uAvionix has won a contract to supply ADS-B-based systems to provide tower controllers with real-time positions of aircraft on airport taxiways, ramps and runways. The FlightLine system was picked as a cost-effective solution to boost situational awareness of surface movements for controllers through the agency’s Surface Awareness Initiative. The first two deployments are at Austin and Indianapolis and they’ll be operational by the end of June.
“This is a clear example of how industry’s innovation to bring new entrants into the airspace has resulted in near-term opportunities to enhance safety for traditional aviation,“ said Jon Damush, uAvionix CEO. “Our team consists of industry experts from ATC and aircraft surveillance systems, so when the FAA put out the call for rapidly deployable and scalable solutions—we knew we had a solution that could help.”
That display looks exactly like an ASDE-X display in which I played a small part in developing and testing of the system in the 2000~2006 time frame at Sensis Corp in Syracuse, NY. Sensis was bought by Saab some time later and, I guess, they dropped or sold Airport Surveillance and Detection Equipment Model X along the way.
I did the acceptance testing of ASDE-3X interfacing with the existing ASDE-3 radar installed on top of the tower cab with the FAA at Louisville, KY (KSDF).
Interesting that the FAA would choose uAvionix after knowing how much of a failure the companies’ tail beacon and and wingtip ADS-B transmitters have been.
…………… and you know this how?