Automatic Dependent Surveillance – Broadcast

ADS-B Implementation Status

Status, EU27+4 registered fleet, Version Number 2 (ED-102A/ DO260B)

To pave the way for the transformation of the European surveillance infrastructure towards the less costly and more spectrum efficient ADS-B technology, Airspace Users operating in EU airspace with airplanes of more than 5.7 tons maximum certified takeoff mass (MTOM) or maximum cruising true airspeed capability greater than 250 knots (KTAS) have been mandated by European Commission per Commission Implementing Regulation EU No 1207/2011 (SPI IR), amended by EU No 1028/2014 and EU 2017/386 to implement SPI IR compliant avionics, including ADS-B version 2 (according to EASA CS-ACNS and EUROCAE ED-102A) before June 7th 2020. The mandate applies to all GAT/IFR flights within the EU airspace, including operators whose state of registry is outside of the EU but operate into or across the EU airspace.

The European Commission tasked SESAR Deployment Manager (SDM) with the planning and execution of a coordinated and synchronized aircraft and ground implementation of ADS-B. In response to this request SDM produced the ADS-B Implementation Plan, the first edition of which was delivered and published in December 2018. SDM partnered with EUROCONTROL which supports the activity, by, amongst others, performing the operational and technical coordination, feedback from its NM performance monitoring on ADS-B as well as contributing to the preparation of the activity deliverables.

The 2018 edition of the ADS-B Implementation Plan established that the target date of the SPI IR, 7th June 2020, was not likely to be achieved by a non-negligible portion of the affected EU-based Airspace Users. Continuous monitoring of the implementation effort currently predicts the achievable compliance rate of the mandated fleet as approaching 80%. In order to provide an appropriate measure of legal accommodation of the residual fleet, the European Commission published COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING REGULATION (EU) 2020/587.

The regulation amends the existing SPI IR 1207/2011 and 1206/2011. Concerning the airborne implementation, it provides, beside the general shift of the compliance date, conditional transitional arrangements and exemptions.

Beside the transitional arrangements and the exemption scheme depicted in the figure above, the CIR 2020/587 revised other parts of the implementing rule.

Some of the changes relevant to the airborne implementation are as follows:

• Flight plans
  Operators of non-equipped State aircraft communicated as per Article 8(3) and operators of aircraft not equipped in accordance with Article 5(5) operating within the Single European Sky airspace, shall include the indicators SUR/EUADSBX or SUR/EUEHSX or SUR/EUELSX or a combination thereof, in Item 18 of the flight plan.

• Scheduled Maintenance
  The paragraph on the check of the transponder system at least every two years was removed.
  Note: Manufacturer Maintenance Planning Documents and/or local requirements apply.

• Defective Transponder System
  For aircraft where the capability of the transponders to comply with the requirements on ADS-B and EHS is temporarily inoperative, operators shall be entitled to operate that aircraft in the Single European Sky airspace for a maximum of 3 consecutive days.

• Certification Requirements
  The installation requirements per Annex 10 to the Chicago Convention, Volume IV, Fourth Edition have to include all amendments up to No. 77, (previously No. 85)
  Note: This pertains to Mode-S legacy equipment predating ADS-B V2.

• Mode S EHS exemption
  The EHS exemption for aircraft where required parameters are not available on a digital bus on-board has been clarified.

Some of the changes relevant to the ground implementation are as follows:

• 24-Bit Address assignment standard
  The standard for the assignment of 24-Bit ICAO aircraft addresses per Chapter 9 of Annex 10 to the Chicago Convention has to include all amendments up to No 90 instead of No 85
• Data sharing
  The definition of formal arrangements between air navigation service providers for the exchange or provision of surveillance data has been facilitated
• Avionics monitoring
  The requirement for Air Navigation Service Provider to inform operators of identified aircraft whose avionics exhibit a functional anomaly, has been deleted
  Note: The scope of avionics monitoring remains covered by provisions in other regulations.

Other changes in the regulatory text were also effected in order to harmonize the application of different parts of EU law across the EU. Currently, EASA is working on Acceptable Means of Compliance and Guidance Material to support the implementation of this regulation.

There are numerous ADS-B mandates anticipated or already in place in many parts of the world. The map below shows in green regions requiring at least ADS-B version 0, in dark blue the ones requiring ADS-B version 2, together with the anticipated date of entry-into-force, and in grey where regulatory activity is ongoing and mandates are expected in the near future. Note that the map will be regularly updated as new information becomes available.

The EU Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSPs) have reported a substantial ADS-B sensor coverage in Europe available from ground based systems; primarily from combined WAM/ADS-B systems but also ADS-B only Ground systems. ADS-B capable radars as well as space-based ADS-B coverage are expected to make a substantial contribution towards a global ADS-B coverage in the coming years.

Having secured coverage, the ANSP will next proceed to integrate ADS-B data in its surveillance chain; this integration in the EU ATM systems is currently limited, with ANSPs citing aircraft ADS-B equipage, ADS-B performance and regulatory concerns as the necessary conditions to be resolved. However, a majority of EU based national ANSPs have at least some plans in place to proceed with integration in the near future, given the availability of a sufficient aircraft equipage ratio. SDM believes that those concerns will be addressed and resolved adequately as ADS-B implementation progresses.

If the integration is properly synchronized across domains and supported by a competent programme to catalyze ground investment plans, many ANSPs indicated their willingness to commit to technical and operational integration activities that could use the ADS-B sensor coverage across the vast majority of the continental airspace as early as 2023.

The primary use-case for ADS-B in the complex and traffic heavy European airspace is that of a complementary sensor to independent surveillance. In that role, ADS-B will open up substantial rationalization potential in the very dense European network of secondary radars. The use of ADS-B as sole means will occur in specific environments, characterized by low traffic density and/or lack of independent alternatives. This use case has already been successfully deployed operationally in a number of locations; the ICAO NAT region is a prime deployment location for sole-means ADS-B.

It is evident that a strong momentum to progress with ADS-B deployment exists in both the airborne and the ground domain. A harmonized ground and air deployment programme is important to synchronize and catalyze these efforts, to ensure that substantial ADS-B operational use is commonplace in Europe from mid 2020s.