Brazil might just be the host of the decade, welcoming both the World Cup and the Summer Olympics in a short multi-year span. This could be seen as a coming out of sorts, eclipsing Russia's recent Olympic glory with the sheer scale and scope of the massive global double header.
The country is facing some technological upgrades, as it looks to successfully manage the spike in travel associated with the events - especially with air travel, as guests both arrive from afar and fly domestically to various venues.
This upgrade takes on even more significance with the recent technological mysteries surrounding MH 370, as increased air traffic means more potential problems.
Faced with aging radar and related air traffic equipment, vast upgrades are required to continue supporting the growth of the air industry. Brazil sees this aging infrastructure as an opportunity to leverage the attention of upcoming events into a full-on update of country-wide air traffic technology, starting first with the airport communications equipment that facilitates the pilot/tower relationship.
The Comissão de Implantação do Sistema de Controle do Espaço Aéreo (CISCEA) is the national organization responsible for the air traffic infrastructure, and the body is working with SITA to implement the upgrades necessary to ensure smooth jetting.
The new technology includes Departure Clearance (DCL) and Digital-Automatic Terminal Information Service (D-ATIS) datalink services, which are already in play at both Rio's Antonio Carlos Jobim International Airport and São Paulo’s GRU. Moving beyond these two airports, the technologies will bring controller-pilot data link communications to 23 airports across the country.
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An example of an Airbus-installed CPDLC system[/caption]
The DCL system plugs into locally-installed technology to deliver more seamless departure control by connecting pilots to the control tower via datalink. When a pilot is ready for takeoff, she can request departure clearance by sending a text message to the tower; the controller then responds via the same link.
The D-ATIS delivers real-time operations data to pilots, such as weather and other pertinent information for safe, successful and efficent arrivals, departures, taxiing and gate management.
Currently, much of this communication occurs on the VHF radio frequency which can be overloaded and prone to random interference - especially with increased aircraft on the tarmac and on approach. The D-ATIS text-based system reduces potential issues relating from poor communication with a straight visual interface for pilots, which looks something like this according to an early document:
DCL has a similar interface with different inputs and outputs, which allows pilots to insert their current information which is then submitted to the air traffic controller's computer. The controller can then see which of the filed flight plans have requested clearance, and select flights for clearance; this clearance is then transmitted via text back to the airplane for acknowledgement.
In the announcement for the tech boost, the President of CISCEA Major Brigadier Carlos Vuyk de Aquino highlights just how vital smooth air operations will be to these extremely large and complicated events:
Brazil has the busiest airspace in South America and we are very proud to be hosting two of the world’s biggest sporting events. We want everyone flying to, from and within Brazil to have smooth and uneventful journeys. It is therefore essential that our air traffic managers have access to the very best technology available.
This investment is not only for these big events, but is part of SIRIUS, DECEA’s major modernization program. A cornerstone of this program is the delivery of datalink services at Brazil’s main airports to transform air traffic communications. We have been working with SITA over the past ten years and we are confident that the SITA team will deliver exactly what we need.
Philip Clinch, SITA Vice President of Aircraft Services, is promoting the value of the datalink for overall reliability and safety:
Using datalink makes flying more efficient and even safer. The transmission of data in text format is highly reliable. It reduces workload for both air traffic controllers and pilots by improving the accuracy of their communications. And information can be transmitted at any phase of the flight, in advance of the busy time period of departure and approach.
Four airports at a time will be receiving the new technology, with the final installations set to be operational for the 2016 Olympics.
NB: Brazil sky image courtesy of Shutterstock.