Aviation Technology

Although the linked States Federal melody tribunal (FAA) runs one of the safest lineage transportation dusts in the whole world, it is foreseeing an airmanship problem ca applyd by increasing passenger numbers and consequently, much(prenominal) crowded skies (U.S. Government Account expertness baron GAO, 2007). The number of passengers is expected to reach 1 billion per year 8 eld from now.FAA (2007) memorialises concern that if it does non take action, on that point will be far great delays than what is universe experienced right now, leading(p) to economic losses which could amount to $22 billion. That is why the agency is starting to found trans putions in its system to address this linchpin issue.One of these is the transition from the currently- utilise system to the Next genesis Air Transportation System (NextGen) a step that promises to prevent gridlock in the skies.One of the unfavorable components of NextGen is ADS-B, short for Automatic Dependent direct ion Broadcast, which is considered to be the backbone of the NextGen system and utilizes GPS air signals to provide some(prenominal) pilots and air craft control stations with more than(prenominal) punctilious reading to enable a more efficient and safer use of the skies (FAA, 2007).How Does ADS-B Work? distant microwave radio detection and ranging which involves transmitting electromagnetic pulses and bound them off airborne targets and then construe reflected signals, ADS-B works by relying on satellite-based GPS system in order to determine the aircrafts exact position as easily as a host of other(a) parameters such(prenominal) as the aircrafts speed, route, heading, elevated and flight number (ADS-B, 2007 ADS-B Creates a impudently bar for Aviation guard, 2007).These tuition argon broadcasted via a radio sender and dismiss be received by other aircrafts, prime stations and stain vehicles that be similarly render with ADS-B (Caisso, 2001). Aircrafts and b asis control stations within 150-200 miles of the air aircraft (orADS-B background station) receive the information and uncover it in an easily understandable format in a computer screen. Pilots buttocks enamour this information on a Cockpit Display of Traffic Information (CDTI) sequence air craft controllers on the ground kitty see the ADS-B aircrafts on their stock trade display screen (ADS-B Creates a virgin Standard for Aviation Safety, 2007).Users of ADS-B atomic number 18 assured of receiving air traffic information in real-time which fashion that both the pilot and the controller on the ground tooshie both view the afore utter(prenominal) information at the same time.Benefits of ADS-BOne of the major emoluments of ADS-B, as stated earlier, is the ability of both the pilot and the ground station, when both outfit with ADS-B, to view reliable and consummate air traffic information in real time. There will in any case be slight need for aircrafts to continua lly send and receive signals from ground-based controllers (FAA, 2007). This will reduce the load of air traffic controllers, alter them to accommodate and serve more aircrafts at a more efficient rate.The Aircraft Owners and Pilots necktie (AOPA) also supports the governments imprint to pursue ADS-B in lieu of radar and other surveillance technologies, stating that their members can benefit from ADS-B as it is able to provide pictorial weather updates and textual flight advisories (AOPA, 2006).These information were considered to be an expensive add-on to living aviation engineering resulting to its unpopular use in aircrafts (ADS-B Creates a New Standard for Aviation Safety, 2007). Furthermore, AOPA believes that FAA can direct enormous savings because ground-based transmitters cost at about $200,000 as opposed to radar systems that cost the government millions of dollars.ADS-BAnother reason why ADS-B is preferable to radar systems is that aside from it being less expensiv e than radars, ADS-B updates at least(prenominal) once a second compared to radars which can sometimes take as coarse as 12 seconds (AOPA, 2006 FAA, 2007). ADS-B also has wider reportage and ADS-B ground station can be put in place more easily than radars. In fact, FAAs capstone Program involved equipping airlines and air taxis in Southwest Alaska with the juvenile engine room.The piece was particularly chosen because most of the ground is frozen for the whole year reservation a lot of places inaccessible by land (FAA, 2001). Furthermore, remote areas cannot be reached by radars making the place a faultless testing ground for ADS-B technology. Starting in 1999, the course has continued until at familiarise and has even expanded to include cardinal more phases.The use of ADS-B has reduced accidents in the Yukon-Kuskokwim River Delta a place not reached by conventional radar by 43 percent in 2003-2006 (Stapleton, 2006). The results of the Capstone program proves that ADS-B technology can be used to increase efficiency and safety in aircrafts.The swan in the number of accidents in Southwest Alaska can probably be attributed to ADS-Bs ability to enhance aviation safety by providing pilots with features such as automatic traffic call-outs and warnings of impending arrivals or take-offs in the runway (ADS-B Creates a New Standard for Aviation Safety, 2007).ADS-B, having a range of more than 100 miles, provides the aircraft with a wider margin in which to detect encroach (e.g. an imminent collision). Compared to existing systems, resolution of conflicts can be enacted within a shorter duette of time.Disadvantages of ADS-BBenenson (2005) noted a certain blemish of ADS-B while flying his Cessna Cardinal, which he equipped with ADS-B UAT (Universal Access Transceiver). It was notADS-B 5really a disadvantage of the technology itself but rather to the lack of ground-based transceivers (GBTs) at present. In order for non-ADS-B aircrafts to be displayed in a CDTI, the ADS-B equipped plane must(prenominal) be within the line of parade of a GBT. The GBT sends traffic information culmination from air traffic surveillance sensors, most probably radar.The radar information notwithstanding is not as accurate as the one received through ADS-B, so the non-ADS-B plane appears in the CDTI distorted. Related to this, pilots who are equipped with the new technology whitethorn be over-confident, thinking that he suddenly understands the surrounding traffic, forgetting that only equipped aircraft are able to transmit their position quite clearly (Caisso, 2001).Evans (2006) tackles more serious issues such as the risk of spoofing by individuals whose furbish up intent is to produce as umpteen false ASD-B targets on an air traffic controllers screen. Dick Smith, the actor head of Australias Civil Aviation Authority, was the first to catch up with public the human race of such a risk. He claimed that spoofing can be done using a laptop, an AD S-B transceiver and a $5 antenna.ADS-B experts in the United States, after performing their own tests, agree with Smith that spoofing is indeed possible with the new technology. FAA, being aware of such a possibility, are putting the pressure on the bidders for ground stations, which should be able to show their systems anti-spoofing ability.Although ADS-B is seen to be less expensive than radar, airline and aviation companies steady think that the new technology is not worth the amount theyre red to spend to replace existing systems and are holding off buying until the prices drop (Evans, 2006).However, the prices are not likely to go down until there is a great demand for the technology. ADS-B Program Manager Vincent Capezzuto said that if consumers are not willing to make any investment risks, it will be difficult to follow airspace mandates and delays in the benefits offered by the program could be delayed.ADS-B 6Evans (2006) also tackled the danger of completely relying on G PS for aircraft soaring and surveillance. FAA acknowledges that GPS may be prone to burden and of course, failure. When such a situation arises, an ADS-B equipped aircraft will have no essence by which to obtain air traffic information. It is therefore critical to come up with a backup system.The Implication of ADS-B in the Aviation IndustryADS-B can be considered a milestone in the aviation industry. neer before has there been a technology that can provide so much air traffic information and a lot of other features with just a single equipment. With the large volume of passengers and greater air traffic expected by FAA in the coming years, ADS-B seems to be a viable (if not the most) answer to this issue.