Review of the Existing ICAO Material on Air-Ground Communication Systems

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Aeronautical Communications Panel (ACP)

WORKING GROUP OF THE WHOLE

FIRST MEETING

Montreal, 21 to 29 June 2005

REPORT OF THE FIRST MEETING ON AGENDA ITEM 3

Agenda Item 3:Review of existing ICAO material on air-ground communication systems

3.1Introduction

3.1.1Review of existing ICAO material (SARPs and Manuals) was undertaken by Working Group M, which held four meetings as follows since AMCP/8:

a)WG M077-11 April 2003, Reykjavik, Iceland

b)WG M0820-28 November 2003, Bangkok, Thailand

c)WG M0929 October-3 November 2004, Montreal, Canada

d)WG M1023-26 May 2005, Montreal, Canada

3.1.2The Rapporteur of the Working Group M was Mr. Loftur Jonasson.

3.1.3Participants in WG M07 participated in the Communications implementation seminar which was held in Bangkok from 17-19 November 2003 and a combined meeting with WG N (Networking) on 20 and 21 November 2003. The combined meeting addressed issues of common interest to both WG M and N, in particular with the view to organize the maintenance activities of the Manual of technical provisions of the Aeronautical Telecommunication Network (Doc. 9705) and the comprehensive Aeronautical Telecommunication (ATN) Network Manual (Doc. 9739). Since it was recognized that not always experts in the area of aeronautical telecommunication networking could participate in meetings of both Working Group M and Working Group N, it was agreed to create the ATN maintenance subgroup (AMSG), which should report its findings to both Working Group M and Working Group N. Any comment from Working Group N would be forwarded to Working Group M, which would eventually present the changes, as agreed in Working Group N, to the panel. The terms of reference and working arrangements, summarized from the report of the joint Working Group M/N meeting are contained in Appendix A to the report on Agenda Item 2.

3.2AMSS SARPs

3.2.1AMCP/8 agreed to include in the work program of Working Group M the need for developing a proposal for splitting the current AMSS SARPs in a set of “core” SARPs, to be retained in Annex 10 and a set of detailed technical specifications for incorporation in a Manual on AMSS. The need for this activity was referenced in Recommendation 5/1 of AMCP/8. In pursuing this work, consideration should be given to integrate the “core” functionality of the current AMSS SARPs, the next generation satellite system (NGSS) SARPs and, as required, the AMSS radio spectrum recommendation from the ITU into a single set of AMSS SARPs. Other material, mainly from Annex 10 and would constitute detailed technical specifications, would be published in a manual. The NGSS SARPs were developed at AMCP/7, but were never incorporated in Annex 10. In pursuing this task, no substantial changes to the current material should be made.

3.2.2The meeting agreed to develop AMS(R)S SARPs, rather than AMSS SARPs. This would exclude any provision not relating to communications necessary for the safety and regularity of flight from being included Annex 10. However, as required, certain provision for such communications, in particular when satellite systems are providing both aeronautical safety of life communications and other communications, could be incorporated in the relevant manual.

3.2.3When combining certain system delay characteristics, existing AMSS and NGSS material and where appropriate, recommendations were included in the draft AMS(R)S SARPs.

3.2.4In contrast to the current SARPs, no material has been included to provide details regarding the protection AMS(R)S systems should provide in order to protect, in particular, on-board (or near-by) GNSS systems, including GLONASS and GPS. In stead, reference is made to the protection requirements for these systems that are contained in Annex 10, Volume I. Where required, particular provisions may be included in the relevant manuals.

3.2.5With regard to the failure notification, the meeting assumed that such notification should be given to the air navigation service providers (ANSP) which are operating with the particular satellite system. However, further guidance on this is necessary in order to complete these provisions.

3.2.6The meeting noted that Eurocontrol has established a discussion forum, the NexSAT Steering Group (NexSAT-SG) about the use of satellite communications for air traffic management purposes. Members of this forum include representation of ANSPs, service providers (including satellite service providers, satellite industry, international and research organizations. Also a link has been established where the ICAO secretariat provides any relevant input to the NexSAT-SG. Any results from the NexSAT-SG activities that may be relevant to further work on satellite communications in ICAO will be presented by the ACP-member nominated by Eurocontrol.

3.2.7The meeting agreed to the draft AMS(R)S SARPs, which are presented in Appendix A to the report on this agenda item.

3.2.8The meeting noted that work is ongoing on the development of a manual for the AMSS system. This manual will include detailed technical characteristics for AMSS. AMSS systems are currently provided by Inmarsat and MTSAT (Japan). Consideration will be given to the possibility to use for this purpose elements of the Inmarsat System Definition Manual (SDM).

3.2.9The meeting developed the following Recommendation:

3.3"Core" SARPs and intellectual property

3.3.1The meeting was informed about difficulties with intellectual property issues resulting from removing certain detailed technical specifications from the SARPs and inserting them into a manual. In this regard it was noted that the "highest practical degree of uniformity in regulations, standards etc.", as required through Article 37 of the Convention on international civil aviation may be difficult to achieve if certain technical details of systems which are important in the uniformity of the service availability not longer are included in Annex 10. The meeting invited ICAO to take into account this development when considering the format of "core" SARPs and detailed technical specifications.

3.3.2The meeting was further informed that issues related to intellectual property is primarily an issue between the parties concerned, in which ICAO has no specific role. However, where possible and within the mandate of the organization, assistance may be offered by ICAO where difficulties exist as a result from different interpretation of the various regulations developed by ICAO. Furthermore, States are consulted on the proposed amendments to Annex 10, could propose certain provisions of the current SARPs to be retained in Annex 10.

3.4Development of manuals on detailed technical specifications for next generation satellite systems

3.4.1The meeting recalled that during the late 1990s, the Aeronautical Mobile Communications Panel (AMCP), the predecessor of the ACP, made significant progress in developing draft SARPs for Next Generation Satellite Systems (NGSS) services. AMCP Working Group A developed ‘generic’ NGSS SARPs under which system-specific material could be developed. These – generic- SARPs contained requirements applicable to any NGSS, with the details of any specific implementation to be contained in a system-specific manual.

3.4.2In 1998, the AMCP Working Group A developed acceptability criteria for the use of next-generation satellite communication systems. The results of an assessment of the Iridium System that used these criteria were presented at the 6th Meeting of the AMCP. On this basis, the meeting concluded that the Iridium system broadly satisfied the proposed acceptability criteria. Approximately at the time of the AMCP/7 meeting, the Iridium entered Chapter 11 protection and as a result of this change in status, the draft technical manual for Iridium was not further considered. In December 2000, a group of private investors acquired the operating assets of the bankrupt Iridium LLC, which re-emerged as Iridium Satellite LLC. The Iridium system provides global satellite voice and data two-way coverage of the earth including oceans, airways and Polar Regions. The meeting agreed to undertake an expeditious approach for completing the technical manual required for the Iridium system to become compliant with the latest iteration of the AMS(R)S SARP and referred the material to Working Group M for further consideration.

3.4.3The meeting developed the following Recommendation:

3.5VDL Mode 3

3.5.1At AMCP/8, amendments to the manual for VDL Mode 3, which were developed after AMCP/7, were agreed and Recommendation 5/5 of AMCP/8 requested the Manual on VDL Mode 3 (Doc. 9805) to be amended accordingly. The agreed amendments were placed on the ACP website, but a revised version of Doc. 9805 has not yet been published. After AMCP/8, validation of the detailed technical specifications continued and has now reached completion. The amendments to Doc. 9805 are contained in Appendix B to the report on this agenda item, including those that were already agreed at AMCP/8. Discussion and validation of these amendments have taken place in Working Group M, which agreed to these amendments.

3.5.2The meeting, considering these amendments and the successful validation that had been completed in Working Group M, agreed to recommend including these in the next edition of Doc. 9805. Pending publication of this manual, the amendments will be made available on the ACP website ( section “Documentation”.

3.5.3The meeting developed accordingly the following Recommendation:

3.6Test results on VDL Mode 4

3.6.1At AMCP/8 is was noted that the proposal for using VDL Mode 4 as a full ATN compliant data link had not been supported by flight testing. The relevant amendments to Annex 10 and the Manual on VDL Mode 4 were agreed at AMCP/8, subject to satisfactory completion of flight test, demonstrating that VDL Mode 4 could provide the required services for an ATN air-ground data link.

3.6.2The flight testing was completed in a timely manner and Working Group M concluded that the tests were completed satisfactorily. The results were communicated to the panel members and the Air Navigation Commission.

3.7Ongoing validation of the manual on VDL Mode 4

3.7.1The meeting was informed that the validation of VDL Mode 4 detailed technical specifications and was completed shortly after AMCP/8. The manual on VDL Mode 4 has been published in 2004 and is now available as a sale-able document from ICAO.

3.8VDL Mode 4 on-board integration

3.8.1In coordination with Working Group B, on-board integration issues were discussed at several occasions, mainly since Airbus had indicated that it could not install VDL Mode 4 properly on its aircraft. However, due to the absence of supporting material, no conclusions could be drawn. Work on the on-board integration of all data link systems is on-going.

3.9VDL mode 3 activities in Japan

3.9.1Since AMCP/8, a number of research and evaluation activities on VDL Mode 3 have taken place in Japan. In some cases, the result triggered amendments to the VDL Mode 3 detailed technical specifications. Work on VDL Mode 3 evaluation is ongoing.

3.10Working groups B and M continued its work after AMCP/8 on the basis of the work program which was developed at AMCP/8 and agreed by the Air Navigation Commission. During their activities, is was noted that a number of common elements in the work of Working Groups B and M require consideration in both working groups. Working Group B noted that, considering the overlap of activities with Working Group M, future meetings of these two working groups should be held together, preferably consecutively with a few days overlapping to discuss items of common interest

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APPENDIX A: Draft AMS(R)S SARPs

APPENDIX B: Amendments to Manual on VDL Mode 3 (Doc. 9805)