Graham Warwick/WASHINGTON DC
Weather graphics and other flight information could be widely datalinked to the cockpits of general aviation (GA) aircraft by year-end if a US Federal Aviation Administration initiative runs to schedule.
The FAA believes the Flight Information Services (FIS) digital datalink will improve GA safety by reducing weather-related accidents. Graphical information will be more accurate and timely than the voice reports at present provided to pilots, the agency says.
Under the FAA's initiative, industry will install the ground infrastructure and provide basic FIS products and services at no direct cost to the Government and users. "Value-added" products will be provided for a user fee. The FAA plans to select competitively one or more FIS providers, with the service to be available by year-end.
Likely bidder Arnav Systems has already fielded a network which, it says, will cover most of the USA by the end of the year. The company also produces certificated datalink receivers and displays for GA aircraft. Sales manager Bob Brooks says that the avionics will cost "under $10,000", including display.
The FAA will work with industry to secure four 25kHz channels in the 136-136.5MHz VHF spectrum, and will lead development of international standards and operational procedures for FIS products and their datalink delivery. The agency will also determine the feasibility of an electronic pilot report system - the automatic downlinking of atmospheric data to improve weather forecasting.
Source: Flight International
