AC 20-172A

Historical

Advisory circular · Airworthiness Approval for ADS-B In Systems and Applications

A newer version is currentThis is a historical version. AC 20-172B is the version in force, approved May 20, 2015.
Approved
March 23, 2012
Last reviewed
April 17, 2012
Cancels
AC20-172
Cancelled by
AC20-172B
Family
AC 20-172 · 3 versions
Revision
A
14 CFR parts
23, 25

Guidance, not mandatory unless a rule or AD requires it. DRS record last changed November 21, 2025.

Show pages 13–24

Appendix 2

A2-4

(a) If traffic has a caution level alert, the traffic symbol may be modified by changing the shape to a circle with a directional inlay.

(b) If traffic has a warning level alert, the traffic symbol may be modified by changing the shape to a square with a directional inlay.

Note: Caution and warning level alerts may use the same traffic symbols as TCAS traffic advisories and resolution advisories, respectively.

(See Appendix 2 section 3)

(6) For airborne applications, alerting traffic that lies outside the configured traffic display range should be positioned at the measured relative bearing, and at the configured display maximum range (i.e., edge of display), and with a symbol shape modification that indicates that the traffic is off-scale.

Note: A half-symbol at the display edge is one acceptable indication method.

b. Proximate Traffic (see Figure 9).

(1) For TCAS/ASA integrated systems, the traffic symbol must indicate airborne TCAS proximate status.

(2) If proximate traffic is displayed, the basic traffic symbol must be displayed as filled. Figure 9 provides example notional depictions.

Note: This requirement is to be consistent with TCAS symbol convention.

Figure 9. Proximate Directional and Non-directional Proximate Traffic Symbols

c. Selected Traffic.

(1) Selected traffic is traffic that is selected by the flight crew. Traffic selection results in display of additional traffic information beyond what is presented in the minimum data tag, and may enable other functions (e.g., designating traffic).

(2) If traffic selection is implemented:

(a) There must be some means of distinguishing the selected traffic from other traffic on the traffic display.

Appendix 2

A2-5

(b) A border must not be used to indicate selected traffic.

Note 1: A border is a discernable line that surrounds an existing symbol. Border types include fixed-shape or conformal.

Note 2: Borders are reserved for depicting designated traffic (see Figure 10).

(3) When traffic is selected, additional information on that traffic must be displayed in a data block or a data tag.

Note: Generally, selecting traffic will bring up the additional information in a data block, but a data tag can also be used for this purpose.

(4) There must be an indication of off-scale selected traffic.

Note: A Selected half-symbol at the display edge and appropriate bearing is one acceptable method of indication.

d. Designated Traffic (see Figure 10).

(1) Designated traffic is traffic upon which a designated application is to be performed. For example, in visual separation on approach (VSA), the traffic to be followed may be displayed as “designated” so that the application and the flight crew both know the specific traffic upon which to act.

(2) If traffic designation is implemented:

(a) There must be some means of distinguishing the designated traffic from other traffic.

(b) If traffic is designated, the basic traffic symbol should be modified by adding a shape-conforming border. Figure 10 provides a notional example.

Figure 10. Directional and Non-directio nal Designated Traffic Symbols

(c) There must be an indication of off-scale designated traffic.

Appendix 2

A2-6 Note: A half-symbol at the display edge and appropriate bearing is one acceptable method of indication.

(d) The loss of “designated” status (e.g., due to signal loss or invalid data) must be indicated to the flight crew.

3. TCAS Alert Symbology for TCAS/ASA-Integrated Systems.

a. If traffic directionality is valid, directionality information must not be removed during a TCAS traffic advisory or resolution advisory.

Note: Directionality information, if available, may assist the flight crew in visual search and identification of the alerted traffic.

b. Traffic Advisories (see Figure 11).

(1) If traffic has a TA, the traffic symbol must be modified by changing the color to amber/yellow, and changing the shape to a circle.

(2) Traffic with valid directionality must include a directional inlay.

(3) The size of TA traffic symbols may be increased to accommodate the shape modification.

(4) Line widths and fill may be changed to improve color interpretation and saliency.

Figure 11. Traffic Advisory Symbols

c. Resolution Advisories (RAs) (see Figure 12).

(1) If traffic has an RA, the traffic symbol must be modified by changing the color to red, and changing the shape to a square.

(2) Traffic with valid directionality must include a directional inlay.

(3) The size of RA traffic symbols may be increased to accommodate the shape modification.

(4) Line widths and fill may be changed to improve color interpretation and saliency.

Appendix 2

A2-7 Note: TCAS aural alerts and resolution guidance are not affected by these requirements or recommendations.

Figure 12. Resolution Advisory Symbols

Appendix 3

A3-1 Appendix 3. Definitions and Acronyms

1. Definitions. The following are definitions of terms used in this document.

a. 24-bit Address. Unique address assigned to an aircraft during the registration process.

b. ADS-B In- Receipt, processing, and display of other aircraft’s ADS-B transmissions.

ADS-B In is necessary to utilize airborne applications.

c. Advisory. The level or category of alert for conditions that require flight crew awareness and may require subsequent flight crew response.

d. Aircraft Surveillance Applications System (ASAS). An aircraft system based on airborne surveillance that provides assistance to the flight crew in operating their aircraft relative to other aircraft.

e. Alert. A general term that applies to all advisories, cautions, and warning information;

can include visual, aural, tactile, or other attention-getting methods.

f. Application. The function(s) for which the ASA system is used.

g. Aircraft Surveillance Application (ASA). An application that uses aircraft surveillance data to provide benefits to the flight crew.

h. Antenna Offset Parameter. The distance from the nose of the aircraft to the GPS antenna. For large aircraft, this offset is important in accurately placing the aircraft symbol on the airport map.

i. Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B). A function on an aircraft or surface vehicle operating within the surface movement area that periodically broadcasts its state vector (horizontal and vertical position, horizontal and vertical velocity) and other information.

ADS-B is automatic because no external stimulus is required to elicit a transmission. It is dependent because it relies on on-board navigation sources and on-board broadcast transmission systems to provide surveillance information to other users.

j. Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Rebroadcast (ADS-R). A service of the ground system that rebroadcasts ADS-B messages from one link technology onto another. For example, the SBS ground system provides ADS-R service to rebroadcast UAT messages on 1090 MHz and vice versa.

k. Availability. An indication of the ability of a system or subsystem to provide usable service. Availability is expressed in terms of the probability of the system or subsystem being available at the beginning of an intended operation.

l. Background Application. An application that applies to all traffic of operational interest. One or more background applications may be in use in some or all airspace (or on the

Appendix 3

A3-2 ground), but without flight crew input or automated input to select specific traffic. Background applications include: basic airborne, surface (runways and taxiways OR runways only).

m. Caution. The level or category of alert for conditions that require immediate flight crew awareness and subsequent flight crew response.

n. Coast Interval. The elapsed time since a report from any source has been correlated with the track.

o. Cockpit Display of Traffic Information (CDTI). The pilot interface portion of the Aircraft Surveillance Applications System. This interface includes traffic display(s) and all the controls that interact with such a display. At a minimum, CDTI includes a graphical plan-view (top down) traffic display. Additional graphical and non-graphical display surfaces may also be included. The CDTI receives position information of traffic and Ownship from the airborne surveillance and separation assurance processing (ASSAP) function. The ASSAP receives such information from the surveillance sensors and Ownship position sensors.

p. Compensated Latency. Latency can be compensated by extrapolating position using the last known position measurement, the elapsed time, and the last known velocity measurement.

The elapsed time used to extrapolate is called compensated latency.

q. Conformal. A desirable property of map projections. A map projection (a function that associate points on the surface of an ellipsoid or sphere representing the earth to points on a flat surface such as the CDTI display) is said to be conformal if the angle between any two curves on the first surface is preserved in magnitude and sensed by the angle between the corresponding curves on the other surface.

r. Correlation. The process of determining that a new measurement belongs to an existing track.

s. Controller Pilot Data Link Communication (CPDLC). Provides direct data communication between the pilot and the air traffic controller through a data link.

t. Data Block. A block of information about selected traffic that is displayed somewhere around the edge of the CDTI display, rather than mixed in with the symbols representing traffic in the main part of the display.

u. Data Tag. A block of information that is displayed next to the traffic symbol in the main part of the CDTI display.

v. Designated Application. An application that operates only on specifically-chosen (either by the flight crew or automation) traffic. They generally operate only for a specific flight operation.

w. Designated Traffic. Traffic upon which a designated application is to be conducted.

Appendix 3

A3-3

x. Desirable. The capability denoted as desirable is not required to perform the procedure, but would increase the utility of the operation.

y. Direct Controller Pilot Communication (DCPC). Direct communication established between the controller and the pilot without having to relay through another unit or going through a secondary means of delivery for that information. Currently, this is accomplished by conventional voice radio operations or CPDLC.

z. Differential Ground Speed. Calculated by taking the difference between the magnitude of the own ship ground speed and the designated traffic ground speed. The assumption is that own ship is following the designated traffic approach path over the ground. Positive values indicate closure on the designated traffic.

aa. Display Range. The maximum distance from own-ship that is represented on the CDTI display. If the CDTI display is regarded as a map, then longer display ranges correspond to smaller map scales, and short display ranges correspond to larger map scales.

bb. Enhanced Visual Acquisition (EVAcq). This application is an enhancement for the out-the-window visual acquisition of aircraft traffic and potentially ground vehicles.

cc. Estimation. The process of determining a track’s state based on new measurement information.

dd. Extended Runway Center Line. An extension outwards of the center line of a runway, from one or both ends of that runway.

ee. Extended Squitter. A long (112 bit) Mode S transmission that is spontaneously produced by the radio as opposed to a response to a Mode S Interrogation. Extended Squitter is the mechanism used to provide ADS-B messages from a Mode S transponder.

ff. Extrapolation. The process of predicting a track’s state forward in time based on the track’s last kinematic state.

gg. Field of View. The field of view of a CDTI is the geographical region within which the CDTI shows traffic. Some documents call this the field of regard.

hh. FIS-B. The ground-to-air broadcast of meteorological and aeronautical information.

ii. Flight Crew. One or more cockpit crew members required for the operation of the aircraft.

jj. Geometric Altitude. Provided as height above ellipsoid and referenced to WGS-84 reference datum.

kk. GNSS Sensor Integrity Risk. The probability of an undetected failure that results in navigation system error (NSE) that significantly jeopardizes the total system error (TSE) exceeding the containment limit.

Appendix 3

A3-4

ll. Ground Speed. The magnitude of the horizontal velocity vector (see velocity). In these minimum operational performance standards (MOPS) it is always expressed relative to a frame of reference that is fixed with respect to the earth’s surface such as the WGS-84 ellipsoid.

mm. Ground Track Angle. The direction of the horizontal velocity vector (see velocity) relative to the ground as noted in ground speed.

nn. Hazard Classification. Refer to AC 25-1309-1(), System Design and Analysis, or AC 23.1309-1(), System Safety Analysis and Assessment for Part 23 Airplanes, as applicable.

oo. Horizontal Velocity. The component of velocity in a local horizontal plane. For Global Positioning System (GPS) sensors, that plane is tangent to the WGS-84 ellipsoid and is vertically displaced such that it contains the navigation sensors’ reference point. For inertial navigation system (INS) equipment, the local plane is perpendicular to the local gravity vector.

pp. Height Above Ellipsoid. Height above the WGS-84 reference ellipsoid.

qq. International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). A United Nations organization that is responsible for developing international standards, and recommending practices, and procedures covering a variety of technical fields of aviation.

rr. In-Trail Procedure (ITP). A procedure that allows an aircraft to climb-through or descend-through another aircraft’s altitude in order to make a desired flight level change.

ss. Latency. The time incurred between two particular interfaces. Total latency is the delay between the time of a measurement and the time that the measurement is reported at a particular interface (the latter minus the former). Components of the total latency are elements of the total latency allocated between different interfaces. Each latency component will be specified by naming the interfaces between which it applies.

tt. Mixed Equipage. An environment where all aircraft do not have the same set of avionics capabilities. For example, some aircraft may transmit ADS-B and others may not, which could have implications for ATC and pilots. A mixed equipage environment will exist until all aircraft operating in a system have the same set of avionics capabilities.

uu. Multilateration. A surveillance system that uses the time of receipt of transponder transmissions to determine the position of the aircraft.

vv. Nautical Mile (NM). A unit of length used in the fields of air and marine navigation.

In this document, a nautical mile is always the international nautical mile of 1852 m exactly.

ww. Navigation Accuracy Category Position (NACP). The NACp parameter describes the accuracy region about the reported position within which the true position of the surveillance position reference point is assured to lie with a 95% probability at the reported time of applicability.

Appendix 3

A3-5 xx. Navigation Accuracy Category Velocity (NACV). The NACv parameter describes the accuracy about the reported velocity vector within which the true velocity vector is assured to be with a 95% probability at the reported time of applicability.

yy. Navigation Integrity Category (NIC). The NIC parameter describes an integrity containment region about the reported position, within which the true position of the surveillance position reference point is assured to lie at the reported time of applicability. For the conditions and probability of assurance associated with the integrity containment region, see the source integrity level (SIL) parameter.

zz. Navigation Sensor Availability. An indication of the ability of the guidance function to provide usable service within the specified coverage area, and is defined as the portion of time during which the sensor information is to be used for navigation, during which reliable navigation information is presented to the crew, autopilot, or other system managing the movement of the aircraft. Navigation sensor availability is specified in terms of the probability of the sensor information being available at the beginning of the intended operation.

aaa. Navigation System Integrity. This relates to the trust that can be placed in the correctness of the navigation information supplied. Integrity includes the ability to provide timely and valid warnings to the user when the navigation system must not be used for navigation.

bbb. Own-ship. From the perspective of a flight crew, or of the ASSAP and CDTI functions used by that flight crew, the own-ship is the ASA participant (aircraft or vehicle) that carries that flight crew and those ASSAP and CDTI functions.

ccc. Persistent Error. An error that occurs continuously once it begins. Such an error may be the absence of data or the presentation of data that is false or misleading. An unknown measurement bias may, for example, cause a persistent error.

ddd. Positional Uncertainty. A measure of the potential inaccuracy of an aircraft’s position-fixing system and, therefore, of ADS-B-based surveillance. Use of the Global Positioning System (GPS) reduces positional inaccuracy to small values, especially when the system is augmented by either space-based or ground-based subsystems.

eee. Pressure Altitude. Altitude reported by a barometric pressure altimeter without corrections for local pressure settings.

fff. Primary Surveillance Radar (PSR). A radar sensor that listens to the echoes of pulses that it transmits to illuminate aircraft targets. PSR sensors, in contrast to secondary surveillance radar (SSR) sensors, do not depend on the carriage of transponders on board the aircraft targets.

ggg. Range Reference. The CDTI feature of displaying range rings or other range markings at specified radii from the own-ship symbol.

Appendix 3

A3-6 hhh. Secondary Surveillance Radar (SSR). A radar sensor that listens to replies sent by transponders carried on board airborne targets. SSR sensors, in contrast to primary surveillance radar (PSR) sensors, require the aircraft under surveillance to carry a transponder.

iii. Selected Traffic. Traffic for which additional information is requested by the flight crew.

jjj. Sensor. A measurement device. An air data sensor measures atmospheric pressure and temperature, to estimate pressure altitude, and pressure altitude rate, airspeed, etc. A primary surveillance radar sensor measures its antenna direction and the times of returns of echoes of pulses that it transmits to determine the ranges and bearings of airborne targets. A secondary surveillance radar sensor measures its antenna direction and the times of returns of replies from airborne transponders to estimate the ranges and bearings of airborne targets carrying those transponders.

kkk. Separation. The minimum distance between aircraft/vehicles allowed by regulations.

Separation requirements vary by factors such as radar coverage (none, single, composite), domain (terminal, en route, oceanic), and flight rules (instrument or visual).

lll. Separation Violation. Violation of appropriate separation requirements.

mmm. Simple Action. A flight crew action that may be performed within a short period of time and without requiring significant concentration that would distract from the main aviation tasks (e.g., a button press).

nnn. Spacing. A distance maintained from another aircraft for specific operations.

ooo. Source Integrity Level (SIL). The SIL field defines the probability of the reported horizontal position exceeding the radius of containment defined by the NIC, without alerting, assuming no avionics faults. Although the SIL assumes there are no un-annunciated faults in the avionics system, the SIL must consider the effects of a faulted signal-in-space (SIS), if a signal-in-space is used by the position source.

ppp. State Vector. An aircraft’s current horizontal position, vertical position, horizontal velocity, vertical velocity, and navigational accuracy and integrity.

qqq. Traffic Selection. Manual process of flight crew selecting a traffic element.

rrr. TCAS Potential Threat. Traffic detected by TCAS equipment on board the own-ship, that has passed the Potential Threat classification criteria for a TCAS TA and does not meet the Threat Classification criteria for a TCAS RA (RTCA/DO-185B § 1.8). If the ASAS own-ship CDTI display is also used as a TCAS TA display, then information about TCAS potential threats will be conveyed to the CDTI via the ASSAP function.

sss. TCAS Proximate Traffic. Traffic, detected by TCAS equipment on board the ownship, that is within 1200 feet and 6 NM of the own-ship (RTCA/DO-185B § 1.8). If the ASA

Appendix 3

A3-7 system own-ship CDTI display is also used as a TCAS display, then information about TCAS proximate traffic will be conveyed to the CDTI, possibly via the ASSAP function.

ttt. TCAS-Only Traffic. A traffic element about which TCAS has provided surveillance information, but which the ASSAP function has not correlated with traffic from other surveillance sources such as ADS-B, ADS-R, or TIS-B.

uuu. Time of Applicability. The time that a particular measurement or parameter is (or was) relevant.

vvv. Track. (1) A sequence of reports from the ASSAP function that all pertain to the same traffic target. (2) Within the ASSAP function, a sequence of estimates of traffic target state that all pertain to the same traffic element.

www. Track Angle. See Ground Track Angle.

xxx. Track State. See State Vector.

yyy. Traffic. All aircraft/vehicles that are within the operational vicinity of own-ship.

zzz. Traffic Element. An aircraft or vehicle.

aaaa. Traffic Information Service – Broadcast (TIS-B). A surveillance service that broadcasts traffic information derived from one or more ground surveillance sources to suitably equipped aircraft or surface vehicles, with the intention of supporting ASA applications.

bbbb. Traffic Symbol. A depiction on the CDTI display of an aircraft or vehicle other than the own-ship.

cccc. Transponder. A piece of equipment carried on board an aircraft to support the surveillance of that aircraft by secondary surveillance radar sensors. A transponder receives on the 1030 MHz and replies on the 1090 MHz downlink frequency.

dddd. Uncompensated Latency. Latency can be compensated by extrapolating position using the last known position measurement, the elapsed time, and the last known velocity measurement. The remaining time between the present and the elapsed time the equipment has compensated for is called uncompensated latency.

eeee. Visual Separation on Approach. The CDTI is used to assist the flight crew in acquiring and maintaining visual contact during visual separation on approach. The CDTI is also used in conjunction with visual, out-the-window contact to follow the preceding aircraft during the approach. The application is expected to improve both the safety and the performance of visual separation on approach. It may allow for the continuation of visual separation on approach when they otherwise would have to be suspended due to the difficulty of visually acquiring and tracking the other preceding aircraft.

Appendix 3

A3-8 ffff. Velocity. The rate of change of position. Horizontal velocity is the horizontal component of velocity and vertical velocity is the vertical component of velocity.

gggg. Warning. The level or category of alert for conditions that require immediate flight crew awareness and immediate flight crew response.