1. Required Communication Performance (RCP)
Moving toward a performance-based air transportation system
Presented to: ICAO Worldwide Symposium on Performance of the Air Navigation System
By: Tom Kraft, FAA, Aviation Safety Chief Scientific and Technical Advisor (CSTA) for Aeronautical Communications Mobile:
Date: March 2007

2. Overview Current situation A little about RCP Activities underway
Outlook for implementation
Conundrum
A question or problem having only a conjectural answer
An intricate and difficult problem

3. Introduction 1995 air traffic data link services
U.S.
Goals: Reduce separations
Reroutes
User preferred trajectories
Expose data link
Applications: CPDLC, ADS–C
Technology: FANS 1/A
Airframe: Boeing 744
Equipment: Honeywell Collins
Thales ATM
Comm Services: ARINC
SITA
INMARSAT
UAL
ANZ QA
Fiji
French Polynesia
Australia
New Zealand

4. Introduction 2007 air traffic data link services
Europe plans mandate for continental data link services
Partial CPDLC application
ATN services and aircraft equipage compulsory
Accommodation of FANS 1/A aircraft voluntary
FANS 1/A aircraft exempt from ATN aircraft equipage
Introduction 2007 air traffic data link services
North Atlantic Region benefits from data link
In 2004, traffic levels exceeded pre–2001 levels
NAV CANADA has reduced communication costs to users by 50%
55% of the fleet use either FMC WPR or FANS 1/A ADS–C for automatic position reporting
PDC & D–ATIS via ACARS
U.S. oceanic airspace boundary
Pacific Sub–Region benefits from data link
Reduced separations to 50/50 NM and 30/30 NM (trials)
User preferred routes and reroute (trials) for all city pairs in South Pacific
Weather deviations
Automatic position reporting
80% of the fleet in South Pacific use CPDLC and ADS–C, based on FANS 1/A, 60% in the Central Pacific, and 30% on average in the entire Pacific

5. And then some What will we do with And what about HF voice
INMARSAT Aero Classic Satellite Service
And what about
Voice communications, e.g., INMARSAT, Iridium
Data communications, e.g., HF Data Link, Iridium, Swift Broadband, Internet Protocol Suite (IPS)

6. Harmonize data link services
Planning & Implementation Regional Groups
North Atlantic Systems Planning Group
European Air Navigation Planning Group
Operational Requirements
Data Link Steering Group (DLSG) and ATN Accommodation Drafting Group (ADG)
Standards for ADS-C
RTCA/EUROCAE FANS 1/A - ATN Interoperability Standard
Harmonize data link services
RCP is a key element to the convergence process

7. Continued operational safety
Planning and Implementation Regional Groups (including subordinate groups)
North Atlantic
Asia-Pacific
FANS Implementation Group (FIG)
Informal South Pacific Air Traffic Services Coordinating Group (ISPACG) FANS Interoperability Team (FIT)
Informal Pacific Air Traffic Control (ATC) Coordinating Group (IPACG) FANS Interoperability Team (FIT)
FAA - Oceanic Separations Reduction Working Group (OSRWG) Scrutiny Group
Review operational data and advise based on results
Data link  VHF, Satellite, HF data link performance
Satellite voice  Security procedures

8. Continued operational safety
Fluctuations in performance levels for commercial satellite services
Backups and redundancy
Dissimilar technologies, e.g., Iridium, HF data link, INMARSAT, data/voice
What are the performance criteria, what needs to be monitored, and what is the decision process
What about predicted performance?

9. Standards & guidance material
ICAO completed standards and guidance material for RCP
Provisions for RCP in Annex 6 and Annex 11
Manual on RCP  ICAO Doc 9869
RTCA SC-189/EUROCAE WG-53 completed standards for data link services
Continental Safety and Performance Standard
Oceanic Safety and Performance Standard

10. Performance-based operations
Balances capability & performance of
Communications, e.g., DCPC
Navigation, e.g., RNAV/RNP
Surveillance, e.g., ADS-C
Air Traffic Management
Builds on what we have to improve
RCP
RNP
ATM C N S
RTSP
RSP
Performance-based operations depends on capability and performance of many aspects of a complex system involving people, procedures, technical elements, and different functionality.
One of the objectives in transitioning to performance-based operations is to build on what exists in aircraft and in air traffic service provision to optimize operational benefits.
Another objective is to exploit modern technology by establishing standards that define the “minimum acceptable” capability and performance required for an intended operation and independent of any particular technology.
What is RNP [x] airspace?
What is applying separation using ADS-C?

11. Performance-based communications
RCP type specifies communication transaction time, continuity, availability, integrity
Other operational factors may be relevant, for example
Messages or phraseology, transaction types, and intended use
Interactive capability of voice communication
Air–ground integration capability of data communication
Performance monitoring and alerting
Adapting the airspace to changes in performance level

12. Objectives and benefits
Promotes a competitive market for aeronautical communication services enabling cost–effective alternatives that meet business needs in a more timely manner
Provides means to demonstrate communication performance using a variety of acceptable methods in lieu of time consuming data collection and empirical analyses
Defines “needed” operations based on communication performance levels that are not yet obtainable with current technology
Enables varying service levels in common airspace to a fleet of aircraft with varying communication capabilities and performances

13. Applicability
When a change is implemented in air traffic management (ATM) and/or flight operations
And the change is predicated on communication performance
Safety management and monitoring

14. What it does Establishes operational criteria
Determines capability and performance criteria based on intended operations in oceanic, en route, terminal, and airport domains
Considers voice and data communications
Considers global seamless operations
Specifies RCP type and other relevant operational factors
Not based on any particular technology

15. How it is used Performance-based criteria is used to
Determine viability of a particular technology
Qualify, certify, and approve various parts of an implementation
Manage performance levels needed to provide a basic level of service and, for eligible operators, higher levels of service
Real time monitoring and alerting (air and ground)
Historical monitoring and evaluation
Adapting the airspace based on the results of monitoring

16. Candidates for implementation
Reduced separation minima, new procedures, or increasing airspace capacity that requires a communication capability and performance
Operating in airspace with a basic level of service and, for eligible operators, with higher levels of service
Provision and use of air traffic service using non-traditional technology or mixed technologies
Communication capability installed on aircraft whose performance is suitable for use in some airspace, but not in others
e.g., satellite data link, that is better than the communications equipment required for dispatch, e.g., high frequency (HF) voice;
such as 100 NM lateral/10 minute longitudinal separations, 50NM lateral/50NM longitudinal (50/50) separations, and 30NM lateral/30NM longitudinal (30/30) separations, in the same airspace, and the use of those services is predicated on operator eligibility and aircraft capability and performance;
such as satellite, to provide the preferred, primary, normal, or replacement means for air traffic control (ATC) communications, and the communication equipment required for dispatch does not have the performance to execute contingency procedures needed in the event the primary or normal means fails, e.g., HF voice regression;
such as FANS 1/A-based ground system implementations providing ATC data communications in common airspace to FANS 1/A aircraft and ATN aircraft; and
e.g., HF data link (HFDL) may be suitable in airspace with 100 NM lateral/10 minute longitudinal separations, but not suitable in airspace with 30/30 separations

17. PARC (Who - What)
Performance-Based Operations Aviation Rulemaking Committee (PARC)
Operates under the FAA Administrator’s legal authority in accordance with 49 USC 106(p)(5)
Comprises members from the aviation community at large and FAA
Provides recommendations to FAA’s Senior Management for action & implementation
Effective in implementing RNAV/RNP
I would like to introduce a new activity under the auspices of the Performance-based operations Aviation Rulemaking Committee (PARC).
This new activity will be performed by the Communications Working Group.
Before I talk about the Communications Working Group, I want to say just a few words about the PARC itself.
The PARC [read sub-bullets]
Optional: You may have heard of the Terminal Area Operations Aviation Rulemaking Committee (TAOARC). The TAOARC was renamed to the PARC in February of 2004.

18. PARC Communications Working Group
Roadmaps, etc.
Build consensus among aviation stakeholders
Communicate fundamental capabilities
Assess benefit and investment
Set metrics to measure success of FAA implementation programs
Industry
Coordination
Draft
Roadmap for
Data Link
present — 2025
Final Draft, 25-Jul-06
Federal Aviation
Administration
Roadmap for Performance-Based Communications

19. Outlook
Complete industry-coordinated Roadmap for Performance-Based Communications by September 2007
What are the applications for performance-based communications
What standards are needed and schedule
What is the strategy for aircraft type certification, operational approval, and implementation

20. Outlook
Develop scenario outlines for implementation of RCP type, considering
Voice and Data communications to increase capacity
Oceanic and domestic (en route, terminal area, airport)
Operating in airspace with a basic level of service and, for eligible operators, with higher levels of service
Some existing communication capabilities and performance that are suitable only for basic level of service
Performance monitoring, alerting, based on RCP type, and adaptation

21. And here we conduct our flight
SATCOM radio fails
TOD
RCP 10/V - Basic
RCP 60/D - IC
RCP 400/V - Basic
RCP 240/D - RHSM
RCP 400/D – IC
RCP 60/D - TAP
Terminal
En Route
Oceanic
En Route
Terminal
1. RCP types for service level(s) published in AIPs and charts
GES Outage
2. Ground side monitors communication service
3. Eligible Operators file for service level(s)
4. Air side monitors aircraft system
5. Pilot/controller know RCP type, just as they know RNAV/RNP type
6. Pilot/controller operates according to RCP type
7. Pilot/controller receives alerts for communication failures
/D - Data
/V - Voice
IC – Increased capacity
RHSM – Reduced horizontal separation minima
TAP – Tailored Arrival Procedure

22. Thank you