The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has deployed Data Communications (Data Comm) to help reduce or remove one source of delays at Chicago’s O'Hare International Airport and Midway International Airport as part of the FAA’s NextGen air traffic control modernisation. 

Using Data Comm can cut delays by making pilot-controller communications shorter and precise, helping keeping an aircraft in the departure line and on schedule.

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After entering flight departure clearance instructions into a computer, controllers inside the air traffic control (ATC) towers need to push a button to electronically send the data to an aircraft’s flight deck.

Once the information is transmitted, crew members inside the flight can view the data, press a button to confirm receipt, and then press another to enter instructions into the plane’s flight management system.

The Data Comm process has become operational at both airports in Chicago, and also helps save time.

"Using Data Comm can cut delays by making pilot-controller communications shorter and precise, helping keeping an aircraft in the departure line and on schedule."

Upon reading back a series of complicated waypoints in a clearance with even one mistake, which is called a ‘readback / hearback’ error, pilots are required to repeat instructions until they are correct.

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These corrections take time, and even a short departure clearance can take two to three times longer than the one communicated through Data Comm.  

The process becomes more useful during bad weather conditions as Data Comm allows equipped aircraft to takeoff before an impending storm closes the departure window.

At present, aircraft relying on voice communications have to remain suspended until the storm passes.

Data Comm is not only expected to help FAA save around $1bn in future operating costs; it will also be able to save operators more than $10bn over the programme’s 30-year lifecycle.  

Image: Chicago O'Hare International Airport. Photo: courtesy of Piotrus / Wikipedia.