Data communications concept for a SATS scenario

The small aircraft transportation system (SATS) concept envisions doorstop to destination transportation in a safe and timely manner. Data communications are a key component in achieving the aviation-related operational performance improvements that are sought. However, data communication doesn't start when you get into the aircraft; it starts back at the location where the flight is planned. In fact, data communications support the pilot in all phases of the flight: flight planning, pre-flight, departure, en route, transition, approach, landing, and rollout as well as for a missed approach. The Internet is being used to perform flight planning activities, and the mobile communications available today support Internet access en route to the departure airfield. On-board the aircraft, data communications provide surveillance and air traffic control (ATC) support to the pilot. The location of other aircraft is available to the pilot and ATC system through automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) and traffic information service-broadcast (TIS-B) applications that transmit the location of other aircraft in the vicinity. Other aircraft locations are used to forecast potential conflicts and, thus, enhance flight safety. As the aircraft nears a SATS-equipped airfield, the pilot uses data link messages to request a landing sequence. The airport management module (AMM) provides a landing sequence assignment to the aircraft. As the pilot maneuvers the aircraft for a landing, he/she is using data-linked surveillance data to determine the location of other aircraft and maintain a safe separation distance between aircraft even in a low visibility environment.     

Free flight is in the future: large-scale controller pilot data link communications emulation testbed

NASA's Glenn Research Center (GRC) is responsible for the Advanced Communications for Air Traffic Management (AC/ATM) Project, a sub-element task of the Advanced Air Transportation Technologies (AATT) Project of the NASA Airspace Systems Program. The AC/ATM Project is developing new communications technologies and tools that will enable Free Flight, an operating mode in which pilots will have the freedom to select their path and speed in real-time. The goal of the AC/ATM Project is to enable a communications infrastructure providing the capacity, efficiency, and flexibility necessary to realize benefits arising from the future mature Free Flight environment. A key infrastructure element is the Aeronautical Telecommunications Network (ATN) that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is in the process of fielding.