ADS broadcast will provide improved situational awareness and airspace capacity

Citation

(2008), "ADS broadcast will provide improved situational awareness and airspace capacity", Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, Vol. 80 No. 2. https://doi.org/10.1108/aeat.2008.12780bab.011

ADS broadcast will provide improved situational awareness and airspace capacity

Article Type: Safety topic and notes From: Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology: An International Journal, Volume 80, Issue 2.

Sensis Corporation has been selected by the Air Traffic Management Bureau (ATMB) of the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) to deploy Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast (ADS-B) at Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport and Jiuzhai Huanglong Airport, both located in central China. This is the country's first formal trial of 1090 ADS-B for use by commercial aircraft in preparation for future nation- wide ADS-B deployment. ADS-B will allow aircraft in this region to broadcast real-time reports indicating identification and position to both air traffic controllers and other aircraft, improving situational awareness.

Sensis has partnered with Aviation Data Communication Corporation (ADCC) to trial this next generation surveillance technology and to develop the implementation path for a future nation- wide rollout.

At 11,311ft, Jiuzhai Airport is one of the highest tableland airports in the world and is surrounded by mountains that can limit pilots' ability to see and avoid other aircraft. At Jiuzhai, ADS-B will provide an improved view of air traffic as well as important flight parameters to enhance conflict avoidance capability. Chengdu Airport is an important aviation hub and distribution center of passengers and cargo for the southwest region. At Chengdu, ADS-B will assist with the high volume of air traffic by enabling aircraft to transmit their location and identification data to other aircraft and air traffic controllers, allowing for enhanced capacity, safety and efficiency.

ATMB is a Subordinate functional organisation of the CAAC, providing nation-wide air traffic service, civil aviation aeronautical communication, navigation, surveillance, aeronautical meteorological and aeronautical information. The current management system is composed of three levels: CAAC/ATMB, regional ATMB and air traffic control centers. Area control, approach control and aerodrome control have basically formed the air traffic service operation system, with staff of over 12,000 currently.

Sensis has also announced that it will integrate with the Park Air Systems Advanced Surface Movement Guidance and Control System its multilateration surveillance system, Multistatic Dependent Surveillance (MDS), for ground surveillance at Dubai World Central International Airport (Dubai World Central). Under construction South of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, Dubai World Central will be the world's largest passenger and cargo hub with an annual capacity of over 12 million tons of cargo and in excess of 120 million passengers. With one proven, uniform architecture, Sensis MDS will provide high-accuracy multilateration surveillance as well as the ability for future transition to ADS-B.

Dubai World Central is planned to have six parallel runways three on each side of a centrally located passenger complex. Additionally, each runway will have extended paved pathways on either side which will allow aircraft to by-pass other runways and taxiways without disturbing aircraft movements. Initially, Sensis MDS will be deployed to cover the first runway and taxi areas as well as the apron and stand areas.

Sensis MDS, a transponder multilateration surveillance system, which claims to provide precision equal to or better than traditional airport surveillance radar as well as higher update rates. Additionally, it provides consistent surveillance performance regardless of weather conditions.

“Multilateration is a flexible solution that can easily grow as an airport grows, making it an ideal solution for Dubai World Central,” said Tony LoBrutto, Vice President and General Manager of Sensis Air Traffic Systems. “The low cost, non-rotating sensors are a proven solution for surface, wide area and even en-route surveillance. And the ability to support ADS-B ensures that this investment will support the airport's future needs.”

Sensis also reports that Airservices Australia has selected the company to provide its Wide Area Multilateration (WAM) for terminal airspace surveillance and precision approach monitoring at Sydney Airport. Sensis WAM will provide air traffic controllers with highly accurate, reliable terminal airspace and precision approach surveillance, supporting operational growth at Australia's busiest airport.

Sensis WAM will provide seamless surveillance of Mode A/C, Mode S and ADS-B equipped aircraft to support the delivery of air traffic services in the Sydney Terminal Maneuvering Area. It will also replace the existing E-Scan Precision Runway Monitor.

Sensis WAM which leverages Sensis' multilateration surveillance technology, MDS uses multiple sensors to triangulate aircraft positions based on transponder signals and provides a one-second update rate. With the system, controllers receive highly accurate aircraft position and identification information. In addition to the enhanced accuracy and high- update required for the parallel runway approach paths, the Sensis WAM system will provide 3608 surveillance out to 60 nautical miles of the airport.

Sydney Airport's conventional radar has ever increasing coverage limitations caused by obstructions from commercial development activities around the airport and the adjacent Port Botany container terminal. The new Sensis system, with its enhanced coverage, will assist with resolving those problems for the Secondary Surveillance Radar part of the system.