By Oh Young-jin
Staff Reporter
Aircraft mishaps sometimes happen because of verbal miscommunications between pilots and air-traffic controllers. With the new technologies that enable text-message communications, air travel is expected to be much safer, according to a Korean scientist who led a text-based safety project.
``Simply put, our technology can digitize data between aircraft and controllers,'' said Kim Tae-sik, senior researcher at the state-run Korea Aerospace Research Institute.
The technology is a VHL data link or VDL Mode-2, which resembles WiBro, the mobile Internet facility, except for the fact that it is used between aircraft or between aircraft and air-traffic controllers.
Currently, VDL Mode- 1 is the main technology that makes verbal communications possible. The potential of the new technology, if commercialized, will enable pilots and controllers to exchange text messages or graphics, greatly reducing the room for misunderstanding that can result in fatal accidents.
Currently, English is the international language of communication in air traffic communications with many pilots being nonnative English speakers. Even between native speakers, communications are not always smooth and clear because of background static, for example.
``The gist of this technology is to increase data transmission by 13 times over the current system,'' Kim said. A test was successfully conducted last week.
If the envisioned system becomes fully functional, it will mean that a pilot can crosscheck information he or she receives with text transmissions. The information will be about altitude, wind strength and direction, cloud thickness and runway conditions.
He said that other advanced countries have developed similar technology but Korea is widely regarded as a leading Internet nation in the world, which he hopes will help it in a competition to provide a standard for the global aviation industry.
``It is still a long road ahead of us,'' Kim said, referring to the chance of his technology being adopted by the International Civil Aviation Authority (ICAO). The ICAO is pushing to have text-message communications available by 2015. However, even if the technology is adopted, it may take some years to be universally used because of a technology issues, among others.
``Like WiBro, VDL-2 needs at least one beacon for every 100 km radius,'' Kim said.
Other aviation experts say that ICAO directives don't have strong binding power, requiring a long period of time to get the consent of its members.