FAA Implements ATOP Technology for More Direct Oceanic Routes
April 18, 2007 // Published as a news service by IHS
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The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced the final implementation of Advanced Technologies and Oceanic Procedures (ATOP) at the Anchorage Air Route Traffic Control Center.
According to the FAA, this will enable aircraft flying over the North Pacific Ocean to fly more direct routes, save fuel and achieve better on-time performance for passengers.
The technology was designed to enable controllers to separate aircraft in areas outside radar coverage or direct radio communication, such as over oceans.
ATOP detects conflicts between aircraft and provides satellite data link communication and position information to air traffic controllers.
According to FAA, ATOP reduces the manual process that limited controllers' flexibility to handle airline requests for more efficient tracks over long oceanic routes.
It also was designed to reduce the workload on controllers through the use of electronic flight strips instead of the paper strip method previously used to track trans-oceanic aircraft.
More direct communication and reduced controller workload will eventually enable reduced horizontal separation between aircraft from 100 nautical miles (nm) to 30 nm. The FAA said the greater transoceanic capacity would enable more aircraft to fly preferred routes.
FAA centers in Ronkonkoma, N.Y. and Oakland, Calif. have deployed ATOP to provide air traffic service over the Atlantic and Pacific regions.
Source: U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).