ATM Modernization, Commercial

ADS-B Used For In-Trail Procedures

By Tish Drake | April 1, 2010
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Avionics manufacturers are participating in oceanic in-trail procedures (ITP) trials in the United States and Europe using automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) aircraft position reporting.

In presentations at the AEEC General Session in Phoenix this week, Honeywell and ACSS outlined separate efforts to demonstrate the optimal flight profiles and reduced separations possible with ADS-B equipped aircraft flying ITP in oceanic airspace.

Under an FAA-funded program, Honeywell is developing, integrating and certifying an ITP avionics capability for United Airlines 747-400s operating over the South Pacific. Equipage will include a traffic computer, transponder and Class 3 electronic flight bag mounted adjacent to the pilot on the aircraft’s window frame.

There will be a 12-month operational evaluation beginning in 2011, said Don Kauffman, Honeywell Aerospace senior technology manager for communications, navigation and surveillance technologies. Honeywell estimates the economic benefit of more efficient routing will fall between $200,000 and $400,000 per year, per aircraft.

ACSS, the joint venture of L-3 Communications and Thales, is participating in a Eurocontrol demonstration of ITP in the North Atlantic, planned for late this year or early 2011. Six of the 17 airlines that submitted letters of interest will be selected to participate.

Stephane Chartier, ACSS product marketing manager for ADS-B technology, said the company will certify an ITP application in the second quarter this year, that will be incorporated in its SafeRoute suite of ADS-B applications.

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