City Airport (Manchester Barton) has officially started their Airspace4All GA Airfield ADS-B traffic display trial.
The aim of the trial is to gather evidence to enable the CAA to assess this capability and give consideration to policy change authorising use of ADS-B real-time traffic displays by GA Air Traffic Service (ATS) units. Additionally, Airspace4All hope that this trial will encourage further development of technology to support ATS provision at UK GA airfields.
Barton airfield’s ATS unit (call sign ‘Barton Information’) will be equipped with real-time flight tracking equipment that provides a situational awareness tool (but which does not provide any form of Air Traffic Control service).
A number of General Aviation aircraft based at Barton will be equipped with ADS-B Out devices as part of a trial.
The ADS-B Display is only capable of displaying ADSB-Out equipped aircraft and that aircraft that are Transponder Mode A/C/S only equipped will not be displayed to ATS staff.
Authorised by the CAA, Barton’s FISOs are using an ADS-B Ground Receiver, loaned by Airspace4All, to feed a traffic display to aid Barton’s situational awareness and enhance traffic safety. The intention is for the trial to run for six months.
During this time Barton will be providing daily feedback which will contribute to an Airspace4All report to enable the CAA to assess this capability and give consideration to policy change authorising use of ADS-B real-time traffic displays by GA ATS units.
Barton will be inviting a number of selected higher utilisation operators based at the airfield to participate in the trial by using a portable CAP1391 compliant ADS-B transceiver device, also loaned by Airspace4All. These devices will broadcast the aircraft’s position, giving Barton ATS staff visibility of the aircraft on the traffic display.
Additionally, though not an element of the trial, the participant aircraft can also benefit from onboard ADS-B In traffic information if they pair the transceiver with a suitable display device, such as a tablet with GDL90 compatible navigation app.
Information for pilots based at or visiting Barton is published here:
Barton Specific Arrangements – GA Airfield ATS ADS-B Traffic Display Trial
with additional information available on the Barton website:
www.cityairportandheliport.com/procedures Other GA airfields are expected to join the ADS-B trial soon
including Chichester Goodwood aerodrome in West Sussex and North Weald airfield in Essex.
Airspace4All says that it is now working with North Weald to prove the utility of already developed documentation and equipment.
Being close to Stapleford airfield (a busy training airfield), within the Stansted TMZ and under the Stansted CTA, North Weald operates under some congested and complex airspace, making it ideally located for trialling the ADS-B Traffic Display say Airspace4All.
