Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) is now operational in Alaska, FAA said Thursday.
“NextGen technology is already helping make aviation safer and more efficient,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “This innovation is transforming air transportation and every traveler is going to see the benefits.”
Alaska was the initial test site for ADS-B under the Capstone project from 1999-2006. Through Capstone, FAA said it equipped hundreds of general aviation aircraft in Southeast Alaska with ADS-B avionics and installed ground-based infrastructure. Alaska is one of four key sites that the FAA selected to test and demonstrate ADS-B services. The other sites include Houston and the Gulf of Mexico, Louisville, Ky., and Philadelphia. The NextGen plan calls for nationwide deployment of ADS-B by 2013.
Earlier this year, the Wide Area Multilateration (WAM) system became operational in Alaska. WAM will serve as a backup to ADS-B in the event of a GPS outage and provide an additional source of traffic broadcast to properly equipped aircraft. More