Working Group B/m meeting Montreal, Ca

AMCP

Working Group B/M Meeting

Certification of VDL Mode 3 on an Airlines Aircraft

S
The FAA initiated additional avionics work to validate and certify VDL mode 3 in operational aircraft. This paper summarizes the various flight test objectives that the certification services put the technology through and subsequently agreed that VDL Mode 3 successfully met the established objectives


ummary
Presented by

The US Member

Peter Muraca

Bruce Eckstein

• 
  Intelligible transmission and reception of digital voice communications during long-range operations (greater than 160nm), including both right and left 360 degree maneuvering. Communications was monitored and exchanged every 10 degrees of the turn. Procedure 2.1.1
  

• 
  Intelligible transmission and reception of analog voice communications during long-range operations (160nm), including both right and/or left 90-180 degree maneuvering. Communications was monitored and exchanged every 20-30 degrees of the turn. Procedure 2.1.6
  

• 
  Intelligible transmission and reception of digital voice communications during high angle operations, including both right and left 360 degree maneuvering. Test conducted between 50-70 nm range. Communications was monitored and exchanged every 10 degrees of the turn. Procedure 2.2.1
  

• 
  Intelligible transmission and reception of analog voice communications during high angle operations, including both right and left 360 degree maneuvering. Test conducted between 50-70 nm range. Communications was monitored and exchanged every 20-30 degrees of the turn. Procedure 2.2.6
  

• 
  Intelligible transmission and reception of digital voice communications during approach operations. (Aircraft modified flight level from 35,000 to 15-20,000 feet). Test conducted at 20 nm range while also performing left and right arc maneuvers. Communications was monitored and exchanged during the complete turn. Procedure 2.3.1
  

• 
  Intelligible transmission and reception of analog voice communications during approach operations. (Aircraft modified flight level from 35,000 to 15-20,000 feet). Test conducted at 20 nm range while also performing left and right arc maneuvers. Communications was monitored and exchanged during the complete turn. Procedure 2.3.6
  

• 
  Controller Override operation. Pilot transmits phonetic alphabet, controller interrupted pilot’s transmission, communications exchanged to validate normal transmission and reception after the override function. Procedure 2.4.1
  

• 
  Urgent Downlink Request operation. Controller transmits phonetic alphabet while holding PTT, pilot initiates urgent downlink request, communications exchanged to validate normal transmission and reception after the downlink request function. Procedure 2.5.1
  

• 
  Next Channel Uplink operation. Controller uplinks next channel, the uplinked channel is displayed in the standby window on radio tuning panel, new channel is transferred to the active window, communications exchanged to validate normal transmission & reception after the next channel uplink function. Procedure 2.6.1
  

• 
  Analog data-ACARS operation (Aircraft Communications Addressing And Reporting System [ACARS]). Atlanta and Atlantic City weather data displayed on the Control Display Unit (CDU). Procedure 2.7.1
  

• 
  Transmitter Timeout (35 second timer) operation. Pilot transmits phonetic alphabet. Controller monitors time, side tone initiates, and transmission is inhibited. Communications exchanged to validate normal transmission and reception after a 35 second timer condition. Procedure 2.8.1
  

• 
  Polling function analysis during co-site analog reception. This test performed using multiple VDRs. A VDR was logged onto the ground station to a digital frequency (119.221), a second VDR was tuned to a second analog frequency (136.300), the second analog frequency was monitored for VDL Mode 3 polling bursts. Polling bursts were not heard and did not affect voice quality of communications. Procedure 2.9.1
  

• 
  Mutual interference evaluation of VHF-2100 operations and other aircraft systems. Multiple systems operated and no unacceptable mutual interference between the VHF-2100’s and the systems observed. Procedure 2.10.1
  

• 
  Radio to radio interference of the VHF-2100s. Multiple radio to radio combinations tested, using all three VDRs, and no unacceptable mutual interference between the VHF-2100s observed. Procedure 2.10.6
  

• 
  Mutual interference of the VHF-2100s during Instrument Landing System (ILS) Category IIIB (Cat IIIB) approach. Two Autopilot/Flight Director (AP/FD) ILS approaches to CAT IIIB minimums to 50 feet Above Ground Level (AGL) performed, while monitoring for lateral/vertical deviations. No unacceptable mutual interference on ILS approach performance detected from the VHF-2100s. Procedure 2.11.1
  

• 
  Accessibility, readability and usability of the VHF comm radio controls and displays and VHF Comm1, VHF Comm2 and VHF Comm3 circuit breakers. Light conditions were evaluated per both the night and day perspectives (night time conditions were induced using covers for the windshield). All three comm radios controls and displays were accessible by each pilot from their normal crew positions, were legible and visible in all lighting conditions, and were convenient to use (preventing any confusion and/or inadvertent operation). Procedure 2.12.1
  

• 
  Transmission and reception of VHF-2100s with various microphones and speakers/headsets. Transmission on all microphones is intelligible by ground station and reception on all listening devices is intelligible by flight crew. Procedure 2.12.6
  

• 
  VHF radio failure Test. Once the circuit breaker is pulled, the radio tuning panel is blank and the radio does not transmit/receive. After resetting the circuit breaker the tuning panel is illuminated and the radio transmits and receives.