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Aircraft equipped with the appropriate transponder, broadcast their exact position and altitude twice per second to a network of 66 satellites carrying ADS-B receivers. This information is then fed into surveillance displays used by NAV CANADA air traffic controllers. This will enable air traffic controllers to support more efficient and environmentally-conscious routing for operators while also enhancing the Company’s ability to support search and rescue capabilities.

“Following significant engagement with Transport Canada and industry stakeholders, the implementation of an ADS-B mandate in Class A airspace represents an important milestone in a phased approach to achieving the full potential offered by increased surveillance coverage,” says Jeff Dawson, Assistant Vice President, Operational Support.

NAV CANADA first leveraged this revolutionary satellite-based technology in Canadian Class A domestic airspace above 29,000 ft in 2019, building on its successful use in previously unsurveilled airspace over the North Atlantic. It is expected that the mandate will come into effect for aircraft operating in Class B domestic airspace in May 2024 and in other classifications of domestic airspace no sooner than 2028, following additional stakeholder engagement.

“The ADS-B mandate is also an important step towards Trajectory Based Operations (TBO). With exact aircraft positioning, separation measurement can switch from less efficient time-based standards to those using actual distance between aircrafts. This approach to separation, based on a pre-determined four-dimensional flight path viewed in its entirety, will enable shorter, more predictable flight routes and reduce fuel consumption for aircraft operators,” adds Dawson.

To support the implementation of the ADS-B mandate, NAV CANADA and its partner Aireon – which deployed the first global air traffic surveillance system using ADS-B receivers on a network of 66 low earth orbit satellites – introduced the ADS-B Performance Report (PAPR), designed to help aircraft operators receive a report on the functionality of onboard ADS-B equipment. NAV CANADA is integrating the Aireon data into a searchable database on its website, allowing Canadian airspace users to enter their aircraft information in order to assess their system’s functionality.