A publication of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association
Issue link: http://natca.uberflip.com/i/687483
scheduling, but rather center in - trail scheduling. However, they are the highest volume feeders to MSP, and their traffic m ust somehow be considered f or the modeling to be accurate. DATACOMM: Chad Geyer (ZLA) is the Article 48 Representative for DataComm. Below is his update. The Tower Data Link Services (TDLS) Version 12 has been deployed to 30 sites and only 42 remain. The tower services should be completed by November. Of the 72 sites that use TDLS, 56 of them will have the Controller Pilot Data Link Communication (CPDLC) functionality. Since the waterfall is close to completion, I thought I would cover a couple of the enha ncements that are planned for next year. The first is Multiple Clearance Delivery Applications. This feature will allow the tower to open multiple Departure Clearance (DCL) applications at one time. This would allow the DCL application to either be in two towers or have a second position at the Traffic Management Coordinators position. Some towers issue revisions from different areas in the tower and since CPDLC requires interaction with the application, the ability for more than one controller to use the s ystem at a time. The second is the ability for the controller in the tower cab to be able to enable and disable Auto Mode from the application in the tower. The system currently requires this to be enabled at the Maintenance TDLS Menu (MTM) on the lower fl oors where the operating system is. Many towers have expressed that during evening shifts when things combine up at approach and require different frequencies that Auto Mode is not an option. This would allow the CD controller the ability to shut off Auto Mode when these new procedures take place and the controller could manually process the flights. The third enhancement is a Requested Altitude Logic Check. This would allow the TDLS Application Specialist (TAS) at your facility enable the system to check t he requested altitude prior to sending out the clearance in Auto Mode. If the requested altitude was below a certain altitude, It would require the CD controller to manually process the flight. This would be helpful in certain cases where the requested alt itude is actually lower than the assigned initial altitude. The National Core Team will be meeting in Oklahoma City at the end of June to discuss these enhancements and o thers that have been suggested. The group will evaluate and schedule when these enhanc ement should be available. SURVEILLANCE AND BROADCAST SERVICES (SBS): NATCA SBS team includes: Eric Labardini (ZHU), National SBS Article 48 Rep, Craig Bielek (A90), Dan Hamilton (SFO), National Airport Surface Surveillance Capability (ASSC) Rep, Andrew S tachowiak (I90), and Tom Zarick (ZDV), National Interval Management Rep . ADS - B: As of this update 23,403 aircraft are equipped to broadcast with ADS - B Rule compliant avionics in the NAS. The SBS PO rough estimate of avionics installation capacity nationwi d e is 50,000 aircraft per year. With the January 1, 2020 deadline to equip quickly approaching, concern is high that equipage levels will fall short of the estimated total NAS fleet (100,000 - 160,000). Users that wait too close to 2020 may find that the avai lability of ins tallers falls short of demand.