LiveATC Discussion Forums
Air Traffic Monitoring => Listener Forum => Topic started by: Jane G on August 17, 2004, 07:28:26 AM
-
I understand that there are currently exercises being undertaken locally and perhaps abroad to perpare for the elimination of ATC voice comms altogether for virtually all aircraft flight operations. Certainly at least for approach and departure procedures. Sorry I don't have any links just at the moment as I learned of this many months ago. From memory the proposed intention is to carry out all commercial aircraft-ground-aircraft ATC comms through digital data link rather than voice comms. Can anyone confirm this?
Cheers
Jane G
-
I understand that there are currently exercises being undertaken locally and perhaps abroad to perpare for the elimination of ATC voice comms altogether for virtually all aircraft flight operations. Certainly at least for approach and departure procedures. Sorry I don't have any links just at the moment as I learned of this many months ago. From memory the proposed intention is to carry out all commercial aircraft-ground-aircraft ATC comms through digital data link rather than voice comms. Can anyone confirm this?
Cheers
Jane G
Hi Jane,
Here is a quote from a friend who is a controller: "This comes up every few years but, so far, the FAA hasn't been able to spend enough money to make even voice com reliable"
-
I really doubt this will happen anytime soon. As long as pilots are part of commerical flying there will be voice comms. I flown through airspace all the time when people's transponders or NAV radios went out. All they had to navigate and avoid traffic was voice comms.
-
It's sad that a lot of weather reporting stations are changing from manned observations to automated that can't report snow/rain showers or thunderstorms, but provide continuous wind/altimeter readouts. I still feel that manned or LIVE atc voices are mandatory just as manned observations are from most major airports. So I agree with most you, keep ATC manned and live, pre-recorded or automated just won't cut it.
-
I heard something about this last year, exept they were wanting to go to a computer controlled, and have air traffic MANAGERS that are there to make sure the computer doesnt compromise anything. But what happends when the computer needs a reboot or has a power outtage. :)
-
HNL just recentlly just went to a ATIS computer voice setup about 3 months ago. Kinda miss hearing a human voice whenever I tune in. Of course HJR goes to ASOS when the tower closes and D class is terminated.
-
It's sad that a lot of weather reporting stations are changing from manned observations to automated that can't report snow/rain showers or thunderstorms, but provide continuous wind/altimeter readouts.
There are many automated weather reporting stations at airports around the US that *are* able to detect rain, snow, lightning, and visibility. Of course, anything automated has the potential to be fooled, but for the most part, these stations do a pretty good job.
Then again, the human observer has the ability to sometimes report too much information, as in a recent report at my home airport:
"... sky conditions: Few at 1,500, few at 2,500, few at 4,500, scattered at 6,000, broken at 12,000 and overcast at 22,000." :)
-
:D Look for the A02 in the RMK section of METARS. This states that the automated station can descriminate precipitation. Furthermore, it can desriminate between freezing and non-freezing precip.
Both automated machines and humans have faults. Automated machines may call it clear and 10 when its 5 HZ, and Overcast at 5,000 (which happened on a few ocasions at some of the fields up here). Humans can also misjudge. It will be quite interesting to see where the future will bring aviation/Air Traffic Control and their systems.
-
It's sad that a lot of weather reporting stations are changing from manned observations to automated that can't report snow/rain showers or thunderstorms, but provide continuous wind/altimeter readouts. I still feel that manned or LIVE atc voices are mandatory just as manned observations are from most major airports. So I agree with most you, keep ATC manned and live, pre-recorded or automated just won't cut it.
Digital ATIS is a reality I'm afraid, in Canada anyway. If aircraft are so equiped, the info is automatically printed in the cockpit. If not equiped, the info is received in the regular manner over a frequency.
Info from the AWOS (Automated weather observation site) is fed directly to the Digital ATIS. The controller confirms the AWOS data and releases the info for broadcast over the D-ATIS along with other pertinent data.
Actual current D-ATIS broadcast for CYKF http://www2.ykf.ca:8888/ATC/atis.m3u
I can assure you, the AWOS can differentiate between rain, snow and other freezing precipitation. It still continues to amaze me how accurate this machinery can be.
Cheers
Peter
http://www.ykf.ca