Capstone to Go National

FAA said it will integrate the Alaskan Capstone project into the national
Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) program, to better
focus national deployment of the satellite-based surveillance system. Operating for more than six years, Capstone has deployed ADS-B to provide
radar-like surveillance for pilots flying in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta in
western Alaska and the southeast part of the state, where radar cannot be
deployed. The Alaska deployment resulted in a reduction in the accident
rate and provided valuable data that has paved the way for the national
program, FAA said. The agency plans to deploy ADS-B nationally by 2013.
Capstone employees will continue to work for FAA in comparable positions. FAA said it hopes to formalize an agreement with the Alaska Capstone Coalition, consisting of aviation groups, and state representatives under a memorandum of agreement. ADS-B infrastructure deployment in Alaska will be included in the national program design, allowing FAA to take advantage of synergies to accelerate deployment. More