The Capstone Program was a United States government-funded aviation safety program for the state of Alaska , primarily focusing on rural areas of the state. This joint effort – between the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the Alaska Pilot's Association, commercial operators, the University of Alaska , MITRE Corporation , some avionics manufacturers and individual pilots – cut the accident rate in the eastern part of Alaska by around 40%.
80-582: The program ran from 1999 until 2006, when the FAA integrated it into the national automatic dependent surveillance – broadcast (ADS–B) program. Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area, but is one of the smallest in population. In the late 1990s, one out of every 58 people in the state was a pilot, with six airplanes for every ten pilots. With a very limited highway and railroad infrastructure, aviation emerged as an essential (and sometimes
160-669: A clear view of the other ADS–B traffic around them. When the Capstone aircraft were flown to a radar service area, such as exists in Anchorage, a capability called Traffic Information Service – Broadcast (TIS–B) depicted non-ADS–B aircraft on the MFD as well. A network of data-link ground-stations has been installed at eleven existing FAA and joint-use military facilities in the Phase 1 region, and connected via existing communications systems to
240-502: A multilink gateway service that provides ADS-B reports for 1090ES-equipped aircraft and non-ADS-B equipped radar traffic. UAT-equipped aircraft can also observe each other directly with high accuracy and minimal latency. Viable ADS-B UAT networks are being installed as part of the United States' NextGen air traffic system. In 2002 the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced a dual-link decision using
320-491: A real-world demonstration of these and other capabilities in Alaska was originally proposed for inclusion in the FAA's Flight 2000 Program. The Alaskan Region identified the following FFOEP elements and related NTSB safety improvements for limited deployment in the fiscal year 1999: The Capstone program consisted of two phases in different geographical areas of Alaska. Phase 1, which was conceived in 1998 and implemented in 1999,
400-460: A reference position nearby is needed. ADS-B enables improved safety by providing: ADS-B technology provides a more accurate report of an aircraft's position. This allows controllers to guide aircraft into and out of crowded airspace with smaller separation standards than it was previously possible to do safely. This reduces the amount of time aircraft must spend waiting for clearances, being vectored for spacing and holding. Estimates show that this
480-804: A safety problem, not only for themselves but for other transponder-only aircraft, and glider aircraft without ADS-B transponder. Glider aircraft often use the FLARM system for collision avoidance with other glider aircraft, but this system is not compatible with ADS-B. Aircraft with ADS-B but without FLARM are thus a safety risk for gliders with FLARM but without ADS-B and vice versa. Some aircraft, like those used for towing gliders, have both FLARM and ADS-B transponders for this reason. A security researcher claimed in 2012 that ADS-B has no defence against being interfered with via spoofed ADS-B messages because they were neither encrypted nor authenticated . The FAA responded to this criticism saying that they were aware of
560-429: A terrain advisory to the pilot if the aircraft was within two minutes of a close encounter with the ground. Second to CFIT accidents was mid-air collisions. Capstone sought to address this by using ADS–B technology to reduce airborne collisions. ADS–B-equipped aircraft continuously broadcast their position whether they are flying or taxiing on the airport surface. Displayed on the multifunction display, ADS–B gave pilots
640-415: Is already having a beneficial impact by reducing pollution and fuel consumption. ADS-B enables increased capacity and efficiency by supporting: The ADS-B data link supports a number of airborne and ground applications. Each application has its own operational concepts, algorithms, procedures, standards, and user training. A cockpit display of traffic information (CDTI) is a generic display that provides
720-480: Is an aviation surveillance technology and form of electronic conspicuity in which an aircraft determines its position via satellite navigation or other sensors and periodically broadcasts its position and other related data, enabling it to be tracked. The information can be received by air traffic control ground-based or satellite-based receivers as a replacement for secondary surveillance radar (SSR). Unlike SSR, ADS-B does not require an interrogation signal from
800-646: Is based on a negotiated one-to-one peer relationship between an aircraft providing ADS information and a ground facility requiring receipt of ADS messages. For example, ADS-A reports are employed in the Future Air Navigation System (FANS) using the Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System (ACARS) as the communication protocol. During a flight over areas without radar coverage, e.g. , oceanic and polar, reports are periodically sent by an aircraft to
880-1120: Is intended to support not only ADS-B, but also flight information service – broadcast (FIS-B), traffic information service – broadcast (TIS-B), and, if required in the future, supplementary ranging and positioning capabilities. Due to the set of standards required for this rule, it is seen as the most effective application for general aviation users. UAT will allow aircraft equipped with "out" broadcast capabilities to be seen by any other aircraft using ADS-B In technology as well as by FAA ground stations. Aircraft equipped with ADS-B In technology will be able to see detailed altitude and vector information from other ADS-B Out equipped aircraft as well as FIS-B and TIS-B broadcasts. The FIS-B broadcast will allow receiving aircraft to view weather and flight service information including AIRMETs , SIGMETs , METARs , SPECI, national NEXRAD , regional NEXRAD, D-NOTAMs, FDC-NOTAMs, PIREPs , special use airspace status, terminal area forecasts, amended terminal aerodrome forecasts (TAFs), and winds and temperatures aloft forecasts . These broadcasts serve to provide early adopters of
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#1732776380286960-587: Is mandatory for instrument flight rules (IFR) category aircraft in Australian airspace; the United States has required many aircraft (including all commercial passenger carriers and aircraft flying in areas that required a SSR transponder) to be so equipped since January 2020; and, the equipment has been mandatory for some aircraft in Europe since 2017. Canada uses ADS-B for surveillance in remote regions not covered by traditional radar (areas around Hudson Bay ,
1040-543: Is nearby. The ADS-B Out system relies on two avionics components aboard each aircraft: a high-integrity satellite navigation source (i.e. GPS or other certified GNSS receiver) and a datalink (the ADS-B unit). There are several types of certified ADS-B data links, but the most common ones operate at 1090 MHz, essentially a modified Mode S transponder, or at 978 MHz. The FAA would like to see aircraft that operate exclusively below 18,000 feet (5,500 m) use
1120-582: Is not truly available for use, although even the raw GPS signal in Alaska was better than the FAA's legacy systems. The traditional VHF omnidirectional range (VOR) and automatic direction finder (ADF) ground-based en-route system has an availability rate of 98.5%. The GPS signal had an availability of about 99.9% and was available over a much wider area. Being able to receive the WAAS signal improves basic GPS accuracy to approximately 7 metres (23 feet) vertically and horizontally, improves system availability through
1200-732: Is one of the largest deltas in the world. It is larger than the Mississippi River Delta (which varies between 32,400 and 122,000 square kilometers or 12,500 and 47,100 sq mi); it is comparable in size to the entire U.S. state of Louisiana (135,700 square kilometers or 52,400 sq mi). The delta, which consists mainly of tundra , is protected as part of the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge . The delta has approximately 25,000 residents. 85% of these are Alaska Natives : Yupik and Athabaskan people . The main population center and service hub
1280-530: Is specifically designed for ADS-B operation. UAT is also the first link to be certified for "radar-like" ATC services in the United States. Since 2001 it has been providing 5 nmi (9.3 km; 5.8 mi) en-route separation (the same as mosaic radar but not 3 nmi (5.6 km; 3.5 mi) of single-site sensors) in Alaska. UAT is the only ADS-B link standard that is truly bidirectional: UAT users have access to ground-based aeronautical data (FIS-B) and can receive reports from proximate traffic (TIS-B) through
1360-412: Is the city of Bethel , with an estimated population of around 6,219 (as of 2011). Bethel is surrounded by 49 smaller villages, with the largest villages consisting of over 1000 people. Most residents live a traditional subsistence lifestyle of hunting , fishing , and gathering . More than 30 percent have cash incomes well below the federal poverty threshold . The area has virtually no roads; travel
1440-641: The Anchorage Air Route Traffic Control Center . The existing Micro Enroute Automated Radar Tracking System (Micro-EARTS) had been programmed to depict ADS–B targets on the air traffic controller displays fused with radar targets. ADS–B aircraft position reports were also made available to airport traffic controllers in Bethel and to the commercial-aircraft operators via the Internet for flight-monitoring purposes. As part of
1520-569: The Labrador Sea , Davis Strait , Baffin Bay and southern Greenland ) since January 15, 2009. Aircraft operators are encouraged to install ADS-B products that are interoperable with US and European standards, and Canadian air traffic controllers can provide better and more fuel-efficient flight routes when operators can be tracked via ADS-B. ADS-B is an airspace surveillance system which could eventually replace Secondary surveillance radar as
1600-600: The MITRE Corporation . The university documented a baseline of current operations and tracked, evaluated and documented the improvements as they occurred. UAA also provided crew training on the Capstone avionics equipment. The initial results showed a 40 percent reduction in accidents had resulted from the Capstone Program. Under Phase 2, the Capstone Program concentrated efforts in the terrain-constrained area of Southeast Alaska. Again, in partnership with
1680-562: The fjords , was the Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS). Basic GPS service failed to meet the accuracy, availability, and integrity (the ability of a system to provide timely warnings to users or to shut itself down when it should not be used for navigation) requirements critical to safety of flight. The bottom line for assessing a navigation system is its "availability". A system that fails to meet prescribed standards for accuracy, integrity, or other specifications
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#17327763802861760-433: The "capstone" for many additional initiatives, providing a common umbrella for planning, coordination, focus, and direction with regard to development of the future National Airspace System (NAS). A few additional "technology-driven" initiatives supportive of Flight 2000 are recommended in a March 1995 National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Alaska Safety Study, inextricably linked to the earlier proposal. As an example,
1840-572: The 1090 MHz extended squitter (1090 ES) link for air carrier and private or commercial operators of high-performance aircraft, and universal access transceiver link for the typical general aviation user. In November 2012, the European Aviation Safety Agency confirmed that the European Union would also use 1090 ES for interoperability. The format of extended squitter messages has been codified by
1920-488: The 978 MHz link, as this will alleviate congestion of the 1090 MHz frequency. To obtain ADS-B Out capability at 1090 MHz, user-operators can install a new transponder or modify an existing transponder if the manufacturer offers an ADS-B upgrade (plus install a certified GNSS position source if one is not already present). ADS-B provides many benefits to both pilots and air traffic control that improve both
2000-422: The ADS-B data link for unequipped targets or targets transmitting only on another ADS-B link. TIS–B uplinks are derived from the best available ground surveillance sources: The multilink gateway service is a companion to TIS-B for achieving interoperability between different aircraft equipped with 1090ES or UAT by using ground-based relay stations. These aircraft cannot directly share air-to-air ADS-B data due to
2080-530: The Alaskan Region supported efforts to enhance the NAS and become a test bed for new technology. A study of 112 air-carrier accidents during a three-year period in Alaska indicated a likely 38% safety improvement from modern technology. The Free Flight Operational Enhancements Program (FFOEP) identified nine enhancements. Although field deployment of these enhancements was not scheduled to begin in Alaska until
2160-461: The Capstone avionics provided ground proximity functionality. The terrain function showed terrain via an intuitive high-resolution color display using black, green, yellow and red to indicate the proximity of the terrain to the aircraft. The avionics continuously monitored the aircraft's altitude, GPS-derived position, ground speed, and route of flight, and compared this data to a built-in database of terrain elevation. The display automatically provided
2240-465: The FAA ADS-B link decision, and the technical link standards, 1090 ES does not support FIS-B service. Radar directly measures the range and bearing of an aircraft from a ground-based antenna . The primary surveillance radar is usually a pulse radar. It continuously transmits high-power radio frequency (RF) pulses. Bearing is measured by the position of the rotating radar antenna when it receives
2320-411: The FAA, community, and industry. Capstone outlined the process and scope for upgrading the operating infrastructure with airports , weather products, communications, and GPS-driven systems. A major objective was to improve safety in Alaska while offering efficiencies to operators. Many accidents could be eliminated through improved situational awareness for both pilots and controllers . For this reason,
2400-689: The FFOEP evaluation. Early deployment would also serve to validate the overall concept identified in the joint Government/Industry Roadmap. During the fiscal year 1999, the Alaskan Region's "Capstone" Program tied together three of the nine principal elements identified in the "Joint Government/Industry Roadmap for Free Flight Operational Enhancements" with two safety initiatives from the March 1995 NTSB Alaska Safety Study. Operational enhancements included in Project Capstone are: The concept of conducting
2480-526: The ICAO. With 1090 ES, the existing Mode S transponder ( TSO C-112 or a standalone 1090 MHz transmitter ) supports a message type known as the extended squitter message. It is a periodic message that provides position, velocity, time, and, in the future, intent. The basic ES does not offer intent since current flight management systems do not provide such data (called trajectory change points). To enable an aircraft to send an extended squitter message,
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2560-557: The Phase 1 evaluation area. Also, an automated weather observation system (AWOS) was installed at these airports to enable air-carrier use of the new non-precision GPS instrument approach procedures. The natural boundaries of the Y–K Delta confined the operation of most of the participating aircraft to the area, with Bethel as the operating hub, and also limits the radar coverage below 6,000 feet (from sea level). Capstone provided an IFR infrastructure for Bethel and nine additional airports in
2640-483: The RF pulses that are reflected from the aircraft skin. The range is measured by measuring the time it takes for the RF energy to travel to and from the aircraft. Primary surveillance radar does not require any cooperation from the aircraft. It is robust in the sense that surveillance outage failure modes are limited to those associated with the ground radar system. Secondary surveillance radar depends on active replies from
2720-594: The US, weather radar through flight information service-broadcast (FIS-B), which also transmits readable flight information such as temporary flight restrictions (TFRs) and NOTAMs . ADS-B ground stations are significantly cheaper to install and operate compared to primary and secondary radar systems used by air traffic control for aircraft separation and control. Unlike some alternative in-flight weather services currently being offered commercially, there will be no subscription fees to use ADS-B services or its various benefits in
2800-468: The US. The aircraft owner will pay for the equipment and installation, while the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will pay for administering and broadcasting all the services related to the technology. ADS-B makes flying significantly safer for the aviation community by providing pilots with improved situational awareness . Pilots in an ADS-B In equipped cockpit will have the ability to see, on their in-cockpit flight display, other traffic operating in
2880-576: The United States, FIS-B services are provided over the UAT link in areas that have a ground surveillance infrastructure. Yukon%E2%80%93Kuskokwim Delta The Yukon–Kuskokwim Delta is a river delta located where the Yukon and Kuskokwim rivers empty into the Bering Sea on the west coast of the U.S. state of Alaska . At approximately 129,500 square kilometers (50,000 sq mi) in size, it
2960-560: The United States, the ADS-B system has the ability to provide air traffic and government-generated graphical weather information at no cost through TIS-B and FIS-B applications. ADS-B consists of two distinct functions - "ADS-B Out" and "ADS-B In". Each "ADS-B Out" aircraft periodically broadcasts information about itself, such as identification, current position, altitude and velocity through an onboard transmitter. ADS-B Out provides air traffic controllers with real-time aircraft position information that is, in most cases, more accurate than
3040-582: The WAAS program office to help provide the WAAS signal to the Phase 2 Capstone equipment. Certification and initial installations of Capstone Phase 2 WAAS avionics took place in 2002. Introduction of WAAS-based navigation and surveillance capabilities also required new regulatory provisions. On March 13, 2003, Special Federal Aviation Regulation (FAR) Part 97 was approved by FAA authorizing en-route IFR navigation in Alaska based solely on satellite technology without reference to ground radio-navigation stations. New WAAS routes were also designed and charted to serve
3120-492: The Y–K Delta, and made radar-like ADS–B coverage possible throughout the area. To enable air traffic services (ATS) to use ADS–B in the Bethel non-radar environment, Anchorage Air Route Traffic Control Center's equipment was modified to display ADS–B data together with available radar on the air traffic controller display. To document the results, Capstone enlisted the help of the University of Alaska at Anchorage (UAA) and
3200-703: The additional aviation weather observing systems the NTSB called for in Alaska relies on the Flight 2000 Flight Information System element to provide the information developed via data link to the pilot. A key objective of Flight 2000 had been to accelerate implementation and use of modern technology; however, uncertainties surrounding that program actually slowed the transition. Several Alaskan avionics installers reported customers seeking to acquire GPS equipment deferred investing as they waited for Flight 2000. Within Alaska, Capstone linked several initiatives to coordinate between
3280-409: The aircraft is farther away, the weaker received signal will tend to be more affected by the aforementioned adverse factors and is less likely to be received without errors. Error detection will allow errors to be recognized, so the system maintains full accuracy regardless of aircraft position when the signal can be received and decoded correctly. This advantage does not equate to a total indifference to
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3360-413: The aircraft. Its failure modes include the transponder aboard the aircraft. Typical ADS-B aircraft installations use the output of the navigation unit for navigation and for cooperative surveillance, introducing a common failure mode that must be accommodated in air traffic surveillance systems. The radiated beam becomes wider as the distance between the antenna and the aircraft becomes greater, making
3440-458: The airspace and have access to clear and detailed weather information. They will also be able to receive pertinent updates ranging from temporary flight restrictions to runway closings. Even aircraft only equipped with ADS-B Out will benefit from air traffic controllers' ability to more accurately and reliably monitor their position. When using this system both pilots and controllers will see the same radar picture. Other fully equipped aircraft using
3520-578: The airspace around them will be able to more easily identify and avoid conflict with an aircraft equipped with ADS-B Out. With past systems such as the Traffic alert and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) aircraft could only see other aircraft equipped with the same technology. With ADS-B, information is sent to aircraft using ADS-B In, which displays all aircraft in the area, provided those aircraft are equipped with ADS-B Out. ADS-B provides better surveillance in fringe areas of radar coverage. ADS-B does not have
3600-469: The aviation industry, Capstone worked to improve safety and access to that area using lessons learned from the Phase 1 program in the Y–K Delta, as well as incorporating other technologies to further improve surveillance and navigation capability. Phase 2 also included a demonstration of technology aimed at reducing the potential for runway incursion accidents. In addition to the CFIT and mid-air concerns one of
3680-543: The cities, Haines , Hyder and Skagway , are reachable by road via the Alaska–Canadian Highway . Even these, because of the lengthy drive, depend on aviation for most of their transportation needs. Flying in this area was very different due to the constraints of the terrain. The Minimum En Route Altitude (MEA) of the airways were typically above the altitudes that the general aviation fleet of aircraft could safely fly without encountering icing conditions, even in
3760-461: The controlling air traffic region. Traffic information service – broadcast (TIS–B) supplements ADS-B's air-to-air services to provide complete situational awareness in the cockpit of all traffic known to the ATC system. TIS–B is an important service for an ADS-B link in airspace where not all aircraft are transmitting ADS-B information. The ground TIS–B station transmits surveillance target information on
3840-534: The critical elements needed in Southeast Alaska was a usable IFR infrastructure. Southeast Alaska is a very rugged environment of mountains and ocean. Forested islands create the state's famous Inside Passage . In many areas the ocean comes directly up to the base of tall, majestic mountains capped by glaciers and ice fields . Although access to most settlements in the Southeast is available by boat,
3920-436: The data is no longer susceptible to the position of the aircraft or the length of time between radar sweeps. (However, the signal strength of the signal received from the aircraft at the ground station is still dependent on the range from the aircraft to the receiver, and interference, obstacles, or weather could degrade the integrity of the received signal enough to prevent the digital data from being decoded without errors. When
4000-425: The different communication frequencies. In terminal areas, where both types of ADS-B link are in use, ADS-B/TIS-B ground stations use ground-to-air broadcasts to relay ADS-B reports received on one link to aircraft using the other link. Although multilink "solves" the issue of heavy airliners working on one frequency vs. light aircraft, the dual frequency nature of the system has several potential issues: Because of
4080-575: The entire state of Alaska. Conflict within the Air Traffic Organization resulted in the WAAS routes being NOTAMed out of service and later removed from public charting. In 2006, the FAA integrated the Alaskan Capstone project into the national Automatic Dependent Surveillance – Broadcast (ADS–B) program. Automatic dependent surveillance %E2%80%93 broadcast Automatic Dependent Surveillance–Broadcast ( ADS-B )
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#17327763802864160-411: The fiscal year 2000, a limited early deployment was within reach and highly desirable. It was thought that early deployment would have a positive effect on safety, create an infrastructure to permit initial procedures development, familiarize flight crews , controllers, and avionics installers with modern equipment and concepts, and address certification issues and procedures prior to the actual start of
4240-522: The flight crew with surveillance information about other aircraft, including their position. Traffic information for a CDTI may be obtained from one or multiple sources, including ADS-B, TCAS , and TIS-B. Direct air-to-air transmission of ADS-B messages supports the display of proximate aircraft on a CDTI. In addition to traffic based on ADS-B reports, a CDTI function might also display current weather conditions, terrain, airspace structure, obstructions, detailed airport maps, and other information relevant to
4320-422: The ground or from other aircraft to activate its transmissions. ADS-B can also receive point-to-point by other nearby equipped ADS-B equipped aircraft to provide traffic situational awareness and support self-separation . ADS-B is "automatic" in that it requires no pilot or external input to trigger its transmissions. It is "dependent" in that it depends on data from the aircraft's navigation system to provide
4400-587: The information available with current radar-based systems. With more accurate information, ATC can manage and separate aircraft with improved precision and timing. "ADS-B In" is the reception and processing of transmitted ADS-B information (i.e. "ADS-B Out") by other aircraft. In the US ADS-B In can also include other information for pilots transmitted from ATC ground stations such as FIS-B and TIS-B data. These ground station data broadcasts are typically made available only when an ADS-B Out broadcasting aircraft
4480-507: The initial Capstone initiative, the FAA purchased, installed, and maintained the avionics for the 5-year evaluation period. In return, participants assisted the program by providing evaluation data so that safety and operational benefits could be identified and documented. Ownership of the avionics was transferred to the participating operators in December 2004. The initial evaluation concentrated on an affordable means to reduce CFIT and provide
4560-452: The issues and risks but were unable to disclose how they are mitigated as that is classified. A possible mitigation is multilateration to verify that the claimed position is close to the position from which the message was broadcast. Here the timing of received messages is compared to establish distances from the antenna to the plane. The lack of any authentication within the standard makes it mandatory to validate any received data by use of
4640-403: The issues with multilink, many ADS-B manufacturers are designing ADS-B systems as dual-frequency capable. FIS-B provides weather text, weather graphics, NOTAMs, ATIS , and similar information. FIS-B is inherently different from ADS-B in that it requires sources of data external to the aircraft or broadcasting unit, and has different performance requirements such as periodicity of broadcast. In
4720-412: The lengthy travel time makes it impractical for everyday and emergency use. A less-than-two-hour journey from Ketchikan to Juneau by air requires sixteen hours by boat, and a voyage on the ferry from Bellingham, Washington to Juneau, Alaska takes over 50 hours. Over 45 communities are scattered throughout Southeast Alaska on islands and the mainland. Juneau, the capital, is the largest. Only three of
4800-666: The main surveillance method for controlling aircraft worldwide. In the United States ADS-B is an integral component of the NextGen national airspace strategy for upgrading and enhancing aviation infrastructure and operations. ADS-B enhances safety by making an aircraft visible, realtime, to air traffic control (ATC) and to other ADS-B In equipped aircraft with position and velocity data transmitted every second. Other uses of ADS-B data include: post-flight analysis, inexpensive flight tracking, planning, and dispatch. Within
4880-417: The more than fifty villages in the 100,000 square miles (260,000 km) area, and even within the villages, there were few roads. The community of Bethel , the aviation hub and largest settlement in the area, had only 15 miles (24 km) of mostly unpaved roads. Under Phase 1, a fleet of small commercial aircraft evaluated safety benefits of technologies during day-to-day operations in Alaska. The aircraft
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#17327763802864960-538: The only) transportation system. However, the vital infrastructure supporting aviation fell short of the standards commonly expected or encountered elsewhere in the US. In early 1997, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) began developing a proposal entitled "Flight 2000". This proposal envisioned rapid deployment and field demonstration of advanced avionics capabilities leading toward implementation of free flight . The proposal
5040-605: The particular phase of flight. ADS-B is seen as a valuable technology to enhance airborne collision avoidance system (ACAS) operation. Incorporation of ADS-B can provide benefits such as: Eventually, the ACAS function may be provided based solely on ADS-B, without requiring active interrogations of other aircraft transponders. Other applications that may benefit from ADS-B include: Aircraft with transponder only, or no transponder capability at all will not be shown. Pilots who become complacent or overconfident in this system are thus
5120-422: The physical layer for relaying ADS-B position reports: universal access transceiver, and 1090 MHz extended squitter . A universal access transceiver is a data link intended to serve the majority of the general aviation community in the United States. The data link is approved in the Federal Aviation Administration 's "final rule" for use in all airspace except class A (above 18,000 ft. MSL ). UAT
5200-489: The pilot with an enhanced means to see nearby traffic and receive current weather in the cockpit. The Capstone program provided training for pilots, operators, safety inspectors, air traffic control specialists, and technicians to ensure that the greatest benefits resulting from evaluation activities were realized. To support this technology, 19 GPS stand-alone non-precision instrument approach procedures were prepared and published for runways of ten remote village airports within
5280-590: The pilot's situational awareness with the primary goal of preventing controlled flight into terrain (CFIT) and mid-air accidents. The lack of a usable IFR infrastructure and radar coverage combined with the harsh weather conditions caused Alaska to have a high rate of CFIT accidents. Pilots, departing for VFR-only destinations with the intention of maintaining visual separation with terrain or water, continued flying toward their destination after encountering marginal weather conditions which would normally involve instrument flight operations. The terrain-awareness function of
5360-414: The position information less accurate. Additionally, detecting changes in aircraft velocity requires several radar sweeps that are spaced several seconds apart. In contrast, a system using ADS-B creates and listens for periodic position and intent reports from aircraft. These reports are generated based on the aircraft's navigation system and distributed via one or more of the ADS-B data links. The accuracy of
5440-410: The primary radar. Because the content of ADS-B messages is not encrypted , it may be read by anybody. The ADS-B system has three main components: 1) ground infrastructure, 2) airborne component, and 3) operating procedures. The source of the state vector and other transmitted information as well as user applications are not considered to be part of the ADS-B system. Two link solutions are used as
5520-608: The range of an aircraft from the ground station.) Today's air traffic control (ATC) systems do not rely on coverage by a single radar. Instead, a multi-radar picture is presented via the ATC system's display to the controller . This improves the quality of the reported position of the aircraft, provides a measure of redundancy, and makes it possible to verify the output of the different radars against others. This verification can also use sensor data from other technologies, such as ADS-B and multilateration . There are two commonly recognized types of ADS for aircraft applications: ADS-A
5600-697: The safety and efficiency of flight. When using an ADS-B In system, a pilot is able to view traffic information about surrounding aircraft if those aircraft are equipped with ADS-B Out. This information includes altitude, heading, speed, and distance to the aircraft. In addition to receiving position reports from ADS-B Out participants, in the US, TIS-B can provide position reports on non-ADS-B Out-equipped aircraft if suitable ground equipment and ground radar exist. ADS-R re-transmits ADS-B position reports between UAT and 1090 MHz frequency bands. Aircraft equipped with universal access transceiver (UAT) ADS-B In technology will be able to receive weather reports, and in
5680-440: The siting limitations of radar. Its accuracy is consistent throughout the range. In both forms of ADS-B (1090ES & 978 MHz UAT), the position report is updated once per second. The 978 MHz UAT provides the information in a single, short-duration transmission. The 1090ES system transmits two different kinds of position reports (even/odd) randomly. To decode the position unambiguously, one position report of both kinds or
5760-405: The summer. Legacy en route navigation aids required land-based sites where power was available and maintenance crews had access. This land-based system resulted in a traditional IFR route structure that was not optimized for the terrain or typical small aircraft users in Southeast Alaska. The technology that changed this and put the routes and approaches where they were needed, at low altitudes over
5840-533: The technology with benefits as an incentive for more pilots to use the technology before 2020. Aircraft receiving traffic information through the TIS-B service will see other aircraft in a manner that is similar to how all aircraft will be seen after they have been equipped by 2020. The availability of a non-subscription weather information service, FIS-B, provides general aviation users with a useful alternative to other monthly or annual fee-based services. The UAT system
5920-759: The transmitted data. ADS-B is a key part of the International Civil Aviation Organization 's (ICAO) approved aviation surveillance technologies and is being progressively incorporated into national airspaces worldwide. For example, it is an element of the United States Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen), the Single European Sky ATM Research project (SESAR), and India's Aviation System Block Upgrade (ASBU). ADS-B equipment
6000-410: The transponder is modified (TSO C-166A ) and aircraft position and other status information is routed to the transponder. ATC ground stations and aircraft equipped with traffic collision avoidance system (TCAS) already have the necessary 1090 MHz (Mode S) receivers to receive these signals, and would only require enhancements to accept and process the additional extended squitter information. As per
6080-431: The use of navigation satellites placed in geostationary Earth orbits (GEO) and provides important integrity information about the entire GPS constellation. WAAS provides the safety-critical navigation system that allowed the Capstone program to design airways and approaches where they can be best-used by the aviation industry in Southeast Alaska. Capstone utilized WAAS receivers in all participating aircraft. The WAAS signal
6160-481: Was centered in the Yukon–Kuskokwim (Y–K) Delta area of southwestern Alaska. Phase 2, which began in 2001, encompassed Southeast Alaska. Phase 3 would be implemented statewide using the technologies developed and proven in Phase 1 and 2. The Y–K Delta area of southwestern Alaska, the focal point for Capstone's Phase 1 activities, typified most of the state in terms of transportation infrastructure. No roads connected
6240-516: Was fitted with instrument flight rules (IFR) capable GPS receivers, a universal access transceiver (UAT) data-link system that enabled automatic dependent surveillance – broadcast (ADS–B), and flight information service (FIS) including real-time weather, and a multifunction display (MFD) depicting terrain, other ADS–B aircraft, weather graphics and text data. The bundle of avionics were installed on 200 aircraft used for commuting, chartering, and mail flights in southwest Alaska. The avionics improved
6320-417: Was not well received by all segments of the aviation industry, and the industry's RTCA (Radio Technical Commission for Aeronautics) Select Committee on Free Flight endorsed a revised approach that included most Flight 2000 program activities. The revised approach was documented in the "Joint Government/Industry Roadmap for Free Flight Operational Enhancements". Within the Alaskan Region, Flight 2000 served as
6400-573: Was the basis for new IFR routes and procedures that were designed to serve low-flying aircraft throughout Southeast Alaska. The first air-carrier validation flights by Harris Air, located at Sitka, Alaska , took place in March 2005 and resulted in FAA approval. WAAS delivered the safety assurances essential for building a new U.S. navigation and air traffic management system based on more cost-effective satellite technology. The WAAS signal, which has been available for several years for non-critical use has an availability rate of 99.999%. Capstone worked with
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