Thank you for your inputs to this subject so far. At the London Terminal Control Centre we already see the Selected Flight Level (SFL) that is input into the Selected Altitude window on the MCP for all aircraft that are Enhanced Mode S capable.
This has been the case for the past 9 months or so. The controllers are using the SFL indication in the Track Data Block on the radar displays to identify potential level busts. They do this by comparing the Cleared Flight Level, as issued by the controller, with the Selected Flight Level downlinked by the aircraft. Once identified, a potential level bust can then be mitigated by an R/T dialogue. In the not-too-distant future, it is hoped to automate this checking of Cleared -vs- Selected level.
The value input into the Selected Altitude window on the MCP is already being communicated to ATC and used by controllers. Hence my query to see if there was a standard procedure regarding the value to be input when flying SIDs with step climbs. My concern is that unless there is a standard procedure to input the step climb values, as we introduce extended SIDs we shall start to see more occasions when the SFL doesn't reflect the altitude / level that the aircraft is actually climbing to, i.e. the step climb altitude / level. If we start to see these discrepancies, controllers will start to lose confidence in the SFL and may stop to use it, resulting in the safety benefits potentially being lost.