NATCA Bookshelf

SURVEILLANCE BROADCAST SERVICES (SBS) OFFICE Eric Labardini (ZHU) is the Article 114 Representative to the SBS Office. His update is below: The NATCA Surveillance and Broadcast Services (SBS) team includes Eric Labardini (ZHU), Craig Bielek (A90), National Airport Surface Surveillance Capability (ASSC) Rep Dan Hamilton (SFO), Andrew Stachowiak (I90), National Interval Management Rep Tom Zarick (ZDV), and National Terminal Interval Management Rep Chris Aymond (MSY). ADS-B • As of Nov. 1, the number of Rule Compliant ADS-B Out aircraft in the US reached 60,288, and ADS-B In equipped aircraft reached 49,116. The growth in aircraft equipage has been significant, and some areas of the NAS are seeing high percentages of air traffic equipped. There is still significant risk around meeting the Jan. 1, 2020 deadline to equip. The actual NAS fleet numbers needed are somewhat vague. • By 2020, the Agency estimates that 6,000-7,000 U.S. registered air carriers will need to be ADS-B Out equipped. Airlines operators have all published their plans to meet the deadline and recent trend data indicates a significant increase in equipage. Several airlines have significant portions (over 30 percent) of their fleet equipped including: UPS (97%), JetBlue, Delta, United, American, Alaska, and FedEx. American has also announced a plan to equip 320 Airbus aircraft with ADS-B In. • For GA, the very rough estimate of avionics installation capacity nationwide is 50,000 aircraft per year and delays are becoming common at multiple avionics installation facilities. Users that wait too close to 2020 may find that the capacity for installation falls short of demand. Agency estimates of the overall GA fleet range widely from 100,000-160,000 aircraft. However, only aircraft that operate in ADS-B Rule airspace (where a transponder is required) will have to equip. This drops the number that need to equip to an uncertain extent. Further, MITRE studies have indicated that another 25,000-40,000 registered aircraft aren't even seen operating in the NAS. Based on all this data, the actual number of GA aircraft needed to equip may actually be closer to the 80,000 range. At the current rate of equipage, 85,000 aircraft will be equipped by the deadline. • The military has already indicated they will be unable to meet the 2020 deadline. Several of their older airframes simply cannot accommodate the new avionics. The military does expect to equip newer fighters and all of their larger aircraft, and the effort to do so has begun. To deal with the exception aircraft, the Agency is working on agreements with DOD to ensure specific radar sources remain in place. • ADS-B IOCs have been completed at all en route (ERAM and MEARTS) facilities. All ERAM sites have promoted ADS-B to the top of their sort cells. Three of the four MEARTS facilities are operating on Fusion, with ZSU next to transition. • 134 of 155 terminal sites have reached their ADS-B IOC, and 129 are operating on Fusion. The majority of the remaining terminal sites are ARTS 2E sites awaiting an upgrade to the ELITE (STARS) build. The Terminal ADS-B/Fusion transition proceeds in this order: Kickoff meeting, ADS-B Flight Inspection, ADS-B IOC, Fusion Operational

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