FAA plans flexible communications
The FAA wants its next generation of voice communications flexible enough to meet future digital needs and make efficient use of scarce radio spectrum
The Federal Aviation Administration plans to make its next generation of
voice communications between pilots and air traffic controllers flexible
enough to meet future digital needs and make efficient use of scarce radio
spectrum.
"As long as we always rely on voice — and we always will — we will need
spectrum," said Steve Zaidman, FAA associate administrator for research
and acquisition. Zaidman spoke at an RTCA Inc. symposium on air traffic
control modernization Wednesday in Vienna, Va.
In some regions of the country, air traffic controllers already have trouble
finding frequencies that meet air traffic control requirements, he said.
The FAA is designing its next generation communications (Nexcom) system,
which could be implemented by 2009, in response to the ever-increasing demand
for radio spectrum.
The FAA's current system of air/ground communications is the most fundamental
element of the National Airspace System for air traffic control. The FAA
uses VHF and UHF radio links to control movements at the airport, the arrival
and departure of aircraft at the terminal, and while in flight.
The demand for new air traffic control frequency assignments is expected
to grow about 3 percent per year for more than 20 years, said Marc Narkus-Kramer,
a team leader from the Center for Advanced Aviation System Development,
a federally funded research and development corporation that is operated
by The Mitre Corp.
The FAA issued a solicitation last week for the Nexcom radio, which will
use VHF Digital Link Mode 3. VDL-3 will provide multiple channels to operate
on one 25 KHz frequency assignment and will accommodate both voice and data.
It will also have the flexibility to determine how the channel resources
are applied for voice and data. An award for the radio is expected in July
2001.
FAA hopes to select a final Nexcom system developer by March 2005.
The cost of maintaining the old system is too high so it must be replaced,
Zaidman said. FAA also wants to be a leader in using digital data link,
he said.
"If we really want Free Flight, we think that it has to be digital communications
dedicated to this purpose," he said. "We know we have to make our case."
Here are some of the benefits FAA plans with Nexcom:
* Provide for spectrum relief to meet the demands for more air/ground communications.
* Lower the logistics cost of maintaining the air/ground system.
* Make a data link capability available to all classes of users.
* Reduce air/ground radio frequency interference.
* Improve systems security.
* Permit more channel control.
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