New Data Comm System by NextGen
The FAA is updating aviation communication system by transitioning from voice to text. The movement to a digital communication system creates greater efficiency and tested to result aim prove don time departures. Data Comm is in its first phase of the shift from the current use of analog voice transmission system.
In using current technology where each flight crew receives route instructions from the air traffic controller prior to pushing back the gate. The pilot of the aircraft equipped with the voice only communication system listens to the transmission from the controller and then repeats it, to make sure he has precisely transcribed everything. It often takes multiple voice transmission before everything is clear and this process takes several minutes depending on the complexity of the clearance. If the weather changes there are re-routes to deliver and this adds an additional time and more voice communication to the process.
With the NextGen’s Data Comm system enabled in a plane, the controller sends digital information directly to the plane’s data comm receiver. The pilot simply reads the text and press Wilco(will comply) to accept the new route. Those instruction are loaded directly onto the onboard computer system and sends directly to the airline operation center. And this process only takes seconds. For each flight,the airlines may be saving a few minutes but when they multiply this process across the daily flight operations, the time saving are significant and those time savings mean a more efficient system.
