Delta Air Lines has received a FAA supplemental type certificate (STC) on avionics from ACSS, of Phoenix, and an electronic flight bag from Astronautics Corporation of America, of Milwaukee.
The avionics applications are based on ACSS’s Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) products. The avionics include In-Trail Procedures (ITP) and Surface Area Movement Management (SAMM) that are part of ACSS’s SafeRoute suite of ADS-B In applications. The Class 3 EFB from Astronautics hosts a Universal Cockpit Display of Traffic Information (U-CDTI) application, collaboratively developed by ACSS and Astronautics, which enables the display of SafeRoute ADS-B information in the cockpit.
“Seeing these applications in action is very exciting,” said Capt. Mark Bradley, Delta’s chief technical pilot. “Delta looks forward to working with ACSS, Astronautics and air navigation service providers to demonstrate the benefits that are possible while using this system.”
With the STC in hand, Delta Air Lines is now equipping three of its Boeing 767-300ERs as part of Eurocontrol’s CASCADE program and will begin flying ITP in the North Atlantic later this month. The goal of CASCADE is to coordinate the implementation of ADS-B avionics in Europe by putting airlines together with suppliers such as ACSS and Astronautics.
“This is the first of 12 aircraft and three operators that ACSS is working with as part of CASCADE,” said ACSS General Manager Terry Flaishans. “The CASCADE program is validating the benefits of ADS-B and ITP. We look forward to more operators participating.”