Airspace4All GA Airfield ATS ADS-B Traffic Display Trial at Barton to continue until 30 April 2020
The trial use of ADS-B to provide general aviation ATS units with real-time traffic awareness in the vicinity of Barton Aerodrome has been extended, after the initial trial period proved successful. Barton and Airspace4All, which has been overseeing the trial, have been given approval by the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to continue the project until the end of April 2020.
The initial phase of the trial has gathered evidence of the effectiveness of ADS-B to enhance ATS situational awareness and provide improved traffic information for the general aviation (GA) community. The trial is contributing to development of CAA policy on the use of surveillance systems by GA ATS units with the ultimate aim to permit rollout of a capability across the UK. Airspace4All will be reporting back to the CAA in the autumn with feedback from all three participating GA airfields.
Airspace4All has already published some information on the trial, including situation reports, ATS feedback and video capture of the ATS display at the aerodrome. Barton also delivered a well-received presentation of their experiences at the recent CAA Share the Air conference.
Steve Hutt, Airspace4All Electronic Conspicuity Lead & Trial Manager said:
“Much hard work has gone into this project and Airspace4All is grateful for the support of the flying community at Barton, plus the commitment shown by Barton’s ATS staff and management, without which we would not have enjoyed the success we have. The GA Airfield ATS ADS-B Traffic Display has proven its value from both a flight safety and operations management perspective. Phase 2 of this Trial will allow us to learn even more.”
The ADS-B traffic display at Barton is also providing an ideal platform for further research into electronic conspicuity for GA aircraft interaction with drones and hang-gliders/paragliders/paramotors in the vicinity of GA airfields – a joint programme sponsored by Airspace4All and NATS.
For Phase 2 of the trial there will be a change in terminology. Instead of ‘Traffic Display’ we will begin to use the term ‘Flight Information Display’ or ‘FID’.
