Emma Kelly/LONDON
The European Commission (EC) has awarded an Airsys ATM-led consortium a contract to continue a datalink evaluation programme which is ultimately aimed at increasing airspace capacity and safety, reducing air traffic controller workload and improving air traffic flow planning.
The EC is contributing €2 million ($1.9 million) to the second stage of the consortium's Datalinking of Aircraft-Derived Information (DADI).
The remaining €2 million for the project will come from the consortium, which in addition to Airsys ATM includes Sofreavia, France's air navigation department DNA, the UK's DERA, British Airways, Kongsberg Defence and Aerospace of Norway and the Netherland's National Aerospace Laboratory (NLR).
DADI-1, completed late last year, evaluated ways in which data from aircraft can be acquired and used in air traffic management (ATM) computers. DADI-2 will evaluate the near and medium-term use of aircraft data in ground air traffic control (ATC) systems.
"Phase one looked at the applications rather than the datalink technologies and proved that the network can be used. Phase two will build on that infrastructure that has been developed," says René Esser, project co-ordinator at Airsys ATM.
DADI-2 will focus on the provision of datalink aircraft parameters (DAP) to the air traffic controller in core European en route airspace, with trials conducted in French airspace and the development of an enhanced arrival manager which is designed to improve automation support capability.
Five BA short- and medium-haul Mode S-equipped aircraft will participate in the project from late 2001/early 2002, says Esser. In addition, NLR's Cessna Citation research aircraft will participate, with the possible involvement of DERA's BAC One-Eleven research aircraft.
Helicopters already operating in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea equipped for modified-automatic dependent surveillance (M-ADS) will also be used to provide DAPs in offshore uncontrolled airspace.
The project will evaluate a range of communication links, including Mode-S, airborne communications addressing and reporting system, the aeronautical telecommunication network (ATN) and VHF datalink mode-4. Before the launch of flight trials, the French ATC system needs to be connected to the pre-operational European Mode-S, ATN and Mode S networks, says Esser.
DADI-2 is complementary to other European projects, including the Preliminary Eurocontrol Test of Air/Ground Data Link programme, says Esser.
Source: Flight International
