Controller-pilot communications using a VDL Mode 2 datalink for the NASA runway incursion prevention system

Author

Gunawardena, Sanjeev ; Rankin, James M.

Author_Institution

Avionics Eng. Center, Ohio Univ., Athens, OH, USA

Volume

1

fYear

2001

Abstract

NASA´s Runway Incursion Prevention System (RIPS) was tested between September and October 2000 at the Dallas Fort-Worth International Airport (DFW). Controller-Pilot Datalink Communications (CPDLC) represented one component of the RIPS program. Air traffic controllers relayed surface operations instructions to NASA´s 757 research aircraft via a Controller Communications and Situational Awareness Terminal (C-CAST). The Onyx mainframe computer aboard the 757 decoded these messages and sent automatic acknowledgements back to the C-CAST. The CPDLC messages were sent over a datalink utilizing the ICAO-defined VHF Digital Link (VDL) Mode 2 protocol. This paper presents implementation and performance details of the datalink. The paper describes the VDL Mode 2 protocol, the overall architecture of the CPDLC system, hardware-software interfacing details, CPDLC message formats, signal coverage data for the DFW airport, and design details of the Airborne Datalink Manager (ADLM) software used for this work

Keywords

aerospace computing; air traffic control; aircraft communication; data communication; digital radio; graphical user interfaces; safety systems; telecommunication computing; transport protocols; ATC; Airborne Datalink Manager software; CPDLC message formats; GUI; ICAO-defined VHF digital link; NASA 757 research aircraft; NASA RIPS; Onyx mainframe computer; VDL Mode 2 protocol; VDL mode 2 datalink; air traffic control; airport; automatic acknowledgements; controller communications/situational awareness terminal; controller-pilot communications; hardware-software interfacing; runway incursion prevention system; signal coverage data; surface-operations instructions; Aerospace control; Air traffic control; Aircraft; Airports; Automatic control; Communication system control; Communication system traffic control; Digital relays; Protocols; System testing;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Digital Avionics Systems, 2001. DASC. 20th Conference

Print_ISBN

0-7803-7034-1

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/DASC.2001.963335

Filename

963335