Airtel ATN, dedicated to the development of communications software for the aeronautical telecommunications network has announced the operational readiness of NAV Portugal’s Data Link Server.
This is one of the first successfully tested implementations of the Data Link Server under EUROCONTROL’s Link2000+ programme.
Commenting at the recent acceptance testing Frank O’Connor, Airtel ATN’s CEO, said: “NAV Portugal is one of the first companies to be operationally ready with the data link server. This is an important milestone we have reached with our partner INDRA in this second dual-stack ATN / FANS data link server implementation.”
In order to cope with the ever increasing air traffic in Europe, EUROCONTROL, the European organisation for the safety of air navigation, created the Link2000+ programme. The programme plans and coordinates the implementation of operational air-ground data link services for ATC in Europe by 2013, as mandated by the European Commission.
In 2006 NAV Portugal contracted the Airtel ATN / Indra consortium to supply the next generation data link gateway systems for Lisbon ACC ATM system. The Airtel ATN / INDRA data link server provides a CM / CPDLC data link gateway for ATN and FANS aircraft for Lisbon ACC. It also provides departure clearance services for the Lisbon, Faro, Funchal and Porto Airports.
In February 2010 site acceptance tests were completed successfully, including successful ATN and ACARS connection with the SITA Network. Pre-operational trials also included successful end-to-end testing with a EUROCONTROL test facility centre in Bretigny.
“We started the data link project, named LISATM-L2K, on the pioneer phase of the EUROCONTROL Link2000+ programme,” said José Vermelhudo, project manager and head of systems and software at NAV Portugal. “We have reached an important milestone for the provision of FANS and ATN data link services in Lisbon FIR with the now successfully tested data link server dual stack solution. The next step is to implement PM-CPDLC over ATN as required by the single European sky data link services implementing rule.”