The Federal Aviation Administration signed a $1.8 billion, 18-yea...

ITT must have the system ready by 2010, with it enabled to cover the nation by 2013. ITT will build the ADS-B ground stations and own and operate the gear. ITT will use existing infrastructure, including AT&T cellphone towers, and plans to have 300 ground stations in phase one, it said. The FAA will pay subscription charges for ADS-B broadcasts transmitted to aircraft and air traffic control facilities. ITT will use a dual-link frequency architecture comprising 1090 MHz and Universal Access Transceiver, said Vinny Capezzuto, FAA surveillance and broadcast services director. The FAA expects it to cost $50,000 to $70,000 to equip a plane that already has on-board GPS with ADS-B, FAA said. The FAA expects the system to cut delays and enhance safety by using satellite signals instead of those from traditional radar to pinpoint craft locations. Along with air traffic displays, ADS-B also will give pilots graphical weather information, terrain maps and flight data, including temporary flight restrictions and notices to aviators. ADS-B is about 10 times more accurate than radar, giving pilots and controllers precise locations of aircraft, resulting in more direct flight routes and airspace efficiency, FAA said. ITT’s team includes AT&T, Thales, WSI, Science Applications International Corporation, PriceWaterhouseCoopers, Aerospace Engineering, Sunhillo, Comsearch, Mission Critical Solution of Tampa, Pragmatics, Washington Consulting Group, Aviation Communications and Surveillance Systems, NCR Corporation, and L-3 Avionics Systems and Sandia Aerospace.