Global Aircraft Tracking Initiatives Some of the Major Outcomes during the HLSC Global Aircraft Tracking Initiatives The conference saw that 2014 was a particularly challenging year for aviation safety. One of the emerging issues we were faced with was the global tracking of aircraft, which is something that ICAO has worked closely on together with IATA.
RESCUE COORDINATION CENTER NO TRACKING 60 minute reporting environment Incident at 1 minute Elapsed Time from Incident: min 89 59 The next series of slides is an animated depiction of aircraft tracking, similar to the slides I’ve shown during the IATA conference. The purpose of normal tracking is to ensure that the interval for checking up on an aeroplane is at least every 15. This scenario highlights the issue: Click 1: ATC surveillance systems (e.g. Radar, ADS-B) surpass this requirement however in procedural airspace the intervals can be as much as 60 minutes. An aircraft makes a report at a waypoint and is not expected to make another report until 60 minutes later. Click 2: If something goes wrong immediately after making the last report, ATC would not be aware until the next reporting point which could be 59 minutes away. Click 3: At that time, ATC would attempt by all means to contact the aircraft and if unsuccessful, in the next 30 minutes, an emergency phase would be initiated. All in all, 89 minutes would have passed before any rescue or coordination effort would have begun. EMERGENCY PHASE RESCUE COORDINATION CENTER
AOC tries to establish contact NORMAL TRACKING 60 minute reporting environment AOC AOC tries to establish contact Incident at 1 minute Elapsed Time from Incident: min 44 Elapsed Time from Incident: min CURRENT 89 The HLSC therefore recommended the adoption of a 15-minute aircraft tracking standard, which is a first step in providing a foundation for global flight tracking and future implementation of the more comprehensive Global Aeronautical Distress and Safety System (GADSS) Concept. Under this new standard, the aircraft operator will have to establish contact with the aircraft in 15-minute intervals. Click 1: If something goes wrong immediately after making the last report, the operator could become aware much sooner and report this to ATC. Click 2: At that time, ATC would attempt by all means to contact the aircraft and if unsuccessful, in the next 30 minutes, an emergency phase would be initiated. The elapsed for initiating an emergency phase could be as little as 44 minutes. Click 3: In comparison to the previous scenario I showed which took about 89 minutes, this is a significant improvement EMERGENCY PHASE RESCUE COORDINATION CENTER GADSS CONCEPT
Upcoming Normal Tracking SARPs Timelines January 2015 Preliminary review by ICAO ANC March 2015 State Letter November 2015 Adopted November 2016 Applicable (if adopted) Performance-based Standards and recommended practices for normal flight tracking No change to ATC procedures Establish operator responsibility to track Not technology-specific Establish communication protocoled between Operator and ATC Oceanic areas where ATC gets position information more than every 15 min (Recommendation for remote areas) Aeroplanes with a take-off mass in excess off 27,000 kg and more than 19 seats In terms of Normal Tracking SARPs, and as recommended by the HLSC, the proposed Standard is performance-based, to allow stakeholders to meet the requirement using available and planned technologies and procedures as deemed necessary. The proposed standard: Will not introduce any change to current ATC procedures Will establish operator responsibility for tracking Will not be technology-specific Will establish communication protocols between operator and ATC Will apply to oceanic areas where ATC gets position information greater than 15 minute intervals, and to aeroplanes with a take-off mass in excess of 27,000 kg and more than 19 seats In terms of timelines, the ANC has already conducted its preliminary review back in January, and ICAO has already issued a State letter at the end of February. It is expected that this coming November, the SARPs will be adopted, and will then be applicable in November 2016 14 April 2015