Skywest Airlines the First Fokker 100 to implement ADS-B OUT

December 12, 2011 flight2000it

Fokker Services congratulates Skywest Airlines, based in Perth Australia, as the first Fokker 100 operator worldwide to implement Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast (ADS-B OUT), an Air Traffic Management (ATM) Surveillance system that replaces traditional radar based systems. ADS-B is a technology where aircraft avionics broadcasts the aircraft position, altitude, velocity and other parameters completely autonomously to ground stations feeding the Air Traffic Management surveillance systems. ADS-B makes use of Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) data to determine aircraft position. Air traffic controllers will then see more reliable and accurate information on the aircraft’s position and track even in areas where there is no ATC radar coverage.

“The main benefit for operators to start using this system is higher flexibility and priority in routes and clearance requests in areas with limited or no ATC radar coverage”, says Karel van Meekeren, Product Manager from Fokker Services.

“We are proud to be the first Fokker 100 operator to implement this system” says Fred Crampton, Fokker 100 Fleet Manager from Skywest. “We hope to achieve more flexibility in our operation, particularly in areas of Western Australia where traffic density is very high, due to the fly-in, fly-out workforce of the mining industry. Radar coverage is limited in these remote areas and ADS-B will reduce the reliance on procedural separation requirements.”

Fokker Services developed and certified the ADS-B OUT system for the Fokker 100. The system was installed in the Skywest aircraft at the Fokker Services Asia facilities in Singapore where the final certification testing was also carried out.

It is anticipated that all Fokker 100’s flying in Australia will successively be fitted with this system. ADS-B will be mandatory for operations above 29’000 feet in Australia from 12 December 2013.

Source: Fokker Services