Cpdlc
 

Is anyone successfully using FANS in the US for
clearances? Challenger 300 with CPDLC and I would like
to verify that it actually works prior to Oceanic trips.
Dave

I assume you're talking about DCL (Departure Clearance)? Yes, have used it in our GX at SFO, SJC, TEB among other places. You have to ensure the appropriate codes are annotated in your ICAO flight plan.

Like Mink, I've gotten DCL clearances from IAH, TEB, IAD, SAT, MSY and some others because in Item 18 of the flight plan, I have J3J4 and "1FANS2PDC" for DAT. Here's a link to how the whole thing works from Harris Corp.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...q97SJQ&cad=rja

Note that you'll get your oceanic clearance not from CPDLC, but from the same system you currently use to get ATIS. You'll be able to log on to CPDLC once you enter Canadain domestic airspace. As you coast out, it should automatically transition to Gander then to Shanwick or Santa Maria.

Enjoy.

Also used it on our GX at TEB, SNA, BNA and others.

Data Comm Now Reducing Delays at Miami

March 6 – Data Comm, the NextGen technology that is revolutionizing communication between air traffic controllers and pilots, is now helping to enhance safety and reduce departure delays at Miami International Airport, the 12th busiest airport in North America and the largest gateway to Latin America.

The new technology supplements radio voice communication, enabling controllers and pilots to transmit important information including clearances, revised flight plans and advisories with the touch of a button.

“Data Comm represents a whole new era of communications between controllers and pilots,” said Jim Eck, the FAA’s Assistant Administrator for NextGen. “This translates directly into safer, more efficient operations, helping aircraft take off and reach their destinations on time.”

Voice communications can be time consuming and labor intensive. For example, when planes are awaiting takeoff, controllers must use a two-way radio to issue new routes to the pilots to help them avoid bad weather. This process can take 30 minutes or more, depending on how many aircraft are in line for departure, and also has the potential for miscommunication known as “readback/hearback” error.

By contrast, flight crews on planes using Data Comm receive revised flight plans from the controllers via digital messages. The crews review the new clearances and accept the updated instructions with the push of a button. Planes keep their spots in the takeoff line – or may even be taken out of line and sent ahead – enabling them to depart on time.

Data Comm is now operational at 55 air traffic control towers, following a rollout that was under budget and more than two and a half years ahead of schedule:

Albuquerque
Atlanta
Austin
Baltimore-Washington
Boston
Burbank
Charlotte
Chicago O’Hare
Chicago Midway
Cleveland
Dallas-Ft. Worth
Dallas Love
Denver
Detroit
Fort Lauderdale
Houston Bush
Houston Hobby
Indianapolis
Kansas City
Las Vegas
Los Angeles
Louisville
Memphis
Miami
Minneapolis-St. Paul
Milwaukee
Nashville
Newark
New Orleans
New York John F. Kennedy
New York LaGuardia
Oakland
Ontario
Orlando
Philadelphia
Phoenix
Pittsburgh
Portland
Raleigh-Durham
Sacramento
San Juan
St. Louis
Salt Lake City
San Antonio
San Diego
San Francisco
San Jose
Santa Ana
Seattle
Tampa
Teterboro
Washington Dulles
Washington Reagan
Westchester County
Windsor Locks (Bradley)

OK, got it up and running and tested good. Great resource
at ARINC if anybody else needs help. Working on European White Paper
add for Link2000 now��
Dave

The European's are way behind the curve with Link 2000. Not many centers have the ability to use it at present. London, Scottish, Maastricht, lots of Germany seem to be the only ones at present that do. D-ATIS is not that common either.

Just finished a transatlantic from TEB to the UK, DCL worked fine in TEB, logged on to Moncton for the oceanic with no problems, handed off (contracts) automatically to Gander, Shanwick etc just as it should have.

We did have an issue at one point with the system, AIRINC had our registration (we are Isle of Man registered) entered in their system incorrectly. They had M-XXXX or MXXXX as the registration, and it was rejected due to the apostrophe prior to the crew changing the format. US registered aircraft should not have this issue.

There is lots of confusion with CPDLC / ADS-C / ADS-B / DCL. A lot of the blame goes to the avionics manufacturers, and a lot to the training centers. I can only speak to the Gulfstream Primus Epic cockpit, so here comes my two cents:

DCL - Domestically, and ONLY domestically, DCL is tied to the FANS system (CPDLC). You log onto the airport (if the DAT 1FANS2PDC is properly filed in item 18) and the tower automatically sends you the clearance at the Proposed Time minus 30 minutes. You remain logged on till takeoff + 5 or 10 minutes. We got a full route re-clearance while holding number 1 at HPN via DCL, accepted it, loaded it with two button pushes, and were good to go in less than a minute.

In Europe, you get the DCL from the DATALINK - ATS - DCL button sequence, not from FANS. It comes from the ACARS system from which you get DATIS and PDC's, there's no CPDLC involved. Right now there are very few airports using it.

For oceanic clearances, there's no FANS / CPDLC involved either. You may be loggged on to an active center, but you get your clearance via DATALINK - ATS - OCANIC CLX, NOT from CPDLC. It's called an RCL (request clearance) and you ack it by CLA (clearance acknowlegment).

For CPDLC, the ACT ATC center should automatically transition very close to the center boundary. There can only be one active center. The ADS-C "contracts" don't transition, the various centers log on to your jet and there can be multiple centers logged on requesting multiple bits of information from you - your route, when your jet should tattle on you (300' off altitude, 15 miles off course), wx info etc.

ADS-B is another moster entirely and comes from your transponder.

That's it for now, happy Datalinking and fly safe!