Air traffic control (ATC) by datalink may become the norm in Europe without the need of the spur of a mandatory implementation date, Eurocontrol says.
Alex Wandels, Eurocontrol's Link 2000+ programme manager, says 2010 has been put forward for a possible mandate, but he believes that Eurocontrol-backed incentive schemes may persuade a critical mass of upper airspace users to convert to VHF datalink mode 2 (VDL2) equipment from today's ACARS (airborne communications and reporting system).
The incentives come in two stages. Starting now, Lufthansa is leading a number of operators, including Austrian Airlines, Iberia, KLM, Scandinavian Airlines and Falcon Jet Services that are set to become "pioneer" carriers, with Eurocontrol's Link 2000+ programme covering VDL2 re-equipment costs for the first 100 airframes in the scheme.
Then, says Wandels, a route-charges reduction-rate scheme for equipped aircraft "is a serious candidate" among other incentive schemes under consideration. "I have high hopes for the incentivisation programme," Wandels told the 18-19 December Link 2000+ workshop at Eurocontrol, Brussels. "Almost all the elements are there to enable implementation." A technical means of including FANS datalink-equipped long-haul aircraft has not, however, been assured yet, he said.
Head of UK-based Helios Information Systems Tony Whyman says that the incentives are crucial, because airlines and air traffic service providers, especially corporatised ones and at such a difficult financial time, have to make a business case for re-equipment, and there is no benefit in the early stages. "It's like being the first person to have a telephone," he says.
Eurocontrol director-general Victor Aguado also pointed out at the workshop that datalinking would provide a 75% workload reduction for controllers, which would equate to 11% extra air traffic management (ATM) capacity.
There are also "negative factors" providing incentives also, says Wandels, explaining that at busy airports the airlines' ACARS often "loses" operations or management messages because of overloading, whereas VDL2's wider bandwidth provides more capacity.
By 2007 Eurocontrol intends that departure clearance, transferring flights between sectors, receiving or requesting clearances en route, and microphone-stuck messages should be passed normally by datalink, whether using ACARS or VDL2. If there is a mandate to equip with VDL2, whether in 2010 or later, Wandels says it will probably start by applying to new-build aircraft only.
The leading air traffic control centres (ATCC) for datalink implementation, in addition to Maastricht, are expected to be Karlsruhe, Germany; Reims, France; and the Scottish ATCC. The UK's National Air Traffic Services new ATCC at Swanwick is not on the list despite being a neighbour to Maastricht.
The US Federal Aviation Administration is pursuing a parallel controller-pilot datalink communications (CPDLC) scheme using VDL2, but will not talk about making it compulsory. Wandels says it is essential that a US/ European interoperability team ensures that the existing harmonised US and European practices do not drift apart.
At present, the few US airlines using datalink receive initial contact or handover, altimeter setting and menu text via the link. There is no incentive scheme, but Arinc, the communications service provider, says that it is providing free CPDLC messaging until January 2004.
Source: Flight International
