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WAM

Wide Area Multilateration

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WAM : Current Operations

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Program Description

Wide Area Multilateration (WAM)

Wide Area Multilateration is a surveillance technology that works by employing multiple small remote sensors throughout an area to compensate for terrain obstructions, which enables air traffic controllers to apply more efficient separation standards for aircraft operating in the affected airspaces.

Key Capabilities

Key Capabilities

  • Provides positional information, including altitude, and identity data to air traffic control for use in providing surveillance separation services.
  • Providing surveillance coverage for both legacy transponder equipped aircraft and ADS-B equipped aircraft simultaneously operating in the same airspace.
  • WAM position report accuracy is within 420 feet 95% of the time
Program Benefits

Benefits

  • Increases the use of Performance Based Navigation (PBN) to improve flight efficiency
  • Supports Optimization of Airspace and Procedures in the Metroplex (OAPM) redesign goals
  • Supports the future use of Flight Deck-Interval Management (FIM)
  • Extends use of time-based metering from the en route domain to the terminal domain and runway, leveraging the FAA's investment in TBFM