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AUTOMATIC DEPENDENT SURVEILLANCE BROADCAST (ADS-B) - SURVEILLANCE DEVELOPMENT FOR AIR TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT

Automatic
Dependent Surveillance
Broadcast (ADS-B)
Surveillance development
for Air Trafc Management
As air traffic is predicted to increase steadily over
the coming years, there is a clear need to ensure
that standards of safety and efficiency are
maintained, or even enhanced. This is recognized
by the Single European Sky programme in Europe
(SESAR) and the NextGen programme in the
U.S.A. (read FAST article - Demonstrating the
green trajectory), the two major bodies driving the
Air Traffic Management (ATM) development
over the coming years.
Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast

(ADS-B) is all about communications between

aircraft, and also between aircraft and ground.
Both are vital in ensuring safe flights and
efficiency in terms of fuel use, time and
emissions. ADS-B is an integral part of the
planned efficiency drive towards 2020.
Taking advantage of the latest technology, ADS-B
is designed to be retrofit on aircraft flying today.
Here, we will look at aspects associated with the
retrofit and take a look at the developments that
are planned for the future.

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Christine VIGIER
Design Management Avionics
Airbus Upgrade Services

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ADS-B summary
In its final form, ADS-B is
designed to ease Air Traffic
Control (ATC) as the number of
approaches grows, enhancing safety and increasing airport capacity.
In the air, the information provided
by ADS-B enhances the pilots' traffic awareness, allowing more optimal flight levels leading to fuel
savings.
ADS-B is considered in two parts
as described:
ADS-B OUT provides a means
of automated aircraft parameter
transmission between the aircraft
and the ATC.
ADS-B IN provides automated
aircraft parameter transmission
between aircraft themselves.

glossary
ADC: Air Data Computer
ADIRS: Air Data/Inertial Reference
System
ATC: Air Traffic Control
ATSAW: Air Traffic Situational Awareness
DMC: Display Management Computer
EHS: Enhanced Surveillance
EIS: Electronic Instrument System
FCOM: Flight Crew Operating Manual
FM: Flight Manual
FMS: Flight Management System
FWC: Flight Warning Computer
GPS: Global Positioning System

HFDR: High Frequency Data Radio

IRS: Inertial Reference System
MCDU: Multi-purpose Control Display
Unit
MMR: Multi-Mode Receiver
NRA: Non-Radar Airspace
OANC: On-board Airport Navigation
Computer
OANS: On-board Airport Navigation
System
OMS: On-board Maintenance System
SATCOM: Satellite Communication
SPI: Special Position Identification

First steps involved in

ADS-B
Figure 1

ADS-B
ADS-B

Step 1: ADS-B OUT

Aircraft information
broadcasted for ground use
ADS-B

Air Traffic Control

ADS-B
receiver
Step 2: ADS-B IN (ATSAW)

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Display of other aircraft ADS-B

info in the cockpit

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ADS-B OUT

STEP 1: ADS-B OUT

STEP 2: ADS-B IN (ATSAW)

ADS-B
OUT
automatically
transmits aircraft parameters from
the aircraft to the ATC on ground.
There is no need for the pilots
action and it conforms to EASA
regulations on ADS-B OUT, for
Non-Radar Airspace
(NRA)
operations. The capability must be
declared in the FCOM and the FM
shall be updated (see figure 2).

The Airbus approach to ADS-B IN

is named the Air Traffic Situational
Awareness (ATSAW) which
enables the reception of ADS-B
information from other aircraft in
the vicinity. As for the ADS-B
OUT, the capability must also be
declared in the FCOM and the FM
updated (figure 4).

Figure 2
DO-260

DO-260B

ATC transponder enhanced

capable

Equipment required

MMR (with GPS capability)

Wiring provision EHS

Availability date

Now

Example on MCDU
Figure 3

In this example, the MCDU

(Multi-purpose Control and
Display Unit) shows the
identity and the relative
horizontal position of three
aircraft. The pilot can see
immediately that a flight
level change to FL370 is not
possible until 1412Z time,
as computed by the TCAS
(Traffic alert and Collision
Avoidance System).

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A different flight level

can be requested as
clearly indicated, taking
into account the
surrounding aircraft
positions, trajectories
and speeds.

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ADS-B OUT DO-260B

FWC
As per mandate
(refer to figure 10)

ATSAW is splited in two steps:

- Step 2A: ATSAW operation in
flight
- Step 2B: ATSAW operation on
ground
STEP 2A: ATSAW OPERATION IN FLIGHT

a) ATSAW
Improves cooperation with ATC
(better understanding of ATC
instructions),
Improves the detection of
opportunities for flight level
changes in standard separation
for reduced fuel savings and a
reduction of CO2 emissions,
Improved efficiency on
approach,
Enhances identification and
information on target aircraft,
Increases runway capacity.
b) ATSAW with ITP (In Trail
Procedures) today defined on
the North Atlantic ocean
(see figure 3):
Enables more frequent altitude
changes by temporarily reducing
standard separation,
Enables flying at the optimum
flight level,
Provides significant fuel savings.
STEP 2B: ATSAW ON THE GROUND

Enhanced situational awareness

during surface operations.

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NEXT STEPS

ADS-B IN (ATSAW)

STEP 3: SEQUENCING AND MERGING

Step 2A

Step 2B

ATC transponder EHS

MMR (with GPS
capability)
Equipment required

EIS2
Wiring provision
EHS traffic selector
FWC standard

Availability date

Early 2011

How does ADS-B

work?

As for Step 2A
+ OANC

2013 TBC

Example on Navigation
Display and MCDU

ADS-B OUT

Figure 5

It uses ATC transponders to transmit

aircraft information to the ground,
using the Mode S 1090 MHz
Extended Squitter with a refresh
rate of 0.5 seconds.

Figure 6

The Navigation
Display (ND)
shows the aircraft
orientation and
relative
information from
aircraft in the
vicinity.

Figure 7

Aircraft identification
Relative
altitude/
Absolute
altitude

Absolute
bearing/
2D distance

Additional information shown on the MCDU.

Heading/
Tracking

Ground
speed

Wake vortex
category

Vertical
velocity

The Pilot elects to see more information on

AFR6512 by the menu selection.
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The objective of the future step

is to enable the flight crews to
achieve and maintain automatically a given spacing with designated aircraft.
The two principle maneuvers
are 'remain behind' and 'merge
behind'.
The operational benefit will be
the enhanced traffic regularity
during the approach to airports
with heavy traff ic allowing
increased airport capacity.

Figure 4

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ADS-B IN

On aircraft, it is the TCAS computer

that receives and treats the ADS-B
information coming from ATC
transponders of surrounding aircraft.
The information is then displayed
on the Navigation Display (ND)
and the MCDU (see figures 5, 6 & 7).
When ATSAW is activated and if
the ADS-B information is available
from aircraft in the vicinity, the
following information is available
for each pilot:
Aircraft identification
Absolute bearing/2D distance
Heading/Tracking
Wake vortex category
Relative altitude/Absolute
altitude
Ground speed
Vertical velocity

DAL 024
15 H

Figure 8

The ND indicates
the position and
trajectory of other
aircraft on
taxiways

Architecture for
ADS-B OUT and for ADS-B IN
Figure 9

Control
panel

Aircraft
architecture
required for
ADS-B OUT
ADS-B OUT NEEDS

ATC transponders at minimum

DO-260 standard.
Additional wiring associated
with peripheral equipment,
MMR in hybrid architecture
with GPS capability.
CURRENT FLEET STATUS

Aircraft currently flying in Europe

are generally well equipped for
the transition to ADS-B OUT as
the prerequisite ATC transponders
Mode S (DO-260) are already
required to meet the former
enhanced surveillance mandate.
Aircraft greater than five years of
age and operating outside of
Europe are more likely to need a
new transponder in order to
achieve ADS-B capability.

ADS-B IN

OANC

STEP 2A
FMS

MMR

Flight ID source

ATC
Transponders

FWC

TCAS capable
Additional wiring
Traffic selector in cockpit
EIS2 capable

ADC, GPS, IRS data

ADIRS
Heading,
Pitch,
Roll,
GPS data

STEP 2B
Audio

Other aircraft
systems

Step 2A + OANC
(On-board Airport Navigation
Computer)
TCAS
Capable ATSAW

MCDU

GPS position
DMC/EIS

Traffic
selector

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For ADS-B IN only

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ADS-B IN TRIALS

To pioneer and test the new functions associated with ADS-B IN,
trials are scheduled with the
involvement of Eurocontrol and
certain airlines which will have the
ATSAW capability, some from
production and others by retrofit.
The European trials will commence in early 2011.

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Mandates
Figure 10

2010
DO-260

2017

2020
DO-260B

DO-260B

Date to be
determined with a D0-260
minimum standard

2013
DO-260

ADS-B OUT MANDATES

Current operational requirements

or mandates are already in service
and others are anticipated. The figure 10 shows areas where a mandate already exists, such as the
Hudson Bay, and also shows anticipated mandates in other regions.
The upcoming mandates in Europe
and North America require a new

standard (DO-260B) which implies

an upgrade to the FWC and connections between the MMR and the
ATC transponder. This will enable
additional benefits in terms of safety, flight efficiency and situational
awareness, thanks to the GPS data
enabling the transmission of more
accurate information on aircraft
positions and the improved latency
in broadcasts.

CONTACT DETAILS
Christine VIGIER
Design Management Avionics
Airbus Upgrade Services
Tel: +33 (0)5 67 19 02 17
Fax: +33 (0)5 62 11 08 47
[email protected]

Conclusion
ADS-B IN presents additional
opportunities for fuel and time savings,
in particular by the utilization of In Trial
Procedures for long range flights in the
oceanic airspace, maintaining safety.
ADS-B is in the early stages of a roadmap
vision up until 2020 and has been adopted
by SESAR and NextGen. Airbus Upgrade
Services will continue to develop new
solutions to ease flight operations, thus
contributing to reduce the congestion in
future Air Traffic Management.

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Whilst the initial drivers from SESAR and

NextGen are motivated by the need to
maintain and where possible enhance
safety standards, the commercial
implications for operators are not
forgotten. The benefits from the Automatic
Dependent Surveillance Broadcast (ADSB) are not only for Air Traffic Control (ATC),
but also for the airlines, flight crew and
passengers.
ADS-B OUT eases the flight crew and ATC
workload, resulting in fuel and time
savings thanks to more efficient
approaches.

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