Safety and Efficiency Improves with CPDLC in Place Over Canadian Domestic Airspace

摘要

The phrase, "say again" is used less often between air traffic controllers and pilots flying at high altitudes in Canadian domestic airspace. NAV CANADA, Canada's privatized civil air navigation service provider, has successfully implemented Controller Pilot Data Link Communications (CPDLC) above FL 290 in six of its seven domestic flight information regions (FIR) as this article goes to print. Implementation for the Toronto FIR is due to complete the domestic rollout in early 2014. CPDLC enables controllers in area control centres (ACC), and pilots in the cockpits, to communicate via data link or text-based messages instead of voice. Communications can include altitude, speed, and route clearances; change requests; frequency assignments; or any related air traffic service information.