STATUS Report from WGC
AMCP WGW/WP9
AERONAUTICAL MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS PANEL
WORKING GROUP OF THE WHOLE
Montreal, 21-24 May 2002
STATUS Report from WGC
(Rapporteur Working Group C)
1. Introduction:
1.1 WGC was re-instated at AMCP/7 with the objective to respond to Recommendation 4/2 of AMCP/5, stating:
Recommendation 4/2 — Future operational and system concept Exploration.
That an appropriate ICAO body be tasked to:
a) develop an ATM-operational concept, scenarios for all phases of flight and operational requirements for implementation beyond 2010;
b) explore the long-term system requirements for aeronautical VHF systems in the light of a) above;
c) explore the likely airspace user needs for VHF systems beyond 2010; and
d) acquire the current implementation plans for aeronautical VHF systems in the various ICAO regions, in order to develop recommendations for gradual reduction in the total number of systems operating therein.
1.2 It was noted that the task under a) would be the responsibility of the meanwhile established Air Traffic Management Panel.
1.3 Although the recommendation primarily addresses data links in the VHF band, the meeting agreed that also data links operating outside the VHF band need to be addressed in this activity.
1.4 Based on this premise AMCP/7 agreed on a set of activities for WG-C of which the progress is reported in this paper.
2. General overview of activities
2.1 Since AMPC/7, WG-C held three meetings:
1) 11-19 October 2000, Montreal, Canada
2) 7-11 May 2001, Noordwijk, The Netherlands
3) 15-19 October 2001, Alaska, USA
2.2 To finalise its work, WGC has two more meetings scheduled;
1) 27-30 May 2002, Montreal, Canada
2) 15-24 October 2002, Kobe, Japan
2.3 Aside from some specific identified activities, the working group is preparing a single comprehensive document, in which its findings are reported to AMCP/8.
3. Status report
3.1 The present status on WG-C activities is as follows:
a) explore the long-term system requirements for aeronautical VHF systems in the light of
the ATM concept, scenarios for all flight and operational requirements for implementation for beyond 2010 to be developed by the ATMCP;
As the ATMCP held its first, meeting 18-28 March 2002, WG-C wasn’t in a position to fully explore the future VHF system requirements. A preliminary assessment of the operational and technical requirements is ongoing. Meanwhile studies have been undertaken to address the future mobile communication infrastructure.
b) to explore the likely airspace user needs for aeronautical VHF systems beyond 2010
No work has been undertaken for this task, but the need will be likely expressed in a volume of communication traffic within the infrastructure under a).
c) to acquire current implementation plans for aeronautical VHF systems:
A template has been agreed to document implementation plans, feed back from members is rather limited.
d) consider the need for developing SARPs for the UAT system:
WG-C considers this task as finished. WG-C based on an assessment of the three ADS-B candidate data links recommends that the development of SARPs for UAT should be considered provided that specific elements which are outside the expertise of WG-C are validated by appropriate working groups or panels. A separate paper is submitted to WGW.
e) consider in its work difficulties related to channel labeling:
WG-C doesn’t address this issue for the present standardized systems, however the frequency management will be taking into consideration for future systems;
f) monitor the progress of development of interoperability among AMSS networks complying with AMSS SARPs:
No progress to report.
g) review the Annex 10 radio telephony procedures:
The radio telephony procedures of the existing Annex 10 radiotelephony procedures have been analysed as they relate to AMS(R)S and other digital voice communication systems in which communications use a full duplex “telephone-style” direct controller/pilot circuit-mode operation. It was concluded that no immediate requirement arises to amend Annex 10 radiotelephony procedures. It was noted that the Manual of Radiotelephony (Doc 9432) will need to be reviewed and possibly updated to include guidance material for the use of such systems. As the manual update requires operational expertise, it was concluded that WG-C completed this task and brought the need to update Doc 9432 to the attention of the ICAO secretariat.
h) multiple use of vocoders:
WG-C concluded that in order to maintain a high voice quality the use of vocoders in tandem should be avoided for satellite networks. On the terrestrial side VDL Mode 3 is at present the only other air-ground data link where the problem of the use of vocoders in tandem might arise. Therefore, the FAA was requested to verify whether with the possible implementation of VDL Mode 3, the voice network configuration would include the use of vocoders in tandem. After this verification, WG-C agreed to request the ICAO secretariat to include in the appropriate ICAO documentation a recommendation to discourage the use of vocoders in tandem.
i)wireless communication systems on airports:
The possible introduction of wireless systems on airport will be considered as an integral part of overall future mobile communication infrastructure.
j) monitor the development of relevant industrial standardization activities:
The developments are monitored through individual members of the working group.