It was true very recently, Timothy. None of the Farnborough units for example could see it, or so they said.
The main NATS radars (London Control etc) always could; they developed some software for managing holding stacks (I saw a demo) which they tried to sell to other countries. But these absolutely never offer a service to VFR GA.
Does any UK ATC see ADS-B OUT? I think this is a key Q because if they can’t (like many/most can’t see Mode S?) what is the beneficiary of this new CAA position? I am sure they are not doing it for the benefit of GA (e.g. the TAS function) especially as mid-airs are extremely rare.
If you look at the UK NATS ipad app., which to me seems like a much better version of FR25, it amalgamates UK NATS radar data, and ADSB. It is also stated that it is a cut down version of a system they use far ATC, so I think by implication they can see ADS-B.
In the link I originally posted they talk about trials of a traffic display system in Scotland
Peter wrote:
what is the beneficiary of this new CAA position? I am sure they are not doing it for the benefit of GA (e.g. the TAS function) especially as mid-airs are extremely rare.
Well, they appear to be doing it with GA as the beneficiary. I’m sure GA airfields that can’t possibly afford a radar feed from NATS for £££££££ will benefit greatly too. Even at our quiet airfield we’d be ecstatic if the majority carried ADS-B, and we could have a laptop set up in our glider launch point vehicle showing all the ADS-B targets. It’s very cheap to receive ADS-B – it can all be done with SDR (in other words, a £10 WinTV dongle and antenna, and a laptop) – the problem is not enough people are radiating. Make it inexpensive and make it portable and more people will do it, especially if small GA airfields promote it – because pilots will see and get a benefit from it.
Mid-airs are rare but as you’ve pointed out yourself on numerous occasions, Mk.1 eyeball just isn’t adequete (either air-to-air, or ground-to-air, especially with the dodgy position reports some people give) and there are an awful lot of airproxes. Just going through the Manchester LLR on a nice day would be much better if most people had an inexpensive EC system.
