Page 162 - Planning and Design of Airports

Air Traf fic Management 129

identity of the aircraft, the second line its altitude and ground speed,
and the third line gives the beacon code transponder number and the
aircraft track number. To be able to have this information presented
on the radarscope, the aircraft must carry a mode-C or mode-S tran-
sponder that has the capability of altitude reporting along with air-
craft identity. All commercial airline aircraft carry a transponder,
which satisfies the requirement for reporting altitude. Further, all air-
craft flying in Class A, B, or C airspace are required to have an operat-
ing transponder onboard.

NextGen
For more than 50 years air traffic control systems have gone through
a number of incremental technological enhancements, such as
enhanced radar capabilities, automated flight service systems, and
ground-based navigation systems. Despite these upgrades, it has
been widely recognized that the traditional radar and analog-based
communication system will not be sufficient to accommodate the
increasing demands on the system in the twenty-first century.
As part of the Vision 100 Century of Aviation Reauthorization Act
of 2003, the U.S. federal government called for a complete transfor-
mation of the national airspace system and a modernization of its air
traffic control facilities. This modernization has come to be known as
the “next generation air traffic system” or NextGen. Through the act,
Congress directed the formation of a “Joint Planning and Develop-
ment Office” (JPDO) to facilitate the mammoth task of converting the
current system to a fully automated, digital, satellite-based air traffic
management system. The JPDO comprises of representatives from
the FAA, NASA, The U.S. Departments of Transportation, Defense,
Homeland Security, Commerce, and the White House Office of
Science and Technology Policy, and directed to develop a next gen-
eration air traffic system that is technologically advanced and fully
integrates the interests of all who use the nation’s aviation system.
NextGen will focus on making the satellite-based GPS system
and digital data communications the backbone of air traffic manage-
ment. Integrated into NextGen are GPS, WAAS, and ADS-B technol-
ogy to allow for digital surveillance of air traffic between both
ground-based air traffic management facilities as well as among
aircraft themselves. In addition to ADS-B technology, NextGen features
the following capabilities, as described by the FAA:

SWIM
System wide information management (SWIM) provides the infra-
structure and services to deliver network-enabled information access
across the NextGen air transportation operations. As an early oppor-
tunity investment, SWIM will provide high-quality, timely data to
many users and applications—extending beyond the previous focus