Press Conference Prompts FAA Action
The Alaska Aviation
Coordination Council announced Friday that the FAA has agreed to
put Capstone ADS-B (Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast)
from aircraft flying in the Bethel region back on air traffic
controller's screens starting June 15.
"We applaud them (FAA) for what they have done, and we look
forward to getting this necessary service fully restored," said
Felix Maguire, spokesperson for a coalition made up of several
Alaska aviation groups.
The FAA also issued a press release to Alaska media announcing
that it plans to put the ADS-B images back on air traffic
controller's screens at the Anchorage Center on June 15 and will
turn on service to the Dillingham area Ground Based Transceivers
use to receive and transmit ADS-B data.
The FAA issued the following statement:
On June 15, the FAA will resume air traffic control
separation and advisory services by Anchorage ARTCC using ADS-B
information in the Bethel, Aniak, and St. Mary's areas. ADS-B
targets will be separated by a minimum of 5 NM. Non-Radar
separation will be applied between an ADS-B target and a radar
target.
On July 15, the FAA will begin an operational validation of
a minimum separation standard between an ADS-B target and a radar
target (known as mixed environment) in the Bethel, Aniak, and St.
Mary's areas.
On or about August 15, the FAA plans to expand the
operational validation of mixed environment to the Dillingham and
King Salmon areas.
There was no information about service to Southeast Alaska, or
future plans to install the informational and situational service
statewide. FAA officials did not return calls from an ANN
correspondent.
As Aero-News reported, the
FAA turned off all ADS-B services in Alaska on March 24, but three
days later restored all but the air traffic portion of the
"bundled" technology services that offer pilots situational
awareness.
Air traffic officials indicated that a report that documented
ghosting images of transponder and ADS-B equipped aircraft in the
same airspace created concerns by controllers over separation and
technical glitches was responsible for the service being shut down
in March.
The statements came after the coalition -- commonly known
as the industry working group, which is made up of the Alaska
Airmen's Association, Alaska Air Carrier's Association, Alaskan
Aviation Safety Foundation, Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association,
and the Seaplane Pilots Association -- called for a press
conference about FAA safety issues related to ADS-B on June
2nd.
According to Maguire, officials "high-up" in the FAA called them
on June 1 to inform them of the news that ADS-B air traffic service
would be restored.
FAA officials did not attend the press conference on June 2 in
Anchorage.
The coalition has worked with the FAA, and specifically the
Capstone Program, to reduce accidents by more than 47 percent
according to a MITRE, UAA, and Embry-Riddle study.