Remotely-Operated AFIS in Japan

The Japan Civil Aviation Bureau has been providing remote aerodrome flight information (advisory) services (remote AFIS) to small aerodromes such as island and local airports over 40 years. This remote AFIS is called “Remote Air-Ground communication” (“RAG” for short)”. RAG services are provided to 36 small aerodromes in Japan. In RAG operation, an aeronautical flight information services operator (AFISO) at a Flight Service Centre (FSC) gives information to aircraft pilots through VHF radio communication. The RAG working position has equipment including a flight information display, a surveillance display (air route surveillance radar and/or wide-area multilateration, since small aerodromes do not have approach or surface movement radars), weather information, and a video display of images from a PTZ camera and/or 180-degree coverage fixed camera at the aerodrome. In some cases, an AFISO is able to handle two small aerodromes simultaneously when the traffic volume is low. The RAG working positions for multiple aerodromes are equipped with two video circuits, one for each aerodrome. The AFISO usually monitors traffic at each airport by a combination of radar and the video display. In this chapter, we give an overview of the RAG service system functions and typical operations processes. We also discuss the operational issues with the existing equipment and services that led to investigations of Remote Tower technology for the next system.