NTL Record

Title Analysis of Controller-Pilot Voice Communications from Kansas City Air Route Traffic Control Center
Record ID 62179
Personal Name
Creator
Lennertz, Tracy; Cardosi, Kim; Yost, Alan; Bisch, Alison
Source 19p. in various pagings
Corporate Creator John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (U.S.)
Corporate
Contributor
United States. Department of Transportation. Federal Aviation Administration
Publisher John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (U.S.)
Publication Date 20170700
Language English
Abstract The implementation of Controller Pilot Datalink Communications (CPDLC) in domestic en route airspace is a key enabling technology in the Next Generation Air Transportation System. The Federal Aviation Administration plans to implement en route CPDLC in 2019 in Kansas City Air Route Traffic Control Center (ZKC). Here, we examined routine controller-pilot communication in ZKC airspace to provide insights into anticipated benefits of CPDLC implementation and to inform a baseline of communication measures to be used for a post-implementation comparison. While the realized benefits will depend on the level of equipage and actual implementation, these findings highlight some of the anticipated benefits of CPDLC implementation. The analysis showed that frequency changes due to transfer of communications were the largest category of pilot and controller transmissions and the majority of readback errors. The second most common controller instruction was an altitude change. Both of these can be conveyed via CPDLC in the initial en route implementation. Using CPDLC for the most common transmissions will reduce frequency congestion, allowing more time for users to access the frequency and reducing the probability of step-ons and blocked transmissions.
Rosap ID dot:12501
Rosap URL https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/12501
TRT Terms Air traffic control; Airlines; Data communications; Flight crews; Human factors; Human information processing; Voice communication
General Subjects Controller-Pilot Data Link Communications (CPDLC); National Airspace System
Classification NTL - AVIATION - AVIATION;
NTL - AVIATION - Air Traffic Control;
NTL - AVIATION - Aviation Human Factors
Geographical
Coverage
Missouri
TRIS Online
Accession No
1644516
Report Number DOT-VNTSC-FAA-17-13; DOT/FAA/TC-17/44
Availability Volpe National Transportation Systems Center, Technical Reference Center
Resource type Tech Report
URL https://ntlrepository.blob.core.windows.net/lib/62000/62100/62179/DOT-VNTSC-FAA-17-13.pdf
Format PDF
Database NTL Digital Repository