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International Air Transport Association

International Air Transport Association. 8.33 KHz Channel Spacing – Status, Lessons Learned and a Glimpse to the Future. by Steve Zerkowitz Assistant Director Operations and Infrastructure - Europe. 1. The Decision.

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International Air Transport Association

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  1. International Air Transport Association 8.33 KHz Channel Spacing – Status, Lessons Learned and a Glimpse to the Future by Steve ZerkowitzAssistant Director Operations and Infrastructure - Europe

  2. 1. The Decision ICAO EUR RAN 1994 – To address the VHF frequency shortage, introduce 8.33 kHz channel spacing • ICAO COM OPS 1995 • EANPG 1995 > EUROCONTROL • In Upper Airspace Only • In the Core Area of Europe Only • Recognized as interim measure only

  3. 2. What was wrong with this decision? • What is the definition of Upper Airspace? • Core area only? • If this is an interim measure only, what happens afterwards? • Clearly, the intention was to save money, but… • Local solution with global impact • Is history about to repeat itself in the US??

  4. 3. Deadlines and Delays • Original deadline: 1 January 1998 • First revised deadline: 1 January 1999 • Second revised deadline: 7 October 1999 • Successful implementation on 7 October 1999

  5. 4. Why delays? • First delay = timescale was simply too ambitious • Second delay = lack of consistent European rule making and rule promulgation • Lack of equipment, delays in certification, late ordering • Delays in spite of mandate • Without a mandate, process would have stalled

  6. 5. Correcting the mistakes of the original decision- 1 • Carriage of equipment in the whole of the ICAO EUR Region, with exemptions where 8.33 was not yet needed • Use ICAO definition of Upper Airspace (adjust National procedures where needed) • Life beyond 8.33… still not addressed!

  7. 6. Correcting the mistakes of the original decision- 2 • More recently…. • ENPRM • EUROCONTROL High Level Communications Group

  8. 7. EUROCONTROL Project Management - 1 • Textbook example of best possible practice in a very difficult environment • 8.33 PMC • 8.33 Retrofit Group • 8.33 Contact Persons Group • Close contact with airspace users’ organizations and other stake holders • Technical, safety and operational aspects all addressed • Information promulgation – traditional methods plus 8.33 User Guide and web site

  9. 8. EUROCONTROL Project Management - 2 • Measuring the rate of equipage • Direct and indirect methods • CFMU role essential • Procedures for keeping the 8.33 kHz airspace clean of unequipped aircraft • Catching the cheaters – firm approach • Help from CFMU – as good as they come…. BUT! • Other internal differences successfully overcome

  10. 9. Impact on the airspace users • 10.000+ aircraft equipped • Is there a business case for 8.33 kHz? • Quantifying benefits very difficult • What do we get for this massive investment (+/-$ 390m)?

  11. 10. Spectrum benefits • 39 new channels created due to 8.33 kHz • 113 channels are now using 8.33 frequencies • 74 of these already existed in 25 kHz • opportunity for additional 40 channels • Less time & effort to allocate new channels • overlaps in 25 kHz environment meant that new channels only supported by “shifting” • ICAO FMG unable to satisfy demand prior to 8.33 • 25 kHz spectrum freed

  12. 11. Operational benefits • 8.33 kHz is an enabler for timely operational improvements • Re-sectorization: France, Germany, Switzerland, Maastricht • Airspace reorganisation in support of RVSM & other initiatives • Spare frequencies to overcome interference: France • Lower airspace services (supported by freed 25 kHz spectrum)

  13. 12. Issues remaining (but being addressed) • States must act on frequency management requests • 25 to 8.33 conversion is not always straightforward (carrier offset/levels/coupling, etc) • New channel is of no use if there is a lack of controllers • Radio control panel (6 digits) • Phraseology • More transparency is needed of how new channels are being used

  14. 13. The Future - 1 • Horizontal Expansion • 8.33 kHz channel-spacing horizontal expansion requires the co-ordinated removal of exemptions from 21 States on 31 October 2002. • 8.33 kHz will be progressively implemented after 31 October 2002 • Enables homogeneous area of operations for aircraft carriage • Introduction of 8.33 kHz in the OPC band?

  15. 8.33 Expansion - Simulation Results

  16. 14. The Future -2 • Vertical expansion? • One more interim measure… • Additional aircraft population involved is very large and diverse • Is it worth it…? • Time for a quantum leap? • EUROCONTROL’s Wide Band initiative

  17. 15. The Future - 3 • We need a thick pipe between the ground and the air, to exchange information • The cockpit is no longer the only place in the aircraft that has to communicate… • Combine and save?

  18. 16. The Future - 4 • A possible way ahead: • Maximize the benefits from 8.33 horizontal expansion and other means to ensure that we get sufficient spectrum capacity until new technology kicks in • Accelerate decision on, and development of, new communications technology and implement as soon as possible

  19. 17. Quantum leap? • Compare even the most modern VHF radio and the method of communicating with it to the advances made in the rest of the cockpit… QUANTUM LEAP OR JUST CATCHING UP????

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