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The FAA opened domestic en route CPDLC to business aircraft operators, rescinding a previous NOTAM that prevented such operators from participating on a broad basis. The NBAA shared the news on Thursday after the organization, along with GAMA, urged the FAA to restore the full availability of en route data link communications for all equipped general aviation aircraft.
The program has been beta-tested for years, with the NBAA and GAMA urging the FAA to restore full availability for all GA aircraft. Controller-pilot data link communications (CPDLC) allow for text messaging between an aircraft and the ATC for non-urgent and strategic instructions and clearances. This can provide the flight crew with better situational awareness and reduce congestion on the radio frequency. Over the years, changes to regulations and use have led to confusion among operators. The NBAA and GAMA have advocated to the FAA on numerous occasions to bring access to operators.RELATED STORIES: FAA announces plans for permanent CPDLC communicationsAviation groups urge FAA to resolve confusion over en route CPDLC for GA
"After a few years of trials and lessons learned, plus staunch advocacy by the business aviation community, NBAA and GAMA, we finally see the en route CPDLC open to general aviation operators," said NBAA Senior Director, Air Traffic Services and Infrastructure Heidi Williams. "However, it's not as simple as just opting in. Operators must exercise due diligence to follow proper procedures before participating."
The NBAA and GAMA asked the FAA to clarify the use of en route data link communications. The groups asked the FAA to provide clarity to stakeholders on the use of CPDLC. Many operators initially welcomed the capability and pushed for an expansion while in late 2019, the FAA issued a "request to stop." The FAA restored the availability of some of the GA data links under the U.S. Domestic Enroute CPDLC Avionics Trial, which closed to new aircraft in 2022, a major source of confusion over procedures.
The FAA responded in May, announcing it had a plan in place moving forward to allow business aircraft operators to use CPDLC permanently. Both BizAv and GA operators use CPDLC while flying and the system can provide a flight crew with better situational awareness and reduce congestion on radio frequency.
The CPDLC performance requirements are changing as the system is being deployed throughout the U.S. National Airspace System. Once the system is in place and the requirements are understood, the FAA will publish the long-term and fully defined performance criteria. The completion goal is May 2025, giving the FAA time to educate its inspector workforce, clarify the LOA/MSpecs/OpSpecs A056 and C056, and revise the Aeronautical Information Manual and other communication means.
As well as rescinding the NOTAM, the FAA published an updated En Route CPDLC Participation List to outline the aircraft make/model configurations capable of complying with domestic en route CPDLC requirements. The NBAA will host a News Hour webinar, The Changing Datacomm Landscape, and the ABCs of CPDLC, on Tuesday Dec. 5 at 11 a.m. EST to provide members with additional insight into participation.
Williams will moderate the webinar, joined by Kathy Torrence, FAA data comm program manager; Mark Patterson, FAA aviation safety inspector (ops); Jens Hennig, VP of operations at GAMA; and Richard Boll, chair of the NBAA's Domestic Operations Committee, Airspace andamp; FlightTechnologies Subcommittee.
"We know this is a complex issue and people still have a lot of questions," Williams said. "This webinar will address those questions, walk operators and pilots through the process and resolve confusion as this capability is opened up to the broader community. Domestic en route CPDLC is a valuable tool in modernizing the National Airspace System, but for the benefits to be fully realized, we as a community need to do our part."