ARINC has been chosen by Europe’s aviation authority to
introduce the next generation of digital air traffic control
communications in Europe—CPDLC, or controller-pilot data link
communications. EUROCONTROL has named ARINC to be the datalink
service provider for its busy Maastricht Upper Air Center (UAC), as
part of its LINK 2000+ program.
ARINC says it will deploy a network of 12 VHF Digital Link (VDL)
Mode 2 ground stations this year to support CPDLC communications
above flight level 245 in the skies over Belgium, the Netherlands,
Luxembourg, and northern Germany —- some of Europe’s
busiest airspace. When the system goes operational in October, the
Maastricht air traffic controllers will be the first in Europe to
have the benefit of CPDLC—an easier,