Transponder Landing System Technology; a Snapshot

摘要

The little understood and often maligned TLS can provide another tool to the airport designer's toolbox to provide a precision approach capability and enhance safety during the critical landing phase, especially in mountainous regions where other options are not available and CFIT accidents prevail. Though not likely to be widely adopted in the NAS, TLS can provide a beneficial service where circumstances require. Improvements to TLS are underway to make it more compatible with operational procedures and require less human intervention. The TLS market is expanding internationally. TLS is especially attractive to lesser developed nations without an extensive infrastructure and where air traffic density is light. TLS derivatives have proven to meet DOD's needs for tactical deployment of surveillance and precision approach capability. Improvements in capability are also underway with TTLS. TLS and TTLS can indeed provide a real benefit to aviation.