SITA AIRCOM Data Link Service

1. SITA AIRCOM Data Link Service

2. Summary • Development of SITA Aircraft Datalink. • History • ACARS Data Link • How ATC uses Datalink today. • Services • Implementation Support • The future of Datalink. • Capacity - VDL. • The need for ATN. • Implementation Schedule. • SITA ATN Services.

3. History • The airlines created SITA in 1949 to provide them with shared network services. • SITA established an integrated data (and now digital voice) network, with access points in over 220 countries.

4. History • From 1985, SITA expanded data network coverage to aircraft by: • deploying VHF AIRCOM ground stations and • establishing links to the Satellite AIRCOM INMARSAT ground stations. • The AIRCOM Data Link Service provides aircraft with a means to exchange data with airline systems connected to the SITA terrestrial network.

5. ACARS Data Link • SITA provides AIRCOM Data Link service for use by Aircraft Communication Addressing and Reporting System (ACARS) avionics. • The AIRCOM Data Link service is used by over 4,000 aircraft, belonging to over 90 airlines.

6. VHF AIRCOM Coverage (end 1999)

7. How ATC uses Datalink today • ATC Datalink. • Clearance Services. • D-ATIS Services. • FANS-1/A Services. • Support to ATC Datalink implementation.

8. ATC Data Link • With the ICAO adoption of the FANS CNS/ATM concept, SITA began working with ATC agencies to define ATC Data Link services. • SITA participates in the development of ATC data link standards and performance requirements. • SITA offers AIRCOM ACARS network access to ATC agencies implementing initial data link services.

9. AIRCOM Use for ATC Clearances Flight Plan Processing System 1 5 ACARS AVIONICS CLEARANCE ACQUISITION 3 CLEARANCE REQUEST AIRCOM SERVICE PROCESSOR POSITIVE ACK 2 CLEARANCE MESSAGE 4 CLEARANCE ACK CLEARANCE SYSTEM IN ATC CENTRE

10. AIRCOM use for Digital ATIS VHF AIRCOM Ground Station Voice ATIS VHF Ground Station Datalink ATIS and digitised voice ATIS are provided by the same system ensuring identical information is provided by both means. SITA Datalink Service Processor routes ACARS messages containing ATIS requests between aircraft and the ATIS ground system

11. AIRCOM use for FANS-1/A ADS/CPDLC FANS-1/A ADS/CPDLC ACARS Convergence Function Satellite Data Unit ACARS Management Unit VHF Transceiver VHF AIRCOM Ground Station Satellite AIRCOM SITA Network SITA ACARS Processor uses the address entered by the airborne system to route messages to the destination FANS-1/A ground system. FANS-1/A Ground System ADS/CPDLC ACARS Convergence Function

12. ATC Data Link Implementation • SITA supports ATS provider tests of their data link applications to measure the performance and to define procedures for their use. • SITA has introduced enhancements such as direct X.25 access for ATC ground systems to resolve performance issues with the teletype access network.

13. ATC Data Link Implementation • Eurocontrol is using the SITA AIRCOM service in the PETAL II tests for Maastricht ATC to exchange CPDLC messages with FANS-1/A equipped aircraft. • PETAL II demonstrates that an ATN compliant CPDLC ground system can communicate with aircraft equipped with either FANS-1/A or ATN CPDLC.

14. Future of SITA Datalink • Capacity - VDL. • The need for ATN. • Implementation Schedule. • SITA ATN Services.

15. Capacity - VHF ACARS to VDL • The VHF ACARS networks in the high density airspace of Europe and the USA cannot support increased traffic. • While more VHF frequencies may be available for VHF ACARS in USA, there are none available in Europe.

16. Capacity - VHF ACARS to VDL • SITA will increase VHF AIRCOM data link capacity by introducing VHF Digital Link Mode 2 service providing 10-20 times more capacity per channel. • SITA has contracted with Harris corporation to develop a VHF Ground Station (VGS), providing VDL Mode 2 and VHF ACARS service, for delivery in 2000.

17. The need for ATN • To meet the predicted increase in aircraft movements ATS Providers seek affordable and sustainable growth in airspace capacity to meet (reducing) delay targets. • Increased air traffic will be supported by migrating from voice to data comms, leading to an exponential rise of ATC datalink usage.

18. The need for ATN • Airlines Seek: • Increase operational efficiency, • Increase operational flexibility, • To take advantage of increased aircraft automation. • Airlines need a single, global standard to ensure that the same avionics can be used world-wide.

19. ATN Implementation Schedule • The earliest plan to implement operational ATN CPDLC service is the FAA CPDLC Build 1 in July 2002. • ATC host upgrade cycles indicate that ATN CPDLC cannot be implemented operationally in Europe before 2003. • Certified ATN applications will be integrated into production avionics around 2002, airline fleet equipage will ramp up after this date.

20. Potential transition paths identified in Link 2000+

21. SITA ATN Subnetwork Services • Satellite AIRCOM support for ATN communications has been demonstrated in the ADS Europe project. • The SITA VDL ground station will support ATN/VDL sub-network service. • SITA will also offer ACARS over AVLC (AOA) service to promote the installation of avionics platforms designed to support a full ATN implementation.

22. SITA ATN Routing Services • SITA developed an ATN Router as a partner in ProATN and its predecessor, the EurATN project. • SITA will provide operational ATN routing services based on the ATNSI / ACI Router Reference Implementation. • SITA has agreed to contribute financially to the ATNSI development of the ATN/VDL interface.

23. Conclusions • ATC agencies are implementing ATN to increase airspace capacity in response to increasing demand. • SITA will support this objective by enabling CPDLC services to be offered to the widest possible range of datalink equipped aircraft.