Ground-Link
was developed for general aviation and commuter airlines by Avtech
Marketing, Inc. to provide pilots access to the public telephone network
through a VHF radio interface.
The pilot
keys the mic on the communication radio, signaling the system to call
the appropriate air traffic control (ATC) agency. The pilot can then
talk directly with ATC and receive the necessary ATC instructions
without leaving the aircraft.
Before
the development of this type of system, the pilot had to call ATC
using a public telephone. Ground-Link serves as an alternative to
dedicated air/ground voices facilities that may be underused or not
economically justifiable.
The pilot
activates the system by using four "key clicks" on the mic. The system
dials the appropriate ATC facility using a pre-stored number. When
answered, communications between ATC and the aircraft are transmitted
over a VHF radio. The pilot can then obtain or cancel an Instrument
Flight Rules (IFR) clearance. No changes are required to equipment
at the ATC facility or in the aircraft to take advantage of Ground-Link.
The best
applications for this system are airports where special communications
needs may exist or those with lower traffic.
Benefits
to NAS and the pilot
Click HERE for a benefits summary
Enhances
Flight Safety
Ground-Link allows ATC to enhance the safety of aircraft movement
by increasing the efficiency of the use of airspace surrounding outlying
airports. Ground-Link aids pilots to easily obtain IFR clearances
prior to departure. The
public telephone method of obtaining the clearances takes time, is
often inconvenient, and often encourages the pilot to depart without
having obtained a clearance. This often leads to dangerous operating
conditions. Thus Ground-Link provides ATC with greater control of
the airspace. The system also allows for enhancement of situational
awareness on the part of the controller by providing near-term notification
of a pending departure.
Cost
Effective
Ground-Link is extremely cost-effective to the national airspace system
as an alternative to dedicated remote transmitter/receiver facilities.
It has been estimated that the acquisition of this type of system
will be approximately 15% of the cost of the RCO. Annual operating
expenses are nothing more than a telephone line and electricity. This
equates to a cost saving of 75% or more over a dedicated facility.
Efficiently
Uses Airspace
Procedures currently call for all airspace surrounding an airport
to be sterilized when a clearance has been issued with a release time.
This means that no other approaching or departing aircraft is allowed
to be cleared into that airspace until a positive position is reported
from the cleared aircraft is obtained. The amount of time that elapses
from release until communications can be established with that aircraft
can be extremely long, often tens of minutes. The use of Ground-Link
can reduce this time. Reducing delays from 10 minutes or greater down
to two or 3 minutes allows ATC to open the airspace for other operations,
eliminating the need for holds or other delays for aircraft.