[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 214 (Monday, November 5, 2018)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 55263-55264]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-24052]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 91

[Docket No.: FAA-2018-0914]


Changes to Surveillance and Broadcast Services

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notification of changes to surveillance and broadcast services.

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SUMMARY: This action announces changes to the following surveillance 
and broadcast services (``surveillance services'') after January 1, 
2020: Automatic Dependent Surveillance--Broadcast (ADS-B); Traffic 
Information Service--Broadcast (TIS-B); Automatic Dependent 
Surveillance--Rebroadcast (ADS-R); and Automatic Dependent 
Surveillance--Same Link Rebroadcast (ADS-SLR). These service changes 
will affect aircraft equipped with older ADS-B avionics that do not 
meet the requirements of 14 CFR 91.225. The service changes will 
primarily affect aircraft operating in specific airspace areas, though 
a few service changes will affect aircraft operating throughout the 
National Airspace System (NAS).

DATES: The FAA will initiate the actions described herein on January 2, 
2020.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For technical questions concerning 
this action, contact: David E. Gray, Program Manager, Surveillance and 
Broadcast Services, AJM-232, Air Traffic Organization, Federal Aviation 
Administration, 600 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20597; 
telephone: 202-267-3615; email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    In 2010, the FAA issued a final rule mandating equipage 
requirements and performance standards for Automatic Dependent 
Surveillance--Broadcast (ADS-B) Out avionics on aircraft operating in 
certain airspace after January 1, 2020 (75 FR 30160, May 28, 2010). Use 
of ADS-B Out will move air traffic control (ATC) from a radar-based 
system to a satellite-derived aircraft location system and enhance 
aircraft surveillance by the FAA and Department of Defense air traffic 
controllers. Equipage with ADS-B avionics also provides aircraft 
operators with a platform for additional flight applications and 
services, including TIS-B \1\ and ADS-R \1\, which will improve a 
pilot's situational awareness in aircraft not equipped with a traffic 
alert and collision avoidance system (TCAS). Under 14 CFR 91.225, after 
January 1, 2020, to operate in certain airspace, an aircraft must have 
equipment installed that meets the performance requirements of 
Technical Standard Order (TSO)-C166b or TSO-C154c (``2020 Equipment'').
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    \1\ TIS-B uses secondary surveillance radars and multilateration 
systems to provide proximate traffic situational awareness, 
including position reports from aircraft not equipped with ADS-B Out 
or providing poor quality ADS-B Out data. TIS-B data does not 
provide as much information as could be received directly from an 
aircraft's ADS-B Out broadcast, because of the information available 
and required data processing. The TIS-B signal is an advisory 
service that is not designed for aircraft surveillance or 
separation, and cannot be used for either purpose.
    \1\ ADS-R collects traffic information from each ADS-B link and 
rebroadcasts it to ADS-B In-equipped aircraft on the other ADS-B 
link as needed. Note that ADS-R services are only available when 
both aircraft are within range of any ADS-B ground radio station, so 
there are regions of airspace without ADS-R coverage. ADS-B-In 
avionics with dual link receive capability neither require nor 
receive ADS-R.
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    Between 2010 and 2014, the FAA completed the ADS-B ground 
infrastructure. To ensure the benefits of the ADS-B surveillance 
infrastructure were made available as soon as it was deployed, the FAA 
enabled aircraft equipped with Pre-2020 \2\ Equipment to receive TIS-B 
and ADS-R services even though these aircraft would not be considered 
rule compliant after January 1, 2020. The FAA also provided ATC 
surveillance services to aircraft that were equipped with Pre-2020 
Equipment outside radar coverage in Alaska and offshore Gulf of Mexico 
airspace.
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    \2\ For purposes of this document, Pre-2020 Equipment refers to 
aircraft that are in compliance with Technical Standard Order (TSO)-
C166a or TSO-C154b. It does not include aircraft that are equipped 
with avionics compliant with TSO-C166 or TSO-C154a (or earlier). 
Note that aircraft equipped with ADS-B avionics compliant with TSO-
C166 or TSO-C154a (or earlier) have never been provided with FAA 
TIS-B or ADS-R services or FAA ATC surveillance services using ADS-
B.
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Service Changes to Operations in Alaska

    With regard to operations in Alaska, the FAA funded a project to 
upgrade Pre-2020 Equipment for aircraft operating within Alaska to 
ensure these aircraft would meet the 2020 Equipment standards in time 
for the mandate.\3\ This upgrade project will conclude in early 2019. 
Aircraft flying to and from Anchorage, Alaska and within Class A 
airspace over Alaska must also be in compliance with Sec.  91.225 after 
January 1, 2020.
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    \3\ The aircraft were originally equipped with the Pre-2020 
Equipment by the FAA's Alaska Capstone program in the early 2000s.
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    Pursuant to this action, on January 2, 2020, the FAA will begin 
terminating air traffic control surveillance services outside radar 
coverage for aircraft with Pre-2020 Equipment. In a 30-day period 
ending in June 2018 the FAA detected less than 30 aircraft equipped 
with Pre-2020 Equipment in the Alaskan airspace where the FAA receives 
ADS-B signals. Therefore, the FAA anticipates that this service change 
will only affect a small number of aircraft equipped with Pre-2020 
Equipment.

Service Changes to Operations in the Gulf of Mexico

    The provisions of Sec.  91.225 require all aircraft flying in Class 
E airspace at and above 3,000 feet mean sea level (MSL) over the Gulf 
of Mexico from the coastline of the United States out to 12 nautical 
miles to have operational 2020 Equipment (unless otherwise authorized 
by ATC) after January 1, 2020. As noted, the FAA has been providing 
surveillance services to approved aircraft with Pre-2020 Equipment 
operating in this airspace. Pursuant to this action, the FAA will begin 
terminating these surveillance services after January 1, 2020, to the 
aircraft with Pre-2020 Equipment. During a 30-day period ending in June 
2018, the FAA found less than 10 aircraft with Pre-2020 Equipment were 
receiving ATC surveillance services in the offshore Gulf of Mexico 
airspace managed by Houston Center. The FAA has already informally 
notified these operators that FAA will not provide ATC surveillance 
services to aircraft equipped with Pre-2020 Equipment after January 1, 
2020.

Service Changes at Airports With ADS-B Surface Service Volumes

    To date, aircraft with Pre-2020 Equipment have been receiving ADS-
SLR services in ADS-B surface service volumes (all U.S. airports with 
Airport Surface Detection Equipment Model X (ASDE-X) or Airport Surface 
Surveillance Capability (ASSC) systems). After January 1, 2020, in 
order to reach any airport with an ADS-B surface service volume, an 
aircraft will pass through airspace requiring 2020 Equipment. 
Accordingly, after January 1, 2020, the FAA will begin terminating

[[Page 55264]]

provision of ADS-SLR services to aircraft with Pre-2020 Equipment. The 
only aircraft that will be affected by the ADS-SLR service change are 
those aircraft that are not equipped with 2020 Equipment as required by 
Sec.  91.225.

NAS-Wide Service Changes

    As described above, FAA will no longer use ADS-B data from Pre-2020 
Equipment to provide ATC surveillance services after January 1, 2020. 
As such, the FAA will discontinue TIS-B and ADS-R client services NAS-
wide for aircraft equipped with Pre-2020 Equipment after January 1, 
2020.\4\
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    \4\ In 2016, the FAA changed how these services were provided. 
More information is available at http://rgl.faa.gov/
Regulatory_and_Guidance_Library/rgTSO.nsf/0/
45845cd583ad3cd686257d62006b3b3e/$FILE/TIS-
B_Service_Change_Summary.pdf.
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Implementation

    The FAA will begin making the above described changes on January 2, 
2020. However, each of the changes requires the implementation of 
software revisions and some require changes at multiple locations NAS-
wide. Because of the number of changes required and to ensure safe 
implementation, the changes will not be complete on January 2, 2020, 
but sometime soon thereafter.

Summary

    Starting on January 2, 2020, the FAA will begin to discontinue ATC 
surveillance services for aircraft equipped with Pre-2020 Equipment 
operating in Alaska and the offshore Gulf of Mexico airspace. The 
number of affected aircraft is expected to be less than 20. Any 
affected aircraft will receive ATC surveillance services only within 
FAA radar coverage over Alaska and the Gulf of Mexico.
    Starting on January 2, 2020, the FAA will begin to discontinue ADS-
SLR services for aircraft equipped with Pre-2020 Equipment at airports 
that lie immediately under the airspace defined in Sec.  91.225(d)(1) 
and/or (d)(2). After January 1, 2020, these specific airspace areas 
require aircraft to have 2020 Equipment. As such, the only affected 
aircraft will be those aircraft that have failed to equip to meet the 
regulatory requirements effective on January 2, 2020.
    Starting on January 2, 2020, in all airspace where TIS-B and ADS-R 
services are currently provided, the FAA will begin to discontinue TIS-
B and ADS-R client services for aircraft equipped with Pre-2020 
Equipment. This change will maximize the number of aircraft eligible 
for ATC surveillance services and support the safe provision of air 
traffic services. This action also reduces the resources required to 
provide and maintain TIS-B/ADS-R services.
    Starting on January 2, 2020, the FAA will begin enabling National 
Accuracy Category for Velocity (NACv) filtering for TIS-B and ADS-R 
client status throughout the NAS.\5\ This action will not impact any 
aircraft with 2020 Equipment meeting the requirements of Sec.  91.227 
or any aircraft with ADS-B avionics that meet the minimum requirements 
in TSO-C199 for a Class B position source.
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    \5\ A complete description of NACv filtering is available at 
http://rgl.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_Guidance_Library/rgTSO.nsf/0/
45845cd583ad3cd686257d62006b3b3e/$FILE/TIS-
B_Service_Change_Summary.pdf.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on October 24, 2018.
Kristen G. Burnham,
Vice President, Program Management Organization, FAA Air Traffic 
Organization.
[FR Doc. 2018-24052 Filed 11-2-18; 8:45 am]
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