ADS-B equipment to be installed at SCTAC

The ITT Corp., on behalf of the FAA, has selected South Carolina Technology & Aviation Center (SCTAC) as a site to deploy Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) equipment.

This equipment is part of the Surveillance and Broadcast Services (SBS) program, which is part of the FAA’s next generation ATC technology and represents the first major step in the next generation of air traffic control. ADS-B equipment is a crucial component providing surveillance and situational awareness simultaneously to pilots and air traffic control facilities, and is designed to improve the safety, capacity and efficiency of the National Airspace System while providing a flexible expandable platform to accommodate future air traffic growth, according to officials.

Officials with the ITT Corp. approached SCTAC as the site for the equipment as it serves the radar coverage from nearby Greenville-Spartanburg Airport (GSP). The installation of ADS-B equipment at SCTAC will benefit Greenville’s air traffic services by assisting air traffic controllers in the tracking and movement of aircraft through the airspace. With ADS-B, both pilots and controllers can see radar-like displays of traffic — the displays update next to real-time and do not degrade with distance or terrain. The system also gives pilots access to weather services and flight information services. The program is currently scheduled to cover all U.S. en route airspace, 236 major terminal airspaces and 35 major airport surfaces. This involves approximately 800 SBS ground radio stations deployed across the country that are connected to regional SBS control stations and a national network operations center.

The equipment is projected to be operational by November of this year.

For more information: SC-TAC.com

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