Airspace Management

The Qualimetrics Inc sensors in the remote weather farm feed actual conditions to a computer which translates the details into a synthesised voice broadcast. The information is also recorded on paper and sent to the Bureau of Meteorology. The ceilometer (foreground with red band) detects the cloud base height. Over a period of observations, the computer establishes a trend in cloud cover and reports it as being scattered, broken or overcast. (Rod Pascoe)

An Automatic Weather Observation Service (AWOS), again the first of its type in the country, was also installed. Updated every 60 seconds and accessible by VHF radio and telephone (see ERSA), the synthesised voice identifies the broadcast with location and time then proceeds with actual winds, temperature, dew point, cloud ceiling, visibility and QNH. As the QNH is an actual and not a forecast figure, the instrument approach minimas will soon be lowered by another 50 feet or so.

Installing the Honeywell/Pelorus differential GPS landing system should be the final solution to bad weather approaches. The system operates by placing GPS receivers at known locations which are then referenced to a point on the runway. The receivers take satellite measurements and the error in the measurements is computed based on the known location. This computation includes errors to ionospheric, tropospheric delays as well as Selective Availability (SA). The measured errors are then transmitted to the receiver in the aircraft which is also receiving the same signal from the satellites. The airborne receiver corrects for the common error sources. This process will provide aircraft systems with navigation data that has an accuracy range of 1.5 metres horizontally and two metres vertically. The system also transmits to the airborne receiver the desired approach path.

The council intends to enter into an arrangement with Pelorus whereby a factory is established to manufacture DGPS equipment in the Armidale region and the airport is used as a showplace for the product. The navaid upgrade plan is the first step in a three stage upgrade that includes an improved terminal — opening early ’96 — and an extended runway.

The Silent Cockpit

At the Australian/New Zealand Societies of Air Safety Investigators seminar held in Brisbane recently, discussion centred on human factors in Air Traffic Services (ATS) en route centres. With new Air Traffic Management (ATM) equipment and procedures being introduced as part of The Australian Advanced Air Traffic System (TAAATS) and particularly in the CNS/ATM application, concern was raised over replacing conventional voice communication with datalinks. Apart from the many changes taking place in the new ATS environment, the flight deck too, takes on a new ambience ~ no longer will pilots hear the familiar crackle of the HF or VHF radio.

The use of Automatic Dependent Surveillance (ADS) has its advantages over the existing radio system. The first benefits to come from the new technology will be seen in Brisbane Oceanic airspace this year. However, pilots have relied on hearing broadcasts from other aircraft to gain a situational awareness of their airspace. The meeting suggested, as part of the transition to the CNS/ATM environment, the human factor implications of ‘silent’ communications be addressed, for both ATS staff and pilots.

With the recent certification of FANS-1, Cockpit Resource Management (CRM) training for pilots needs to look at a myriad of changed procedures. Mr Peter Reardon of the Bureau of Air Safety Investigation (BASI) alluded to future promulgation of a third set of flight rules to cope with the new technology — EFR or Electronic Flight Rules.

Png’S New Radar

April this year saw the commissioning of Papua New Guinea’s very first ATC radar at Port Moresby Airport. Alenia of Italy has installed an ATCR-33 primary and SIR-M monopulse secondary radar system. The package also includes the control centre with simulator and training for air traffic controllers and maintenance technicians. Air transport is becoming increasingly important to the local economy and the Port Moresby installation will be the first of many designed to bring the island’s ATC system up to world standards.