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| Airservices Australia air traffic control tower. Photo: Airservices Australia |
[Avionics Today 03-02-2015] AirServices Australia (ASA) has entered into two new partnerships to improve the country’s Air Traffic Management (ATM). The Australian Air Navigation Service Provider (ANSP) signed a framework agreement with Thales to start advanced work on the OneSKY program to modernize the country’s civil and military ATM infrastructure. Under the agreement, Thales will work with ASA and Australia’s Department of Defense to create a single system capable of managing all Australian civil and military air traffic, incorporating technologies to handle the world’s most dense air traffic regions and to manage predicted future increases in air traffic volumes.
Additionally, ASA has teamed with Inmarsat and other aviation stakeholders to trial improved flight tracking services on commercial airline flights to and from the country. The announcement follows an International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) resolution on Feb. 6 to adopt a new 15-minute tracking standard for commercial aircraft. ASA is working with Inmarsat, Qantas and Virgin Australia to develop the operational concept for the trial, using Automatic Dependent Surveillance – Contract (ADS-C) satellite technology in Australia’s oceanic regions. ADS-C provides Air Traffic Controllers (ATCs) with a constantly updated surveillance picture of their airspace, thereby allowing safe and efficient oceanic operations. ASA will be the first ANSP to trial the ICAO standard, using Inmarsat’s global flight tracking ADS-C messaging service.