Crossair and KLM are considering joining Europe's pioneering operational data link trial, the Preliminary Eurocontrol Test of Air-Ground Data Link (PETAL II), in the third and final phase of the programme next year. The possibility of new participants comes as data link traffic in the trials rapidly rises.
PETAL II is the Eurocontrol-led three phase validation of air-ground data links in an operational air traffic control environment. It involves air traffic controllers at Europe's Maastricht centre and aircraft crew communicating by digital data link backed up by traditional voice messages. PETAL results will contribute to Europe's Link 2000+ plan which will outline the implementation of data link across the continent. PETAL II has been ongoing since April 1998, with phases one and two, involving the North European ADS-B Network (NEAN) VHF datalink-4 infrastructure and the satellite communication-based future air navigation system (FANS-1/A), continuing.
Operational trials using the ATN infrastructure are to begin next May with American Airlines Boeing 767-300ERs fitted with Rockwell Collins avionics, to be followed by Northwest Airlines and Swissair operating Honeywell- equipped Boeing 747-400s and Airbus A320s, respectively.
Crossair is investigating the technical feasibility of joining the programme, while KLM is completing an internal review of participating with Boeing 737s, says Eurocontrol. ATN infrastructure ground tests are ongoing, with flight trials using a BAC One-Eleven to start next month.
Meanwhile, Air Canada has become the latest airline to join the FANS-1/A phase with 747-400s and Airbus A340s. "The pace has definitely increased, we are really pushing forward," says Eurocontrol. In May, for example, the number of aircraft logging-on to Maastricht reached a record 507 - 32% up on April - with 393 of these conducting controller-pilot data link communications - a 38% rise on the previous month.
Source: Flight International
