Testing of traffic information service broadcast (TIS-B) and ADS-B at Memphis International Airport

Automatic dependent surveillance broadcast (ADS-B) is a surveillance system in which participating aircraft periodically distribute estimates of their state vector on a common communications channel. The state vector estimates are derived from navigation avionics on each individual aircraft. Any user may then assemble a surveillance picture of nearby traffic by collecting these reports and comparing them to their own position. Of course, such a surveillance picture only includes aircraft that are equipped with ADS-B avionics and are transmitting their state vector updates. While in the end state one can envision near universal equipage, "early adopters" of ADS-B receivers will gain little utility until a significant fraction of the fleet equips. Traffic information system broadcast (TIS-B) is a tool to bridge this transition. TIS-B collects state vector information on aircraft through ground-based surveillance sensors, reformats the information into "ADS-B-like" formats, and broadcasts these reports on the common ADS-B channel. This paper describes the test organization and preliminary results from a data collection activity conducted jointly by FAA and industry from May 20-23 at Memphis International Airport to characterize key elements of TIS-B.