Information and policy on the general issues relating to the use of datalink was agreed at conference in Ottawa in 1994. The development of draft policy for specific datalink issues will be a continuing activity. Draft policy on ADS is presented this year as part of this ongoing work.

This paper provides an update on datalink development to conference.

There is a growing use of datalink in operational trials and use around the world. The South Pacific in particular are making significant advances in the operational use of datalink capabilities. Such capabilities are planned to come into operational service in a number of states in the South Pacific. This initiative is part of a significant improvement in ATS in the region led by the ISPACG. The stakeholders of the project represent ATS authorities, airlines, and airframe and avionics manufacturers.

The use of datalink for issuing pr-departure clearances has long been a feature of some North American airport operations. It has provided some relief from frequency congestion, but a number of problems have been reported by some of the controllers who use it. Pilots generally support its use. Pre-departure clearance is in use in Europe at Paris -Charles de Gaulle and Frankfurt. It will soon be on operational trial at London – Gatwick.

The use of datalink to request Oceanic Clearances is a common feature of Gander’s operations. Benefits to both controllers and pilots have been widely reported. UK NATS are planing an operational Oceanic clearance delivery capability by the end of 1995.

The application of advanced air-ground datalink functions to support ATC operations has seen a number of research and development activities. Trials have been carried out, as part of the European Programme for Harmonised ATM Research in Eurocontrol (PHARE) project. Utilising a Mode S datalink, and an experimental flight management system. Executive instructions were transmitted to a single aircraft around a test route in real time flight conditions. Eight flights were conducted in November 1994 and included datalink transactions which covered both pilot and controller requests. Future research work in Europe is to include trials of the ATN and other system components as well as simulation studies of the controller/pilot interface.

The pace of development and introduction of datalink into operational service is hastening. Significant problems remain unresolved, but as experience grows so too will the knowledge with which to tackle these problems.