Originally Posted by
ATC Watcher
No the point of this perticular trial is to assess the load on the ATC system if the interrogation rate is increased to every 15 min instead of 20-30.
Nothing to do with MH370, and , as said previously , it would not have changed anything if the rate had been 15 min at the time.
I don't see that there is any "load on the ATC system" If you want to fly one of the more popular tracks on the North Atlantic under the Reduced Longitudinal Separation Method, you will be reporting on ADS-C every 4 minutes.
BEA after AFR447 asked for reports as often as once every 1 minute.
Most carriers are now paying a fixed annual rate for ADS-C unlike the old days of pay per transmission. So there is no benefit by not using ADS-C. If the Air Traffic Service Provider in the airspace you are flying in does not use ADS-C you have up to 5 connections that can be made so contract with your FOC/Dispatch and they can track you.
Once you have a secure internet link to SITA/ARINC displaying and storing ADS-C positions is extremely simple.
Of course while this means that the regulators can say that they are "
doing something" ADS-C update rate change would have no effect on a future MH370 scenario where the 'cooperative' / Active tracking devices are switched off.