Course 7 - Section 21 - Surveillance, Systems and Equipment Flashcards
Name the four types of technology that surveillance systems rely on
Radar
Multilateration (MLAT)
Surface Movement Guidance and Control System (SMGCS)
Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B)
Radar
Radio Detection and Ranging
a detection system that uses radio waves as an electronic form of echolocation to determine position of objects
By measuring the amount of time that elapses between transmission and reflected return, the distance of an object from the antenna can be calculated. This is how
RANGE is determined
A rotating antenna is used to measure the azimuth (direction) of the reflected pulse, this is how bearing is determined
PSR
Primary surveillance radar (PSR) systems rely on reflected radio waves
The performance of PSRs can be affected by atmospheric moisture like rain or snow or a large flock of birds. The interrogation-reply system used in SSR eliminates those types of false returns
However THE DETECTION AND RANGE FOR BOTH PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SURVEILLANCE SYSTEMS IS LIMITED TO THE LINE OF SIGHT
SSR
Secondary Surveillance Radar
Secondary surveillance radar systems use an interrogation-reply system. The radar system broadcasts a request for information and a transponder on board each individual aircraft replies with encoded data such as its identity and altitude
With SSR, flight data processing matches an aircraft’s response to a specific code to its flight plan to generate an identification tag on the radar’s display
Squawk Codes
Each aircraft’s SSR transponder has four individually selectable digits (from 0 to 7) for a potential of 4096 unique codes.
The latest version of transponders (Mode S) rely on 24-bit addressing, allowing each aircraft worldwide to have its own, unique identification code
The data stream from mode S contains significantly more data compared to previous generation of transponders
RSE
What is it and list the two types
Radar Site Equipment
Radar site equipment refers to the housing that contains radar and electronic equipment necessary for detecting aircraft
RSE is located at most major airports and at other strategic locations where it provides approach and enroute radar surveillance
Two types of traditional RSE:
- Terminal Surveillance Radar (TSR)
- Independent Secondary Surveillance Radar (ISSR)
Radar Site Equipment
TSR
Terminal Surveillance Radar
Located at major canadian airports, terminal surveillance radar (TSR), consists of co-located PSR and SSR antennae
TSR provides digitized PSR and SSR targets as well as digitized weather data
There are 27 TSR installations across canada
Radar Site Equipment
ISSR
Independent Secondary Surveillance Radar
Installed at strategic locations across Canada, independent secondary surveillance radar (ISSR) provides accurate range and azimuth positioning for aircraft equipped with transponders (no primary!)
There are 20 ISSR installations across Canada
Radar - A note on terminology
“radar” and “surveillance” have been in the past used interchangeably. However, radar refers to a single form of surveillance tech.
“Surveillance” is the all-encompassing term that includes both traditional radar as well as more modern surveillance technologies
MLAT
Multilateration
MLAT is a surveillance technology that uses the measured differences in times of arrival of energy waves
The energy waves used in multilateration are an aircraft’s “replies” to normal SSR interrogation signals, which are captured by multiple strategically located ground stations instead of a single rotating antennae
Position is accurately determined by comparing the fractional differences in times that a response to an interrogation signal is received at different stations
SMGCS
Surface Movement Guidance and Control System
At larger airports, surface movement guidance and control system is used to provide airport controllers with highly accurate position information on aircraft and vehicles operating on the surface of the airport. It uses similar principles as PSR. Think of SMGCS as primary radar located at the top of a control tower and pointed at the ground
SMGCS surveillance data is presented to controllers as a display of aircraft and vehicle positions overlaid on a map of the airport’s runways and taxiways
The system provides a continuously updated display of all airport surface operations that controllers can use to spot potential collisions
ADS-B
Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast
ADS-B is a surveillance technology that allows an appropriately equipped and certified aircraft to determine its position via satellite navigation and periodically broadcast that information for surveillance purposes. ADS-B can be ground based or space based
ADS-B is AUTOMATIC in that it requires no input from the pilot or external sources
it is DEPENDENT in that it depends on data from the aircraft’s navigation systems. Position information that is broadcast comes from GNSS systems
Squits
ADS-B surveillance systems rely on aircraft automatically broadcasting their identification, position, and altitude approximately twice per second using expanded Mode S transponder technology
These broadcasts (also called squits) are received by the ground, airborne or space-borne receivers, and are processed for display to operational staff
ADS-B receivers have been integrated into the latest generation of Iridium communication satellites (a worldwide constellation of more than 75 satellites that provide coverage for voice and data communication for hand-held satellite phones and other receivers), making this type of surveillance technology available everywhere on earth
Surveillance Technology
Additional Equipment Requirements
Primary Surveillance Radar (PSR)
In a PSR environment, NO ACTION OR ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT IS REQUIRED
For the purpose of verifying identify, an aircraft may be required to carry out a turn or report a position
Surveillance Technology
Additional Equipment Requirements
SSR and MLAT
In both SSR and MLAT surveillance environments, THE AIRCRAFT ARE REQUIRED TO CARRY TRANSPONDERS capable of providing response to ground based interrogation signals
Surveillance Technology
Additional Equipment Requirements
SMGCS
SMGCS data is limited to the surface manoeuvering areas of larger airports and REQUIRES NO ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT for either vehicles or aircraft
Surveillance Technology
Additional Equipment Requirements
ADS-B
In an ADS-B surveillance environment AIRCRAFT USE GNSS to determine position. That position information IS BROADCAST BY A MODE S TRANSPONDER for subsequent processing and display
- GNSS AND MODE S required!
Surveillance Technology
Cooperation from Aircraft
PSR, SMGCS, SSR, MLAT, ADS-B
PSR does not require cooperation from aircraft
SMGCS does not require cooperation from aircraft or vehicles
SSR and MLAT depend on active replies from the aircraft’s transponder
ADS-B use GNSS and a broadcast link to relay their position to receiver stations which is then relayed to ATC facilities
Surveillance Technology
Accuracy
PSR and SSR
A radar system’s accuracy degrades with weather conditions, extended ranges and aircraft altitude
with PSR and SSR, the radiated beam becomes wider as the distance between the antenna and aircraft becomes greater, making the position information LESS ACCURATE
Surveillance Technology
Accuracy
MLAT or SMGCS
Because the distances under surveillance by MLAT or SMGCS are not as great as PSR or SSR, those systems ARE NOT AS SUSCEIPTIBLE TO SOME OF THE ISSUES OF ACCURACY associated with PSR and SSR
In addition, the frequency in which SMGCS operates makes it less susceptible to weather related interference
Surveillance Technology
Accuracy
ADS-B
With ADS-B, data accuracy IS NOT SUSCEPTIBLE to the position of the aircraft or the length of time between radar sweeps.
Received signal quality can still be affected by the range from the aircraft to the receiver, radio frequency interference, obstacles, or weather
Space based ADS-B can be affected by solar activity. However, built-in detection recognizes and discards erroneous signals so that the system maintains FULL ACCURACY
Surveillance Technology
Accuracy affected by weather or distance?
Summary
Accuracy affected by weather or distance?
PSR - Yes
SSR - Yes
MLAT - Yes, but to a lesser degree than PSR or SSR
SMGCS - Yes, but to a lesser degree than PSR or SSR
ADS-B - minimally
Surveillance Data Processing
Describe data processing and list the two systems used
Raw surveillance data must be processed before it can be used
There are several systems that process the data and display it for use by ATS personnel.
Here are two of them:
FUSION
Canadian Automated Air Traffic System (CAATS)
FUSION
Fusion is one of the surveillance data processing systems used at NAV CANADA
As its name implies, Fusion is capable of merging surveillance information from multiple sensors into display targets that can be viewed by ATS personnel
FUSION takes information from a variety of tracking systems and fuses them into each other to present THE MOST ACCURATE POSITION INFORMATION to operational staff
FUSION receives input from several surveillance sources, including RSE, ADS-B, SMGCS and MLAT
FUSION advantages
The inputs from different surveillance sources are combined to eliminate any holes or gaps in surveillance coverage
Fusion also eliminates the need to switch between different radar sources to better view the traffic
PSR weather returns are digitized and presented in two intensities, WEAK AND STRONG. The brightness of these weather returns is presented in a way that does not obscure any targets
The FUSION system also provides the controller with SHORT TERM CONFLICT ALERTS (STCAs)
CAATS
Canadian Automated Air Traffic System
CAATS is an electronic flight data processing system that stores and correlates flight information–such as flight plans and airport departure and arrival information–with surveillance data, flight trajectory, and communications
For ATS personnel, CAATS SIMPLIFIES FLIGHT DATA MANAGEMENT
For example. when a flight plan is entered into CAATS, a profile of that flight is created. CAATS takes note of all the sectors, towers, and flight service stations that the flight will pass through. At appropriate intervals it distributes flight data to the ATS positions responsible for the flight.
Everytime flight plan or clearance information changes, CAATS modifies the flight profile and, if necessary, generates new flight data with updated information at each position.
CAATS GIVES ATS PERSONNEL ACCESS TO THE CORRECT INFORMATION ON A TIMELY BASIS
CSiT
CAATS situational display
the CAATS situational display (CSit) is the interface between the controller and the CAATS system. Surveillance and accompanying flight data are displayed on a large flatscreen monitor
Controllers update critical flight data such as altitude and speed assignments through menus on the CSiT display
IIDS
(There’s a list)
Integrated Information Display System
The integrated information display system (IIDS) provides integrated access to a wide variety of essential operational information, including:
- Operational Information Display System (OIDS-R)
- Computerized Video Information Display System (CVIDS)
- NAV CANADA Auxiliary Radar Display System (NARDS)
- Extended Computer Display System (EXCDS)
OIDS-R
Operational Information Display System-Replacement
OIDS-R gathers, formats, and displays aviation weather for use by ATS personnel
The system collects hourly weather observations, aerodrome forecasts, SIGMETs, AIRMETs and PIREPs and presents them in an easy to read format
OIDS-R also monitors and displays the status of local airfield NAVAIDs and runway lighting configurations
CVIDS
Computerized Video Information Display System
CVIDS contains graphics files that show useful operational information, such as approach plates and local emergency procedures
NARDS
NAV CANADA auxiliary radar display system
NARDS is used for displaying and manipulating surveillance targets and flight plans
NARDS typically occupies one of the two monitors at an IIDS workstation
In the ACC, NARDS is used to display surveillance targets IN THE EVENT THAT CAATS, CSiT, or FUSION fail
in towers and flight service stations it is used as the main surveillance display
EXCDS
Extended Computer Display System
EXCDS is a flight plan manipulation and display system that provides real-time flight plan status information to ATS personnel in different geographical locations
EXCDS reduces the amount of verbal communication required to deal with flight data transactions by automating most of the repetitive operations
VSCS
Voice Switching and Control System
VSCS is the primary communication technology used in ATS
VSCS uses digital switching technology, which is the same technology used by phone companies
This system includes a touchscreen input device that allows you to select which frequencies and phone lines to use. You communicate through a headset
ATIS
Automatic Terminal Information Service
Many control towers and flight service stations use the ATIS
ATIS provides a continuous broadcast of recorded aeronautical information for selected airports
It is used to notify arriving and departing aircraft of important data such as
- Current Surface Weather
- Active Runways
- Runway and taxiway conditions
- Communication Frequencies
ATIS Broadcasts are updated by ATS personnel who create a voice recording for the broadcast
D-ATIS
Data Link ATIS (D-ATIS)
automates the distribution of ATIS information and can be installed on the IIDS platform
ATIS data is passed automatically to the text to voice generation system (TVGS) for broadcast
D-ATIS messages are also passed to the ACC for further dissemination
Rules Regarding Equipment Operation
List the rules!
- Test all equipment
- Do not tamper with equipment
- Display irregular operating status information
- Report malfunction
- Do not use malfunctioning equipment
