In this activity, you will analyze and study the subject presented and compose an outline of a response addressing the questions posed. Your writing should concentrate on the development of specific events, issues, or conditions of the subject and their relationships. The outline response should involve research and documented evidence of your subject and be of sufficient content to write a 1.5 page report in Week 5.

Guidelines and notes:
Use a word processor and APA Style. Use of this paper templatePreview the documentView in a new window is required. Save the MS Word (.docx) template file to your computer and replace the text with your own. Remove the body of text prior to beginning your outline.
Follow this outline guidePreview the documentView in a new window.
The outline must be include at least two in-text citations and two sources, both in APA style.
This assignment has two stages; the first is your preliminary outline due in this module. The second stage will be due in Module 5, which will involve writing out the full paper.
m3_DCDU.jpgComputer Input-Output Technologies that Link Pilots and Air Traffic Controllers

Both the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Eurocontrol (Europe’s FAA) actively research, experiment with, and deploy technologies in order to create a safer and more efficient airspace system.

An example is Controller-Pilot Data Link Communications (CPDLC), which in addition to the existing radio, creates a second channel for communication between pilots and air traffic controllers (ATC). Instead of keying the radio, ATC and pilots type instructions and requests and send via text messaging. This reduces ATC workload and frees up the radio channels for important communications.

Figure 1: The Datalink Control and Display Unit (DCDU) on an Airbus A330, the pilot interface for CPDLC messages. Source Wikimedia (Links to an external site.)

To explore, view these two YouTube videos and while doing so take note of the computer technology in use, especially the input and output devices:

The Future Today (Links to an external site.)

(08:00)
[Video TranscriptPreview the documentView in a new window]
CPDLC controller-Pilot-Data-Link Communications (Links to an external site.)

(01:16)
[Video TranscriptPreview the documentView in a new window]

Case Study Supplemental Resources

Croft, J. (2012, January). Round two for controller-pilot datalink as FAA contract award looms. Flightglobal. http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/in-focus-round-two-for-controller-pilot-datalink-as-faa-contract-award-looms-366940/ (Links to an external site.)

Eurocontrol. (n.d.). Link 2000+ Programme. Retrieved from: http://www.eurocontrol.int/services/link-2000-programme (Links to an external site.)

Keller, J. (2012, February). FAA approval paves the way for commercial aircraft to exchange data with ATC over HF radio. http://www.militaryaerospace.com/articles/2012/02/faa_approval_pavesthewayforcommercialaircrafttoexchangedatawitha.html (Links to an external site.)

Mitre Corp. (2005). Projecting the Effect of CPDLC on NAS Capacity.
http://www.mitre.org/work/tech_papers/tech_papers_05/05_0119/05_0119.pdf (Links to an external site.)

Wien, K. (2012, March). Cockpit Chronicles: What’s not to like about the 757? I’ll show you. Gadling.
http://www.gadling.com/2012/03/08/cockpit-chronicles-whats-not-to-like-about-the-757-ill-show/ (Links to an external site.)

Case Study Questions:

What computer technologies do you recognize being used in the videos? What benefits are derived from the application of computer technology to controller – pilot communications? What are the challenges or risks of using CPDLC?

Your case study outline draft is due before the end of this module. Your instructor will review your work and provide feedback.