ACI-NA 2007 Environmental Affairs Conference

Colorado Air Traffic Control Modernization Update

Travis Vallin, Director

Colorado Aeronautics Division

Why a State of Colorado Project:

Safety - The ability to see and separate aircraft during approaches, departures and missed approaches at our Colorado Mountain Airports will improve safety.

Capacity - An increase in Airport capacity through improved operational efficiencies can be realized with improved surveillance.

Economics - When aircraft are delayed, diverted or denied access due to the inability to safely and efficiently separate aircraft, there is a significant negative impact on the local, State and air carrier economies.

A BRIEF OVERVIEW

Need for Improved Surveillance:

Benefit/Cost - Colorado Ski Country Airports did not meet the Benefit/Cost necessary to support an FAA funded project.

Need For Improved Surveillance Validated - A Feasibility Study performed by the ATO clearly demonstrated that the project provides benefit to both the State of Colorado and the FAA with State funding.

SIGNIFICANT ECONOMIC FACTORS

Of the ONE BILLION Dollars spent on recreation each year in Colorado, 35% ($350,000,000) is spent on ski related activities. Colorado leads the nation in share of total ski trips.

Delays at Colorado Ski Country airports cause aircraft arriving and departing DIA to be diverted to the north and south due to stacking at mountain airports.

Diverted flights result in increased demand being placed on highways.

Denied service results in lost revenue.

Floor of Radar Coverage (9,000’ to 16,000’ MSL)

Airport Elevation 6,500’ MSL

The Problem - Radar Coverage

(Or lack thereof)

Approach Path

Existing radarExisting radar

Phase IPhase I

Phase IIPhase II

SteamboatSteamboat SpringsSprings

YampaYampa ValleyValley

CraigCraig

EagleEagle

AspenAspen

RifleRifle

GunnisonGunnison

AlamosaAlamosa

MontroseMontrose

TellurideTelluride

Non-Radar Coverage 17,000 ft.Non-Radar Coverage 17,000 ft.

DurangoDurango

CortezCortez

Existing radarExisting radar

Phase IPhase I

Phase IIPhase II

SteamboatSteamboat SpringsSprings

YampaYampa ValleyValley

CraigCraig

EagleEagle

AspenAspen

RifleRifle

GunnisonGunnison

AlamosaAlamosa

MontroseMontrose

TellurideTelluride

Non-Radar Coverage 15,000 ft.Non-Radar Coverage 15,000 ft.

Existing radarExisting radar

Phase IPhase I

Phase IIPhase II

SteamboatSteamboat SpringsSprings

YampaYampa ValleyValley

CraigCraig

EagleEagle

AspenAspen

RifleRifle

GunnisonGunnison

AlamosaAlamosa

MontroseMontrose

TellurideTelluride

Non-Radar Coverage 13,000 ft.Non-Radar Coverage 13,000 ft.

DurangoDurango

CortezCortez

Existing radarExisting radar

Phase IPhase I

Phase IIPhase II

SteamboatSteamboat SpringsSprings

YampaYampa ValleyValley

CraigCraig

EagleEagle

AspenAspen

RifleRifle

GunnisonGunnison

AlamosaAlamosa

MontroseMontrose

TellurideTelluride

Non-Radar Coverage 11,000 ft.Non-Radar Coverage 11,000 ft.

Existing radarExisting radar

Phase IPhase I

Phase IIPhase II

SteamboatSteamboat SpringsSprings

YampaYampa ValleyValley

CraigCraig

EagleEagle

AspenAspen

RifleRifle

GunnisonGunnison

AlamosaAlamosa

MontroseMontrose

TellurideTelluride

Non-Radar Coverage 9,000 ft.Non-Radar Coverage 9,000 ft.

DurangoDurango

CortezCortez

SteamboatSteamboat SpringsSprings

YampaYampa ValleyValley

CraigCraig

RifleRifle

GunnisonGunnisonMontroseMontrose

AlamosaAlamosaDurangoDurango

TellurideTelluride

CortezCortez

EagleEagle

AspenAspen

Colorado Surveillance Colorado Surveillance Project (CO-ATCBI) Project (CO-ATCBI)

AirportsAirports

Existing RadarExisting Radar

Atlanta

Charlotte

Aspen Direct Flights

Montrose/Telluride Direct Flights

Gunnison

Ski Country Arrivals Jan. 2, 20061500-2300Z

ASE: GreenEGE: Red

RIL: Dark blueHDN: Light blue

GUC: Yellow MTJ: Pink

TEX: Orange

ASE: GreenEGE: Red

RIL: Dark blueHDN: Light blue

GUC: Yellow MTJ: Pink

TEX: Orange

Ski Country Departures Jan. 2, 20061500-2300Z

Ski Country Arrivals & Departures Jan. 2, 20061500-2300Z

ASE, EGE, RIL, HDN, SBS, CAG, GUC,

MTJ, & TEX Airports

The Colorado Surveillance Alternatives Primary Radar - Locates targets by bouncing radar signals

off the object - gives location in two dimensions only. Short Range Radar - Airport Surveillance Radar -ASR Long Range Radar - Air Route Surveillance Radar –

ARSR - $8-$11 Million Per Radar Secondary Radar - Receives target identification, altitude

and location from aircraft transponder. Beacon Interrogator - BI-4, 5 or 6 - $6-$8 Million

ADS-B - Aircraft data link (Universal Access Transceiver or 1090ES) continuously transmits aircraft identification, altitude and location derived from GPS. $250K per airport

Multi-Lateration - Aircraft transponder transmits target identification and altitude in response to interrogation from ground units. Location is determined by triangulation of aircraft transponder signals (interim step to ADS-B). $1.2 Million Per airport

Colorado Surveillance ProjectOverview

Wide Area Multilateration (WAM) System – The State of Colorado elected to implement WAM with ADS-B Mode S 1090ES capability to take advantage of the current state of transponder equipage in the GA and air carrier fleets.

Funding – The State of Colorado is funding the design, procurement and installation of the WAM system via State Transportation monies. $4.7 Million for Phase I. Hayden, Steamboat Springs, Craig, Rifle

System Ownership – The system will be owned and maintained by the FAA . Ownership of the Phase I system will transfer to the FAA after Site Acceptance Testing (SAT) is complete.

Integration into the NAS – The system will be deployed in Denver Air Center to support operations in the En Route environment. The FAA will develop separation standards for the Colorado and Juneau WAM system in preparation for integration into the NAS and certification to separate traffic.

Wide Area Multilateration System

ATCSeparation*

What Remains to be done?

COMPLETE EQUIPMENT INSTALLATION - The remainder of the sensors deployed in the spring of 2008.

OPTIMIZE DATA - System optimization completed Summer 2008

SITE ACCEPTANCE TESTING (SAT) - complete November 2008. FAA takes ownership of the system after SAT is complete.

SEPARATION STANDARDS - developed for the Wide Area Multilateration (WAM) system and approved by Air Traffic.

INITIAL OPERATING CAPABILITY (IOC) -complete May 2009. System is operational in Denver Center.

SYSTEM OPERATIONAL - The WAM system becomes a part of the National Airspace System as a new surveillance tool.

Benefits of Improved Surveillance

Enhanced Safety - Increase safety by being able to see aircraft that are currently outside radar coverage.

Improve Overall Flow Efficiency - Improve arrival and departure efficiency into and out of DIA, as well as mountain airports.

Economic Benefits - Reduce lost revenue at Colorado ski areas due to diversions of flights to other than destination airports. Improved surveillance translates into more efficient flight tracks, which means less fuel burned and increased hourly capacity at Colorado’s Mountain Airports. Annual loss of $134 Million per year to the Colorado Economy.

Multi-Modal Benefits - Reduction of traffic on highways due to flights being diverted to other than destination airports.