Airservices Australia use of DAPS

SUMMARY:
At the ICAO Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast Seminar and the 14th Meeting of ADS-B Study and Implementation Task force in Christchurch, New Zealand, April 14-17, Airservices Australia presented a paper on its plan to utilize Mode S Downlink of Aircraft Parameters, or DAPS.

MAJOR HIGHLIGHTS: 
Airservices Australia uses or plans to use DAPS as follows, in the medium term:

  • Currently uses Flight ID from WAM, and ADS-B to support matching of flight plans with surveillance tracks. Use of Flight ID from radar is currently disabled (Flight ID is not transmitted to the ATM System) due to processing limitations of the ATM system. 
     
  • Is introducing ATC automation capability (expected in 2016) to generate a controller alert when the selected level (MCP/FCU) is different to the ATC cleared level. This will allow ATC to detect some level busts before they occur.
     
  • Australia is expected to commission a new nationwide ATC system in 2018 called CMATS. This is a joint civil-military ATC system. The system will support the display of DAPS to ATC allowing, for example, display of IAS and airspeed.
     
  • The Australian Bureau of Metrology is expecting to use DAPS in support of wind measurement and wind modeling.  

AEA COMMENTARY:

The ICAO agenda containing the Airservices Australia paper on DAPS utilization and what it means to the operators and industry can be found on the AEA's NextGen website at the Industry and Government ADS-B Resources section. Click here to view.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Contact Ric Peri, AEA vice president of government and industry affairs, by email at ricp@aea.net or by phone at 202-589-1144.

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