Europe Standardizing Future Operational Datalink Services

Europe has started standardizing future operational datalink services based on the operational trials of CPDLC (controller-pilot datalink communications) conducted under the auspices of its LINK2000+ Program.

Because of those trials and a large amount of research and development carried out by Eurocontrol, along with many other European stakeholders both public and private, a number of new datalink operational services complementing those in LINK2000+ are now ready for international use.

These new services are consistent with Europe's master plan for ATM (air traffic management), and include operational improvements in flight information services and a number of medium-term applications, such as the introduction of initial 4D (adding time) operations.

"Now is the right moment to capitalize on the R&D work carried out and to provide our stakeholders with the possibility to maximize the return on their datalink investment..." said Robert Stewart, who heads Eurocontrol's division for communications systems and programs.

The FAA's NextGen (next generation air transportation system) plan also envisions operational datalink services similar to Europe's.

A joint RTCA/EUROCAE group, SC-214/WG-78, has been created to develop global datalink standards for these next steps. 04-18-2008.

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