
than 300 of the approximate 800 ADS-B ground stations that will
comprise the entire network have already been installed.
By 2020, aircraft flying in controlled airspace in the U.S. must
be equipped with ADS-B avionics that broadcast their position. The
FAA is also using ADS-B technology to provide free weather and
traffic information to operators who choose to equip their aircraft
with avionics capable of receiving this data. This will allow
pilots to view cockpit displays showing where they are in relation
to other aircraft, bad weather and terrain. They will also receive
flight information such as temporary flight restrictions to help
them plan safe, more efficient routes.
The FAA also commissioned a surveillance system specifically
designed to improve safety in remote, mountainous regions. That
system, called Wide-Area Multilateration (WAM), improves safety,
efficiency and capacity by allowing controllers to see aircraft not
tracked by radar due to rugged terrain. WAM, which is being used in
Colorado and Alaska, provides surveillance through a network of
small sensors deployed in remote areas.
WAM will serve as a backup to ADS-B in the event of a GPS outage
in high value airspace. It will also serve as an additional source
for traffic broadcasts to aircraft equipped with proper
avionics.