ACAS-monitoring of 1 000 000 flight hours in the North German Airspace

Abstract

In the SATT-Project the IfEV of the Technical University of Braunschweig developed an ACAS Monitor Station which receives 1030/1090 MHz Secondary Surveillance Radar and ACAS Communications. The monitoring software keeps track on the status of all Mode S-Aircraft in range and automatically compiles reports on Resolution Advisories by Airborne Collision Avoidance Systems (ACAS) in the North German Airspace. Twelve Month of continuous recordings cover more than 1 000 000 flight hours of ACAS-Equipped Aircraft. One ACAS- indicated collision threat in average per day in the North German Airspace is reported. The analysis also shows that only 6 of 7 Resolution Advisories were followed by proper escape maneuvers. As a consequence the project is continued in cooperation with ATC, with THALES ATM Industries, and many German Airlines. In 2008 three new ACAS Monitor Stations will be installed in South Germany and interconnected with TU-Braunschweig to cover also Frankfurt and Munich Airspace.