ADS-B Joins WAM Systems To Improve Safety, Particularly In
Radar-Blind Areas
Although Alaska was one of the
first places where ADS-B technology was tested, it's finally become
SOP. Air traffic controllers in the Alaska region are now
officially using Next Generation Air Transportation System
(NextGen) technology to improve safety and efficiency in
Alaska’s rugged terrain.
“NextGen technology is already helping make aviation safer
and more efficient,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray
LaHood. “This innovation is transforming air transportation
and every traveler is going to see the benefits.”
ADS-B provides benefits to both pilots and air traffic
controllers. Pilots flying aircraft equipped with ADS-B know
precisely where they are and are able to see other aircraft. ADS-B
gives pilots a greater situational awareness when they are near bad
weather and also allows them to receive updated flight information
including Notices to Airmen and Temporary Flight Restrictions. Air
traffic controllers use ADS-B to keep aircraft safely separated in
the sky and on the runways.
“Air travel is the primary means of transportation in
Alaska so it’s critical to make sure flying is as safe as
possible,” said FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt. “While
the landscape in Alaska is absolutely beautiful, its terrain can be
challenging and ADS-B is making a real difference.”
Alaska was the initial test site for ADS-B under a pilot project
called Capstone from 1999-2006. Through the Capstone project, the
FAA equipped hundreds of general aviation aircraft in Southeast
Alaska with ADS-B avionics and installed ground-based
infrastructure. Pilots were able to see on their displays where
they were in relation to bad weather and terrain and the fatal
accident rate was cut nearly in half for equipped aircraft. The
success of the Capstone project led to the FAA’s decision in
2005 to deploy ADS-B nationwide.
Controllers at both the Anchorage
Air Route Traffic Control Center and at the Juneau Air Traffic
Control Tower begas relying on ADS-B last week, which is critical
in Juneau because, like in the Gulf of Mexico, there is no radar
coverage. Radar transmissions cannot pass through the mountains in
Juneau, making it one of the nation’s most difficult airport
approaches.
Another surveillance system in Juneau that began operating in
January is the Wide Area Multilateration (WAM) system. WAM is a
ground-based system of small sensors that receive aircraft
transponder signals and triangulate them to determine precise
locations. WAM provides surveillance for the Juneau area for
aircraft not yet equipped with ADS-B. The only other area with WAM
is Colorado where the system provides surveillance for mountainous
destinations.
Alaska is one of four key sites that the FAA selected to test
and demonstrate ADS-B services. The other sites include Houston and
the Gulf of Mexico, Louisville, KY and Philadelphia. Each key site
offers a different airspace environment.
The NextGen plan calls for nationwide deployment of ADS-B by
2013.