The Fifth South East Asia (SEA) ADS-B Working Group meeting hosted by DGCA Indonesia was held in Jakarta from 21 to 22 January 2010. The meeting was informed that the world’s first nationwide satellite-based air navigation surveillance system has been put into operational use in Australia since end of December 2009 after the culmination of years of planning, hard work and commitment by the staff of Airservices Australia and CASA.

The ADS-B Upper Airspace Project, which delivers radar-like coverage across the whole Australian continent for the first time ever, is supported by 28 Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast (ADS-B) ground stations and a new digital communications network using the latest state-of-the-art technology

The accuracy of the resulting information displayed on controllers’ screens has allowed separation standards to be reduced from the previous procedural standard of 30 nautical miles to the radar standard of five nautical miles for aircraft flight at and above FL290.

ADS-B has been enthusiastically welcomed by controllers, pilots and the aviation industry.

The immediate benefits have included significant improvement in flow management, less restrictive weather diversions, quicker access to preferred routes, less position reporting, a reduced cockpit workload and improved situational awareness.

The meeting congratulated Australia for commissioning the Upper Airspace Project which indicates significant milestone for ADS-B implementation that has been achieved. It will motivate other States for early implementation. 

The SEA ADS-B Working Group is working  together to progress ADS-B data sharing and enhance Pilot and Controller  Direct (DCPC) VHF voice communication capability for the area crossing FIR boundary to increase air navigation safety, flight efficiency and capacity along major air traffic routes in the region.