baswell,
You obviously didn't understand what I said:
The Government positively decided against WAAS, because, after the implementation of Generation 3 GPS, you will have WAAS or better position accuracy for all but high speed moving platforms.
The Government decided, based on the major airlines disinterest ( they would only pay for LAAS or whatever its new name is - - GBAS),and no other major application, that they would not invest just for what was left of aviation ---- Regionals and GA.
There are NO plans to take advantage of the coverage for the Japanese satellite, same reason. It looks like PNG will go WAAS in the not too distant future, it will make a huge difference in servicing the mining, oil and gas industry in the southern highlands.
OZ,
Can't help myself, but what does come to mind is the thought: " Move on, folks, nothing new here" ----- but elsewhere there is something new, with FAA confirming the long anticipated adoption of VDL-2 (TDMA) as the mandatory datalink.
Just to remind everybody, VDL-2 + ADS-B/C data = VDL-4.
And, if the original ICAO plan had been followed through, and not been hijacked by (mostly) US airlines, who were promised a "quick, cheap and easy" ADS-B using 1090ES transponders, VDL-4 would have satisfied all the datalink requirements in a modern digital (relatively) broad band format, instead of the highly constricted 1909ES requiring separate datalinks. As some of you will know, ARINC and SITA converted from the old VHF ACARS to VDL-2 some time ago, including Australia.
And, as we are all too well aware, 1090ES ADS-B has proven to be neither cheap nor easy, particularly for Australian GA, with unique mandates for GA, unlike the rest of the world.
I not that FAA has also just announced the subsidies for airlines to fit 1909ES ADS-B ---- because of the up to US$500,000 per aircraft, but no subsidy for GA UAT, because it is cheap and easy --- and the far less restrictive mandate, compared to Australia, despite ten times of more US traffic ---- comparing apples and apples, not the apples and oranges comparisons used to try and justify the Australian mandate.
Remember, VDL-4 was the FIRST (not Australia) routine use of ADS-B in CNS/ATM ---- in Scandinavia.
And, VDL-4 (or UAT) had become the ADS-B standard, we would have had access to cheap ADS-B for GA in Australia ---- instead of the expensive shambles we face.
Tootle pip!!