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ADS-B provides greater coverage because ADS-B ground
stations are so much easier to place than radar. Remote
areas where there is currently no radar, like the
Gulf of Mexico and remote areas in Alaska, will have
precise surveillance coverage with ADS-B. Prior to
ADS-B, controllers tracking aircraft flying at low
altitudes over the Gulf used a procedural grid system
based on reported, not actual, position. Because of
the inaccuracy of this system, controller had to incorporate
a large cushion of airspace around each aircraft,
decreasing airspace capacity. Under such a system,
low altitude, individual aircraft are isolated by
a 20 mile by 20 mile grid. ADS-B will reduce separation
requirements while greatly improving the safety and
efficiency of helicopters flying at low altitudes
to and from oil rigs. There are approximately 5,500
oil platforms in the Gulf. Helicopters servicing those
rigs fly between 5,000 and 9,000 operations per day.
The FAA has installed ADS-B ground stations on oil
rigs with assistance from Helicopter Association International,
aircraft Operators and Oil companies operating the
platforms. The FAA has received valuable space on
platforms for ground stations, power, telecommunications
and transportation to and from the rigs. Because of
the massive collaboration in the Gulf of Mexico, the
potential is present for oil rig companies to require
aircraft landing on its rigs to be equipped with ADS-B.
See Figure 2 Current ADS-B Deployment in the Gulf.
Figure 2 Current ADS-B
Deployment in the Gulf
The ADS-B radio stations installed
in Gulf offer complete ADS-B capability utilizing
both 1090 MHz and 978 MHz “In” and “Out”
capability (excluding TIS-B “In” capability).
This allows operators such to utilize traffic and
weather functionality in the Gulf immediately.
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