NextGen – NextGen Priorities – Data Communications

The Data Communications (Data Comm) program will provide data communications services between pilots and air traffic controllers as well as enhanced air traffic control information to airline operations centers. Data Comm will provide a direct link between ground automation and flight deck avionics for safety-of-flight clearances, instructions, traffic flow management, flight crew requests and reports. Data Comm is critical to the success of NextGen, enabling efficiencies not possible with the current voice system. These services will enhance safety by reducing communication errors, increase controller productivity by reducing communication time between controllers and pilots, and increase airspace capacity and efficiency while reducing delays, fuel burn and carbon emissions.

Joint Analysis Team Findings

The Joint Analysis Team (JAT) evaluated the impacts of Data Communications implementation. Full details on methodology and findings can be found in the Joint Analysis Team: Performance Assessment of Boston/Gary Optimal Profile Descents and DataComm (PDF).

Schedule and Stats

List of capabilities and their implementation status

NOTE: The site milestones in the table below represent accelerated challenge dates which are ahead of the baseline milestones for the program.

Key Sites (3 towers)
Group A (19 towers)
Group B (15 towers)
Group C (18 towers)
Group D (7 towers)

Key Sites
Site Name	Site ID	ARTCC ID	IOC (CY)
KS 1: Salt Lake City	SLC	ZLC	Q3 2015 × Reason for date change at KS 1: Salt Lake City: Data Comm content in ERAM build delayed as ERAM Baseline finishes its deployment. Also addressing critical software PTR fixes. Q2 2015 Baseline date Q3 2015 Revised date
KS 2: Houston Intcl	IAH	ZHU	Q3 2015
KS 3: Houston Hobby	HOU	ZHU	Q3 2015

Key Sites
Site Name	Site ID	ARTCC ID	IOC (CY)
New Orleans	MSY	ZHU	Q1 2016
Austin	AUS	ZHU	Q1 2016
San Antonio	SAT	ZHU	Q1 2016
Los Angeles	LAX	ZLA	Q1 2016
Las Vegas	LAS	ZLA	Q1 2016
San Diego	SAN	ZLA	Q2 2016
John Wayne	SNA	ZLA	Q2 2016
Burbank	BUR	ZLA	Q2 2016
Ontario	ONT	ZLA	Q2 2016
San Francisco	SFO	ZOA	Q2 2016
Oakland	OAK	ZOA	Q2 2016
San Jose	SJC	ZOA	Q3 2016
Sacramento	SMF	ZOA	Q3 2016
Phoenix	PHX	ZAB	Q3 2016
Albuquerque	ABQ	ZAB	Q3 2016
Portland	PDX	ZSE	Q3 2016
Seattle	SEA	ZSE	Q3 2016
Dallas Love	DAL	ZFW	Q4 2016
Dallas FTW (x2)	DFW	ZFW	Q4 2016

Key Sites
Site Name	Site ID	ARTCC ID	IOC (CY)
Louisville	SDF	ZID	Q1 2016
Indianapolis	IND	ZID	Q1 2016
Memphis	MEM	ZME	Q1 2016
Nashville	BNA	ZME	Q2 2016
Denver	DEN	ZDV	Q2 2016
Atlanta	ATL	ZTL	Q2 2016
Charlotte	CLT	ZTL	Q2 2016
Orlando	MCO	ZJX	Q2 2016
Miami	MIA	ZMA	Q3 2016
Fort Lauderdale	FLL	ZMA	Q3 2016
Tampa	TPA	ZMA	Q3 2016
St. Louis	STL	ZKC	Q3 2016
San Juan	SJU	ZMA	Q4 2016
Kansas City	MCI	ZKC	Q4 2016
Minn-St. Paul	MSP	ZMP	Q4 2016

Key Sites
Site Name	Site ID	ARTCC ID	IOC (CY)
Newark	EWR	ZNY	Q1 2016
J F Kennedy	JFK	ZNY	Q1 2016
LaGuardia	LGA	ZNY	Q1 2016
Teterboro	TEB	ZNY	Q1 2016
Westchester	HPN	ZNY	Q2 2016
Philadelphia	PHL	ZNY	Q2 2016
Boston	BOS	ZBW	Q2 2016
Bradley	BDL	ZBW	Q2 2016
Detroit	DTW	ZOB	Q2 2016
Cleveland	CLE	ZOB	Q3 2016
Pittsburgh	PIT	ZOB	Q3 2016
Balt/Wash	BWI	ZDC	Q3 2016
Dulles	IAD	ZDC	Q3 2016
Reagan	DCA	ZDC	Q3 2016
Raleigh/Durham	RDU	ZDC	Q4 2016
Chicago Midway	MDW	ZAU	Q4 2016
Chicago O'Hare	ORD	ZAU	Q4 2016
Milwaukee	MKE	ZAU	Q4 2016

Key Sites
Site Name	Site ID	ARTCC ID	IOC (CY)
Joint Base Andrews	ADW	ZDC	Q4 2017 × Reason for date change at Joint Base Andrews: Completed prior to commitment date Q4 2017 Revised date Q3 2019 Baseline date
Reno	RNO	ZOA	Q1 2018 × Reason for date change at Reno: Completed prior to commitment date Q1 2018 Revised date Q3 2019 Baseline date
Columbus	CMH	ZID	Q2 2018 × Reason for date change at Columbus: Completed prior to commitment date Q2 2018 Revised date Q3 2019 Baseline date
Fort Myers	RSW	ZMA	Q2 2018 × Reason for date change at Fort Myers: Completed prior to commitment date Q2 2018 Revised date Q3 2019 Baseline date
Charleston	CHS	ZJX	Q2 2018 × Reason for date change at Charleston: Completed prior to commitment date Q2 2018 Revised date Q3 2019 Baseline date
Buffalo	BUF	ZOB	Q2 2018 × Reason for date change at Buffalo: Completed prior to commitment date Q2 2018 Revised date Q3 2019 Baseline date
Van Nuys	VNY	ZLA	Q3 2018 × Reason for date change at Van Nuys: Completed prior to commitment date Q3 2018 Revised date Q3 2019 Baseline date

Implementation Commitment

Implementation Commitment
	2014		2015				2016				2017				2018				2019
	Q3	Q4	Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4	Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4	Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4	Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4	Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4
Baselines-Segment 1 Phase 1 Tower Services and Segment 1 Phase 2 En Route Initial Services										DAL DFW MCI MDW MKE MSP ORD RDU SJU STL				ADW × Reason for date change at ADW: Completed prior to commitment date Q4 2017 Revised date Q3 2019 Baseline date	RNO × Reason for date change at RNO: Completed prior to commitment date Q1 2018 Revised date Q3 2019 Baseline date	BUF × Reason for date change at BUF: Completed prior to commitment date Q2 2018 Revised date Q3 2019 Baseline date CHS × Reason for date change at CHS: Completed prior to commitment date Q2 2018 Revised date Q3 2019 Baseline date CMH × Reason for date change at CMH: Completed prior to commitment date Q2 2018 Revised date Q3 2019 Baseline date RSW × Reason for date change at RSW: Completed prior to commitment date Q2 2018 Revised date Q3 2019 Baseline date	VNY × Reason for date change at VNY: Completed prior to commitment date Q3 2018 Revised date Q3 2019 Baseline date
Initial Operating Capability (IOC) for Initial En Route Services at first Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC)

Implemented

On track

New/Revised

Delayed

Dependent

Removed

All dates are in calendar years.

Pre-Implementation Commitment

Pre-Implementation Commitment
	2014		2015				2016				2017				2018				2019
	Q3	Q4	Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4	Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4	Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4	Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4	Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4
Extend Departure Clearance Operational Trials							EWR MEM
Final Investment Decision (FID) for En Route Services		INITIAL SERVICES							FULL SERVICES × Reason for date change at FULL SERVICES: Due to budget uncertainty the FID approval for Full Services is delayed until Q3 2016. Q4 2015 Baseline date Q3 2016 Revised date
Implementation Framework for non-VHF Digital Link (VDL) Mode 2 Media										Q4-2016 × Reason for date change at Q4-2016: Completed prior to commitment date Q4 2016 Revised date Q1 2017 Baseline date

Implemented

On track

New/Revised

Delayed

Dependent

Removed

All dates are in calendar years.

Industry Commitments

Industry Commitments
	2014		2015				2016				2017				2018				2019
	Q3	Q4	Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4	Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4	Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4	Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4	Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4
Airlines to Equip 1,900 Aircraft																	Q3 2018 × Reason for date change at : Completed prior to commitment date Q3 2018 Revised date Q4 2019 Baseline date
Assessment of Boeing 737 Flight Management Computer Issue
Implementation Framework for non-VHF Digital Link (VDL) Mode 2 Media										Q4-2016 × Reason for date change at Q4-2016: Completed prior to commitment date Q4 2016 Revised date Q1 2017 Baseline date
Industry Recommendation on Recorder Rule for Retrofit

Implemented

On track

New/Revised

Delayed

Dependent

Removed

All dates are in calendar years.