![]() "In a lot of cases the service bulletins from the OEMs will be more expensive than an STC, but in a lot of cases, you’ll need the OEM involvement no matter what. For example, operators of Airbus and Boeing passenger jets have the option of using either Service Bulletins (SB) from the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) - which can be more costly - or obtaining a Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) for the solution that they feel will best help them comply with the mandate. 5, 2015 deadline, according to Greg Francois, decision makers have a few options open to them when looking to comply with the NATS FANS equipage mandate. While American is ready for the looming Feb. It’s the way of the future and will benefit both flight crews and controllers," said Brian Will, director of airspace optimization and aircraft technical at American Airlines. CPDLC is significantly better than HF voice communications, especially when paired with satcom voice capability. Those aircraft are FANS equipped, so we have CPDLC, which is both beneficial and safe, when we’re en route and out of VHF radio range with air traffic control. "On our wide body international fleet we use data communications. ![]() The FANS equipage enabled them to begin using Controller-Pilot Datalink Communications (CPDLC) over the oceanic airspace. FANS was facilitated by new communications methodology enabled primarily by satcom, which basically allow aircraft to be in touch with ATC via satcom and to be in touch with each other via ADS-C."Īmerican Airlines provides a great example of a carrier that uses the NATS region extensively and recently completed a mid-life avionics retrofit program on its 757 and 767 fleets that included the installation of Multi-Mode Receivers (MMR), Communication Management Units (CMU), VHF Data Radios (VDR), Flat Panel Cockpit Display Systems, Multipurpose Control Display Units (MCDU), and upgrades to the Flight Management Computers (FMC). "The way that was managed was by big separation. The only communication that airplanes used to have was VHF, which has a range of plus or minus 100 miles," said Hollington. "The genesis of FANS was that in the bad old days, when aircraft were flying over the Atlantic or any large oceanic body of water for that matter, they were out of communication with each other and with ATCs. These have been circumvented by adding satcom to the aircraft for both voice and data. The issues for long-range communications, however, are poor voice quality and difficulty in sending datalink messages, which in some cases lead to unknowns in aircraft position, etc. By examining all of the requirements for the mandates in the airspace they fly in, operators can ensure that they're equipping their aircraft at a rate that will enable them to either simply comply or continue to use their aircraft for different mission profiles over the next 10 to 15 years.īefore satellite communications (satcom), Very High Frequency (VHF) was the only mean for long-range communications available, which is still used today. Among those mandates, Future Air Navigation System (FANS) 1/A, Controller-Pilot Data-Link Communications (CPDLC) and Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) Out are the three most prevalent in the near term. Modernization from Airspace Navigation Service Providers (ANSP) such as the FAA and EASA, has brought about mandates for avionics equipage by airspace users. ![]() ![]() These advances have the ability to interact directly with aircraft Flight Management Systems (FMS) and flight crews with data link digital communications. Civil aviation authorities are starting deployment of next generation air traffic computer technology in the form of the NextGen project in the United States and the Single European Sky in Europe.
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