Pacific Rim ANSPs implement 14-minute oceanic flight tracking

Pacific Rim air navigation services providers (ANSPs) Airservices Australia, Airways New Zealand and FAA are now using Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Contract (ADS-C) technology to track aircraft across the Pacific Ocean every 14 minutes. 

This more than halves the previous tracking interval of every 30-40 minutes, and brings the region into compliance with ICAO recommendations for tracking oceanic flights every 15 minutes or less. The new ADS-C tracking procedureswere implemented at the end of June, maximizing the use of existing aircraft equipment to improve safety standards.

Airservices Australia began testing more frequent satellite flight tracking with an initial proof-of-concept trial in late January. The 14-minute standard was extended to all Australian airspace by the end of May when it was also rolled out by Airways New Zealand in New Zealand airspace.  FAA adopted the enhanced tracking standard in US Pacific airspace at the end of June, completing the coverage across the Pacific.

Airservices said that, in addition to improved safety benefits, more frequent tracking would allow controllers to provide a higher level of service to flights, including more efficient routing around poor weather to minimize passenger delays and reduce fuel consumption and emissions.

Malaysia’s Department of Civil Aviation has recently implemented more frequent aircraft tracking within its airspace using the same technology and Airservices said it would “continue to work closely with our near neighbors such as Fiji, Papua New Guinea and Indonesia to continue building satellite tracking coverage in the Pacific region.”