A publication of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association
Issue link: http://natca.uberflip.com/i/761055
first civilian, FAA - controlled airport to have unmanned airc raft operations flying in the same pattern with manned aircraft operations. Our SYR controllers have worked hard to make this a successful operation and have built a great working relati onship with the 174th ANG unit. Because UAS do not have a pilot on board, they are unable to comply with FAR 91.113. FAR 91.113 require s all pilots to see and avoid other aircraft. This requires the UAS to have an alternate means of compliance for FAR 91.113. This is accomplished in two different ways to make these oper ations possible. While the UAS is in the pattern at SYR, see and avoid is accomplished via the use of ground observers. When the UAS exits the pattern and transitions to restricted a reas and/or MOA s, they fly with a Civi l Air Patrol C182 chase plane. T he C182 flies in what is essentially a formation flight with the UAS and provides see and av oid guidance to the UAS pilot. Over the course of the next year, there will be an LSTAR radar system installed at SYR and the SYR UAS operations will transition to what is known as Ground Based Sense and Avoid (GBSAA) to comply with FAR 91.113. GBSAA takes radar feeds from as many sources as are available and provides the UAS pilot with primary and secondary target information. The system will eventually provide recommended guidance (much in the same way that TCAS functions) to the pilot that will enable the UAS to r emain "well clear" of traffic. Any maneuver will require ATC approval, just as a manned aircraft would should they request to maneuver for traffic. The GBSAA system will allow the 174th to eliminate the chase plane, providing for a far less complicated operation. VOR MI NIMUM OPERATING NETWORK (MON) John Vogelsang (P31) is the Article 114 Represe ntative on the VOR MON project. His update is below. The program held a kickoff meeting at Boston Center on Nov . 1st to give a high - level overview briefing to folks from a number of facilities in the area. We have some more meetings like this in the works for other areas of the country next year. There hasn't been a lot else going on this month but the entire group will be meeting in D . C . the first week of December to discuss updating the waterfall and other issues.