Rockwell Collins certifies ADS-B transmitter as part of FAA Safe Flight 21 program

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (November 18, 2003) - Rockwell Collins, a global leader in aviation electronics and communications, received the first Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Supplemental Type Certification (STC) for a full ARINC 718A compatible Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast (ADS-B) transmitter installation.

The STC is part of the Rockwell Collins Gulf of Mexico Advanced Traffic Surveillance (GoMATS) program, which includes the upgrade of 13 Continental Airlines 737-800s with ADS-B transponders in conjunction with the FAA’s Safe Flight 21 program.  The STC also makes provisions for future, high-integrity air-to-air ADS-B applications.  These aircraft will be operated over the Gulf of Mexico, as well as on other routes.  

The GoMATS program will help the FAA validate ground system requirements and perform a cost/benefit analysis for commercial carriers.  The program is expected to create more direct flight routes, increase capacity and reduce delays over the gulf.

The modified TPR-901 transponder supports ADS-B transmission, as well as the elementary surveillance (ELS) and enhanced surveillance (EHS) requirements scheduled to be mandated in Europe in 2005.  ELS provides the flight identification to Mode-S radar sites; EHS provides additional parameters including air speed, selected altitude, vertical rate and other information.  ADS-B broadcasts an aircraft’s position, velocity and other information without a radar site to interrogate the transponder.  The Rockwell Collins ADS-B implementation provides high-precision position for demanding applications. 

The FAA is establishing a network of ground stations on oil platforms to receive data which will then be transmitted and processed at Houston, Texas Center and Lafayette, Louisiana Terminal Radar Approach Control Facility (TRACON).  In the future, this data will be integrated on the air traffic controllers’ displays.

ADS-B, along with the Cockpit Display of Traffic Information (CDTI), forms the cornerstone of the next-generation air traffic management solution commonly referred to as “Free Flight.” The FAA is evaluating the use of ADS-B as part of the National Airspace System (NAS) modernization.

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