23 April 2007
The CAA has published its latest paper on the Mode S consultation. Snappily entitled ‘CAA Consultation on Improving the Technical Interoperability of Aircraft in UK Airspace’ it gives some of the authority’s latest thoughts on Mode S implementation.
Much of what the document says is not new: generally it summarises the findings of last year’s consultation and defends many of the CAA’s viewpoints. Among the issues are exemptions for various classes of aircraft, the motivations for making Mode S mandatory and Low Power SSR Transponders (LPSTs).
However, it does give (in its final paragraph) a timetable of sorts for the future of the implementation. It suggests that a ‘phased approach’ may well be adopted for the second stage of Mode S, and that the first phase could be the introduction of Mode S ‘as the means of compliance in the airspace where carriage of transponders is already mandated’.
Later phases could include mandatory carriage in Class D airspace, and other specific zones ‘in order to specifically address identified safety concerns.’ Later proposals would also consider ‘the impact of airspace utilisation and user requirements on interoperability requirements and the transponder carriage regulation.’
‘Our overall aim,’ says the CAA, ‘remains to achieve a safe and interoperable environment for all airspace users and ANSPs. Informal and formal consultation on these proposals will be conducted in due course where appropriate.’
Read the full document at <a href=’http://www.flyer.co.uk/modes’ target=’_blank’>www.flyer.co.uk/modes</a> (pdf document).
