RFT 114: ADS-B

ADS-B enables increased capacity and efficiency by supporting:

Better ATC traffic flow management Merging and spacing Self-separation or station keeping Enhanced visual approaches; Closely spaced parallel approaches; Reduced spacing on final approach; Reduced aircraft separations; Enhanced operations in high altitude airspace for the incremental evolution of the "free flight" concept; Surface operations in lower visibility conditions; Near visual meteorological conditions (VMC) capacities throughout the airspace in most weather conditions; Improved air traffic control services in non-radar airspace; Trajectory-based operations providing a gently ascending and descending gradient with no step-downs or holding patterns needed. This will produce optimal trajectories with each aircraft becoming one node within a system wide information management network connecting all equipped parties in the air and on the ground. With all parties equipped with NextGen equipage, benefits will include reduced gate-to-gate travel times, increased runway utilization capacity, and increased efficiency with carbon conservation. Use of ADS-B and CDTI may allow decreased approach spacing at certain airports to improve capacity during reduced-visibility operations when visual approach operations would normally be terminated (e.g., ceilings less than MVA +500).