Automated Flight Following

A Technical Look….Past and Future

Mike Russo – Technical AnalystMinistry of Forests and Range, Protection Branch

Victoria BC, Canada

HAC 2006 - Quebec City, April 9th

Automated Flight Following (AFF)

• What is it? How does it work?

• Tracking Equipment / Reporting Frequencies

• Mapping Systems

• History

• AFF Specifications vs. Agency Requirements

• Satellite Technology

• Future?

• Who approves AFF compliancy?

Automated Flight Following

Automated Flight Following (AFF)

• Regional Terrestrial Based “Pioneer System”. 1993 / 02

• Avionics industry to manufacture satellite tracking “system”. 2000 / 01

A History… (In a Nutshell)

• Terrestrial and Satellite based systems ran side by side. 2000 / 02

• USFS approached BCFS for mapping display to track aircraft. 2001

• BCFS / USFS joint development in “AFF” standard. 2003 / 04

• BCFS went satellite based only. 2002 - Present

• DHC-8-Q400 flight from B.C. to Marseille, France. 2004

• BCFS portable systems for out of province aircraft. 2004

Automated Flight Following (AFF)

What is AFF?

“Automated Flight Following (AFF) is a system that automaticallytracks the location, altitude, course and speed of an aircraft, providing this

information in real time to dispatchers, aviation managersand other system users.”

• Safety!

• Resource Awareness!

• Reduce radio traffic!

• Reduce Check-in times!

Automated Flight Following (AFF)

How does it work?

1) Tracking unit receives GPS data.

2) Tracking unit transmits data over satellite carrier.

3) Satellite carrier ground station receives data from tracking unit.

4) Ground station sends data over internet to Vendor headquarters.

5) Agency (ie: BCFS) requests data from Vendor.

6) Vendor sends data to Agency’s headquarters.

7) Agency formats data for display on mapping system.

Automated Flight Following (AFF)

“AFF”

AFFAFF Specifications Specifications

• One position transmitted every two minutes.

• Lat and Long in decimal degrees.

• Valid 3D positions will be used for tracking.

• Speed will report in “Meters per Second”.

• Data is secured between unit and AFF HQ.

• Etc…

AFF vs. Agency SpecificationsAFF vs. Agency Specifications

• Device must have external antennas.

• Device must have an STC / LSTC.

• One position report every 7 minutes.

• Device will run off aircraft’s internal power.

• Device must support voice capabilities.

• Etc…

Look for a tracking device that is “flexible”

Automated Flight Following (AFF)

AgencyAgencySpecificationsSpecifications

Automated Flight Following (AFF)

Common Question #1:

Can I guarantee the device and vendor are currently AFF Compliant?

• Currently, no vendor or device is “certified” as AFF compliant.

• Compliancy = “Performance Based” and “XML Data Standard”.

• Compliancy will be an “on going” performance evaluation.

• Performance is monitored and results displayed on a web site?

• AFF Compliancy can change overtime.

• Compliancy will be standard across North America.

• Available before 2008?

AFF Compliancy? AFF Compliancy?

Automated Flight Following (AFF)

Tracking Equipment Tracking Equipment

“Which Tracking Device Should I Buy?”

• Which satellite carrier does it use? (Transmission Costs)

• Can it meet the most demanding agency’s specifications?

• Does it meet my business needs outside forestry work?

• Are satellite voice capabilities important to me?

• Does it already have an STC for my aircraft?

• How much does it cost to purchase the hardware?

• Does the tracking device meet the AFF specs?

Common Question #2:

Automated Flight Following (AFF)

Satellite TechnologySatellite Technology

“Which satellite carrier should I use?”

• Data and Voice Transmission Costs!!

• Satellite Coverage Area

• Voice Quality over Satellite

• Products / Hardware Available

• Satellite Bandwidth Speed

Common Question #3:

Aircraft “History” TrailAircraft “History” Trail

• Five minute transmissions.

• Viewing two months of data.

• Points indicate transmissions.

• Web application.

Automated Flight Following (AFF)

BCFS “Dispatch” Application

Future?Future?

• Eliminate 30 min safety check-ins?

• Send digital information from aircraft to base near real time?

• Reduce / eliminate the use of radio repeater network? Satellite only?

• Billing flight hours to tracking device start / stop reports?

• Send fuel levels and / or retardant levels to central Dispatch?

• Send manifest details over satellite?

• Record flight hours for maintenance tracking?

Automated Flight Following (AFF)

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Automated Flight Following (AFF)

More InformationMore Information

Web• http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/protect/AFF/

• https://www.aff.gov/

• Internet keyword search:

“Satellite tracking”, “AFF”, “Automated Flight Following”, etc..

Email: Mike.Russo@gov.bc.caMinistry of Forests, Protection Branch