Airservices Australia continues to expand ADS-B coverage

Airservices Australia has moved another step closer nationwide surveillance with the commissioning of five new ADS-B ground stations under the Upper Airspace Program (UAP). The latest sites came on line in early August, 2007 bringing the total number in operation to ten.

Altogether 28 ground stations are planned at strategic locations to provide almost coast-to-coast air traffic control surveillance capability above 30,000 feet.

The new stations are located at Karratha, Billabong (near Kalbarri, WA) Alice Springs, Broome and Tennant Creek.

This will be the first time these areas have had the benefit of surveillance. ADS-B allows air traffic controllers to precisely track aircraft without the need for conventional radar. The new, low-cost technology is set to provide additional safety and operational benefits to aircraft operating over remote regions of Australia where radar is not practical, providing automated safety alerts if an aircraft comes into close proximity with other ADS-B equipped traffic or terrain, or deviates from an assigned route or altitude.

A number of already approved ADS-B equipped aircraft operated by Qantas and Virgin Blue will benefit from the new coverage down to the ground in the booming West Australian tourist hotspots of Broome and Karratha as well as busy Alice Springs.

Each month thousands of ADS-B approved flights will benefit from the additional coverage over major reporting points on international air routes. Even aircraft which are not yet ADS-B equipped have the potential to benefit as traffic advisories for, and on, ADS-B equipped aircraft in the air traffic mix will be more precise.