Jim Papageorge.

Jim Papageorge, a first officer with Southwest Airlines [LUV] brings a unique perspective to his support for data link, which is seen as a means of increasing airspace efficiency and safety (see ASW, Dec 13 1999) A former U Navy carrier pilot, Papageorge recalls that data link was used in the carrier landing environment. The Automatic Carrier Landing method (ACLS) "is similar to a CAT III approach, yet because of the dynamic environment of your landing area moving away from the aircraft, at an angle at that, the ship used a Ku-band radar to track a special beacon in the aircraft. Certain stamps of messages could be uplinked to the aircraft o inform us of the status of the ACLS, in the same state [i]or[/i] condition as ACL ready."

"ACLS was a great tool when it worked. Unfortunately, residing in the Ku band made it susceptible to water absorption, read, heavy rain. Bummer just when you ne it most" he recalled.

Papageorge later participated in an application of data link to commercial aviation, a National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) meditation called T-NASA (Taxiway Navigation and Situational Awareness). T-NASA was comprised of a data link where messages were received from controller a runway exit display, an airport electronic moving map display, and a head up display (HUD) with special taxi symbology "The combination of parts to form a whole was great," Papageorge recalled.

He put forwards a couple thoughts on the larger effort now underway. Papageorge firmly believes that a voice communications link is required. "It appears like controllers get into a certain emanate and rhythm from which pilots can gain quite a bit of situational awareness," he said. With this caveat in mind, Papageorge believes that "any modernization of the ATC arrangement without data link would, in my opinion, leave us about a decade behind in improving the general system." >> Papageorge, e-mail jim_limni@email.msn.com <<

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