Airport Surface Surveillance Capability (ASSC)

Airport Surface Surveillance Capability (ASSC)

Description

Airport Surface Surveillance Capability (ASSC) is a runway safety tool. With ASSC, both controllers and pilots with ADS-B In and cockpit displays see aircraft and ground vehicles on the airport surface, and on approach and departure paths within a few miles of the airport.

ASSC improves surface surveillance and situational awareness in all kinds of weather. ASSC is similar to a prior system deployed in the U.S. called the Airport Surface Detection Equipment, Model X (ASDE-X).

The ASSC system receives input from:

  • ASDE-3 surface movement radar
  • ASSC multilateration remote units
  • ADS-B
  • Airport Surveillance Radar/Mode-S
  • Terminal automation for the flight plan data

ASSC fuses this data to produce a highly accurate display for controllers to show aircraft and ground vehicles on the surface movement area, and on arrival and departure routes. Pilots with TIS-B and cockpit displays can also receive ASSC data. This data is also transmitted to other FAA systems, including Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast (ADS-B), SWIM, and Runway Status Lights.

Benefits

  • Helps prevent runway collisions
  • Improves situational awareness
  • Covers airport from arrival through departure paths within a few miles of the airport
  • Correlates flight-plan information with position displays
  • Provides surveillance data with an accuracy and update rate suitable for:
    • Situational awareness in all weather conditions
    • Departure queuing
    • Conflict detection and alerts
    • Taxi route conformance monitoring

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