Wouldn’t it be great if a display on your instrument panel—or an iPad in your lap—could

show you other aircraft flying in the vicinity of your airplane?

TIS-B Explained: Traffic Information System Broadcast for NextGen

Aircraft Owners & Pilots Association : AOPA.

Traffic Avoidance Systems TAS

Traffic Avoidance Systems - CFI Notebook

The Traffic Information Service (TIS-A) provides traffic advisory information to

non-TAS/TCAS-equipped aircraft. TIS-A is a ground-based service providing
the relative locations of all ATCRBS (Air Traffic Control Radar Beacon
System) Mode-A and Mode-C transponder equipped aircraft within a specified
service volume. The TIS-A ground sensor uses real-time track reports to
generate traffic notification.

TIS-B takes the position and altitude of an air traffic control radar target,
converts that information into a format that’s compatible with ADS-B, and
then broadcasts the information to aircraft equipped with either of the two
U.S. ADS-B datalinks, the 1090-MHz extended squitter (1090ES) and the
978-MHz universal access transceiver (978UAT) frequencies.

For a pilot to benefit from TIS-B, his or her aircraft must be equipped with
ADS-B In, and operating in airspace with radar coverage.

TIS-B is broadcast to aircraft using both the 1090 MHz extended squitter (1090
ES) and the universal access transceiver (UAT) band of Automatic Dependent
Surveillance–Broadcast (ADS-B).[1] Currently the service mainly benefits
general aviation (GA) aircraft equipped with ADS-B "in" hardware by
providing a traffic information relay to a screen in the cockpit. In order to
use TIS, the client and any intruder aircraft must be equipped with the
appropriate cockpit equipment and fly within the radar coverage of a Mode S
radar capable of providing TIS. Typically, this will be within 55 NM of these
sites.
TIS-B, or Traffic Information System-Broadcast, is a data broadcasting service
that allows aircraft operators to receive traffic information in near-real time.
Along with its partner system FIS-B, TIS-B is being offered at no cost to ADS-
B users as part of the FAA's Next Generation Air Transportation
System (NextGen).
TIS-B is a traffic reporting system that uses ADS-B ground stations and radar
data to transmit aircraft position data to aircraft cockpit displays. In essence,
TIS-B will allow pilots in the cockpit to see what the air traffic controller sees -
other aircraft, along with those aircraft's altitudes, direction, and speed vectors
on their aircraft's display screen.
How TIS-B Works
TIS-B data is transmitted from a ground station to all ADS-B equipped aircraft,
whether the aircraft uses a 1090 MHz ES link or a 978 MHz UAT data link. The
traffic information is taken from radar sensors on ground stations and
broadcasts through ADS-B data links to aircraft.
The aircraft's ADS-B receiver will interpret the data and display it onto a screen
in the cockpit. The actual interface on which TIS-B will be displayed will vary
with the various different types of avionics on the market today, but it will most
likely be incorporated into a flight management system or an electronic flight
bag (EFB) to some standard degree. Typically, traffic is displayed as a small
triangle with a line showing the aircraft's direction and speed, and the altitude
readout somewhere next to the aircraft's triangle icon.
Equipment
Pilots who want to receive TIS-B information on their airplanes must be
equipped with a compatible ADS-B transmitter (ADS-B Out) and receiver
(ADS-B In), or a transceiver (both). ADS-B requires a WAAS-enabled GPS
receiver and a transponder when one is not already included with the ASD-B
unit.
A compatible cockpit display (CDIT) is also needed to display the traffic in
graphic format.
Limitations
There are a few limitations that exist with TIS-B that pilots should be aware of
when flying:

 TIS-B is advisory in nature

 TIS-B is only available within the service areas configured for TIS-B and
while within the coverage area of at least one ATC radar unit.
 Radar lags behind ADS-B when it comes to updates. Since ADS-B
updates about once per second and radar updates every three to 13
 seconds, it's possible that aircraft pilots might see a target of their own
aircraft when maneuvering before ATC is aware of the same target. 
 TIS-B uses both ADS-B data and radar data. At times, the messages
received from ADS-B and radar can be slightly different from each other
and interpreted inaccurately. This can result in duplicate traffic figures
on the display.
 Aircraft must be equipped with an operable transponder to appear as a
target on a display.

The FAA warns pilots that TIS-B is not a replacement for standard traffic
separation and avoidance techniques. Unlike TCAS, TIS-B does not give
traffic collision guidance and traffic avoidance maneuvers are not authorized.
Pilots should remember that traffic avoidance maneuvers are not authorized
as a response to TIS-B displays, and ATC violations may occur in the event
that a pilot deviates from his or her assigned instructions. 
The Basics of The Next Generation Air Traffic
System – NextGen
The Next Generation Air Traffic System: What You Need to Know

•••
BY 
SARINA HOUSTON
 
Updated November 29, 2019
NextGen is short for Next Generation Air Transportation System—
an FAA program developed to modernize today's national airspace system with the
help of the entire industry. NextGen isn’t just a single program; it's made up of a
series of initiatives designed to make the airspace system more efficient.

Without really examining the components of NextGen, it can be difficult to understand

what NextGen is really about and why it costs so much to implement. Below is an
overview of the basics of NextGen.

History & Development

The vision for NextGen was formed in the early 2000s. It officially began taking form
in December 2003 as part of the Vision 100- Century of Aviation Reauthorization Act.
In January 2004, the Department of Transportation announced the plan for NextGen:
It would be a multi-agency, multi-year modernization of the air traffic system that
would extend into the future at least 25 years.

In December 2004, the DOT published the Integrated Plan for the Next Generation
Air Transportation System, which outlined goals and processes for NextGen.

NextGen was divided into short-term (2004-2012), mid-term (2012-2020), and long-
term (2020-2030 and beyond) goals and visions.

According to the FAA, implementing and maintaining NextGen programs will cost
about $37 billion through 2030. The FAA also stated that the cost savings from the
same set of programs are expected to be $106 billion.

NextGen Benefits

 A better travel experience for passengers and operators

 Fuel savings for aircraft operators
 A reduction in emissions due to more direct and efficient routes and approaches
 Reduced separation minimums
 Reduced congestion
 Better communications across the airspace system and its users
 Standardized access to weather information
 Improved onboard technology
Specific NextGen Components

There are several specific components to the NextGen system.

ADS-B

Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast is a more accurate and reliable system

than the RADAR system in place currently. ADS-B will broadcast aircraft information
such as speed, location, and route to air traffic controllers and other participating
aircraft through the use of satellite radio signals and ground stations. Aircraft will
need to be properly equipped to participate.

SWIM

System-Wide Information Management is a program that the FAA developed to

manage information over many different channels better. SWIM will also control the
standardization and security of modern data.

Data Communication

Also known as Data Comm, this system provides a new way for pilots and controllers
to access information in a digital format, specifically the transfer of textual clearances,
approach procedures and instructions from controllers to pilots and back.

ASIAS

The Aviation Safety Information Analysis & Sharing program is meant to consolidate
safety reports into one database for easier access and better analysis.

PBN and Reduced Separation Standards

The FAA has plans to reduce the separation standards for aircraft with the help of
ADS-B and PBN, or Performance-Based Navigation techniques. Simultaneous
parallel approaches are the focus, along with increased capacity through RNAV and
RNP procedures.
TBO

Trajectory-Based Operations means that air traffic control will move away from
clearance-based operations and move toward trajectory-based operations based on
automated information.

Low-Visibility Operations

NextGen includes improvements to low-visibility operations with the use of Heads-Up

Display (HUDs), Enhanced Flight Vision System (EFVS), and Ground-Based
Augmentation System Landing System III which will provide a way for aircraft to auto-
land in low-visibility conditions.

Airport Improvement Program

Continuous research and development of airports and runways to improve capacity

and operations.

Flight Deck Enhancements

Cockpit improvements will come through TIS-B and FIS-B services for traffic and
weather updates in the cockpit, EFBs, which provide a multitude of information in
electronic format, and Synthetic Vision Systems, which provide external topography
information to the cockpit. Also, Airborne Access to SWIM (AAtS) will provide flight
crews with real-time access to SWIM. Another program called Airborne Collision
Avoidance System (ACAS-X) will operate like TCAS, but with fewer nuisance alarms.

NVS

The NAS Voice System will update the communications infrastructure, specifically the
switches involved in air traffic control communications, to better handle the modern
communications of the air traffic system.

Collaborative Air Traffic Management Technologies (CATMT)

CATMT is a fancy acronym for teamwork and data-sharing among air traffic
managers to make improvements to aircraft routes, route planning, and investigation
of delays.
Common Support Service-Weather (CSS-Wx)

CSS-Wx used to be called NNEW, or NextGen Network Enabled Weather. In 2016,

the FAA will begin to disseminate standardized weather information from one source
only. The weather information will be compiled by the FAA with NOAA and provided
on the new NextGen Weather Processor (NWP).

AIRE

AIRE stands for Atlantic Interoperability Initiative to Reduce Emissions and is an

international cooperative program between the United States and European
Commission to work toward environmentally friendly solutions in aviation.