0% found this document useful (0 votes)
91 views

Datalink Communications Essentials (NAS)

Uploaded by

Filip Bujoczek
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
0% found this document useful (0 votes)
91 views

Datalink Communications Essentials (NAS)

Uploaded by

Filip Bujoczek
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 12

The Essentials of

Datalink Communications

© Copyright 2016 UAS international Trip Support | The Essentials of Datalink Communications
The origins
and course of
Air-to-Ground
Messaging
Contents
The Technology that HR Created 02 Inmarsat Satellite 06
Growing into an Operational Necessity 03 Iridium Satellite 07
Communications Mechanisms 04 Upcoming Regulations 10
VHF Radio 05 The Future of ACARS 11

Page 1/12
The Technology that HR Created
A t one time in the not-so-distant past, pilots and other
flight crew members were paid different rates for the
time they were airborne versus the time they were performing
ARINC’s solution was an automated system, called the
ARINC Communications Addressing and Reporting System,
or ACARS for short, which sent short text data from the
ground operations. Events like aircraft pushback, taxi, takeoff, avionics of the aircraft directly to the ground-based entities
landing, and gate arrival were transmitted via voice over radio through Very High Frequency (VHF) radio frequencies
frequencies to operators who would relay this information back without any crewmember involvement. The aircraft was
to the airlines. The pilots were responsible for self-reporting programmed to take advantage of switches and automation
their own times and movements. Understanding that people points on the aircraft, resulting in the creation of a set of
can sometimes be forgetful, or worse, willfully manipulative, messages referred to as the OOOI report. An OOOI report is
the major airlines began searching for a solution that tracked any of four messages: Out, Off, On and In. Still in wide-scale
crewmember pay in a more structured and accurate way. use today, the OOOI report is any one of four messages
Since time card machines weren’t an option for the flight generated by specific events on the aircraft.
deck, they reached out to communication and engineering
company ARINC for help with a solution. The events are:

Out: Off:
The precise time when The precise time when
the aircraft is “pushed the aircraft takes off from
back” from the gate, or the runway, normally
in other words, “out” determined by a
of the gate, normally “weight on wheels”
determined by discreet sensor built into the
door sensors aircraft’s undercarriage

On: In:
The precise time when
the aircraft touches The precise time when the
© Copyright 2016 UAS international Trip Support | The Essentials of Datalink Communications

down on the runway, aircraft arrives at the gate,


normally determined normally determined by the
by the same same discreet door sensor
“weight on used in the Out message
wheels” sensor
built into the aircraft’s
undercarriage

T he concept of the OOOI message took hold quickly, and


many of the airlines paid to have VHF ground stations
installed at the busiest airports. Over the next few years,
term ACARS remains in use, but most people in the aviation
industry simply refer to it as “datalink.”

further applications were developed that took advantage of The datalink system that was started to track crewmember
the ACARS protocol and other providers began to emerge hours for payroll purposes in the late 1970s continued to
with the ability to provide ACARS services, the most notable develop over the next 40 years, increasing its ability and
of which being the French company, SITA, a leading provider service footprint. What was once limited to line-of-sight
of international communication services for aviation. VHF towers at major airports, is now widely available in
most locations.
Free-text messaging, flight plan uplinks, text weather, and
position reports started to become commonplace. At some This technical white paper will briefly review the evolution and
point after the initial launch, the acronym ACARS was officially fundamentals of datalink, the system that was truly created in
changed to the Aircraft Communications Addressing and response to a Human Resources problem, including its role in
Reporting System, removing the reference to ARINC. The the modern-day flight operation and plans for its future.

Page 2/12
Growing into an
Operational
Necessity
T he OOOI message continues to this day to be one of the
key features in the datalink service offering. However,
shortly after the OOOI message was created, other message
Soon, Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSPs) and Air
Traffic Control (ATC) facilities around the globe started seeing
the benefit of voice-free communications. The accuracy
sets were developed to take advantage of this new static- and efficiency of AOC/AAC messages was needed in other
free text transmission method. Flight crews and dispatch critical messaging areas, like to issue clearances, diversions,
offices quickly became enamored with the ability to type out position reporting, and other ATC functions. A new message
a message on a keypad or keyboard instead of trying to relay set, called Air Traffic Control (ATC) or Air Traffic Services (ATS)
messages via voice on congested, noisy, and fatiguing voice messages was created. The most prominent example of ATS
radio transmissions. The new messages quickly improved messages was coined under the term Future Air Navigation
accuracy, safety, and situational awareness. System (FANS). FANS messages are the current standard of
safety of flight messages being transmitted over datalink.
The set of messages developed shortly after the OOOI
messages became known as Airline Operational Control FANS comes in many shapes and sizes, but the messages
(AOC) and Airline Administrative Control (AAC) messages. typically consist of two main components:
AOC and AAC messages are unprotected, meaning they are
not regulated by any operational authority other than to the • Automatic Dependent Surveillance (ADS), which
extent necessary to comply with the technical specification provides three-dimensional position data to ANSP
for message creation. For example, the message formats and ATC agencies on the ground. ADS relays aircraft
themselves were designed to flow properly through the location, speed, and altitude and supplements
ACARS infrastructure, but the content of the messages is traditional radio position reports and radar data. ADS
free-text or formatted text. technologies come in a few different “flavors,” but the
datalink implementation is ADS-Contract (ADS-C),
In addition to the OOOI reports, a number of AOC/AAC where the ATC host computer establishes a contract
message sets were created and are still in use today, with the aircraft to report data at certain intervals

© Copyright 2016 UAS international Trip Support | The Essentials of Datalink Communications
including the following examples: • Controller-Pilot Datalink Communications (CPDLC),
• Incremental Position Reporting and Estimated Time of which provides a two-way ATC communications
Arrival (ETA) Messages between the flight crew and the ATC facility, reducing
• Text Weather (METARs/TAFs/NOTAMs/PIREPs) the use of traditional radiology. which is prone to error
• Graphical Weather Charts and lacks efficiency.
• Pre-Departure Clearance (PDC) and Datalink Clearance
(DCL) Messages Unlike AOC and AAC messages, ATS messages are
• Flight Plan Uplinks protected and therefore cannot be altered. All messages
• Oceanic Clearance Delivery (OCD) are built on approved templates that use standard text
• Terminal Weather Information for Pilots (TWIP) and nomenclature, and with ATS messages, no free-
• Digital Airport Terminal Information System (D-ATIS) text messaging is available. If your request cannot be
• Gate Notifications accomplished using the library of available requests or
• Fuel and Service Requests responses, you must revert to voice communications.
• Free-Text Messages
• Maintenance Reporting
• Airframe Fatigue Reports
• Aircraft Engine and Health Reports
• Aircraft Weight-and-Balance Load Sheets and Trim Sheets
• Diversion Tracking
• Special Passenger Advice
• Other Fault and Abnormal System Status Reporting

Page 3/12
Figure 1: Figure 2:
Sample ATC Communications using Protected ATS Datalink. Sample Message using Unprotected AOC Free-Text.
In this example, the crew requests a climb to FL430, and is In this example, the crew has received a free-text message
told to “standby” momentarily, then granted permission to from their service provider, who is updating them on their
climb to FL430. The crew reports leaving their current altitude handling arrangements and transportation.
(FL410) and when they are level at the new altitude (FL430).

Communications Ground-Based Mechanism #1

Mechanisms VHF
Connection Type: Line of sight very high-frequency

(Networks) radio transmissions


© Copyright 2016 UAS international Trip Support | The Essentials of Datalink Communications

Usable Range: Up to 220 nautical miles


Service Area: Typically near airports and other highly
traveled regions
D atalink messages can be transmitted via four distinct
networks. The first two, Very High Frequency (VHF) and
High Frequency (HF), are ground-based radio mechanisms.
Speed of Data: 2.4 - 31.5 kbps
Relative Cost: Lowest
The second two, Inmarsat and Iridium, are satellite-based
technologies.

Most business jets are configured in such a way that the Ground-Based Mechanism #2
aircraft tries to communicate over VHF radio first, as it is

HF
the least expensive option, and if a VHF connection cannot
be established, the aircraft will switch over and attempt to
send the message over satellite. Even though aircraft can
have both Inmarsat and Iridium antennas, which support Connection Type: Line of sight high-frequency
a number of different functions, the aircraft can only be radio transmissions
configured for one of the two satellite networks for datalink Usable Range: Up to thousands of nautical miles
purposes. Business aircraft are typically not configured for (due to ionosphere reflection)
HF datalink, because most have satellite connectivity and Service Area: Typically over large bodies of water or
because HF datalink is very expensive. vast rural terrain
Speed of Data: 1800 baud
Relative Cost: Highest

Page 4/12
Satellite-Based Mechanism #1 Satellite-Based Mechanism #2

Inmarsat Iridium
Connection Type: L-Band and Ka-band satellite waves
Connection Type: L-Band satellite waves to/from to/from iridium’s geosynchronous satellite fleet
inmarsat’s geostationary satellite fleet Usable Range: Up to thousands of nautical miles as long
Usable Range: Up to thousands of nautical miles as long as the aircraft has an unobstructed view of the sky
as the aircraft has an unobstructed view of the sky Service Area: Worldwide, including the polar regions
Service Area: Worldwide between 83 degrees north and Speed of Data: 2.4 kbps
83 degrees south latitude Relative Cost: Moderate
Speed of Data: 4.8 - 10.5 kbps
Relative Cost: High

Since HF Datalink (HFDL) equipment is typically not installed on general aviation aircraft, we will omit any further
discussion about that technology from this white paper. We are then left with some capable datalink transmission
options for the business aviation fleet:

1. VHF Radio
2. Inmarsat Satellite
3. Iridium Satellite

1. VHF Radio
D atalink over VHF radio is still the most common transmission method, in part

© Copyright 2016 UAS international Trip Support | The Essentials of Datalink Communications
because of familiarity and aircraft equipage but also because of the low cost
of entry for the equipment, its vast governmental and operational approvals, and
its relatively low operational costs.

A fter VHF datalink was originally implemented in 1978, it continued to grow in


popularity, and most production aircraft began receiving a dedicated radio
to serve as the transmission mechanism for data-only ACARS communications.
These analog messages operated on the VHF spectrum between 129-137 mHz,
at a speed of approximately 2.4 kbps. Within two decades of its launch, the
network began to reach its capacity in certain geographic regions due to limited
VHF frequency availability.

A newer, faster, more efficient network protocol needed to be defined. This new
network was also to use VHF radio waves as its transmission mechanism,
but it was built to be more spectrally efficient and to meet the requirements
for the delivery of Air Traffic Services (ATS) messages. The governing body of
the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) defined the specifications
of this new technology in the ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices
(SARPs), naming it the Aeronautical Telecommunication Network (ATN). More
than anything else, ATN defines the applications and the protocols for the delivery
of ATS messages.

Page 5/12
A TN demanded more efficiency than what was then available for via analog VHF communications. To meet this demand
for spectral efficiency, the VHF datalink providers created a new, bit-oriented air/ground VHF communication sub-
network to improve datalink speeds, accuracy, and performance. This new digital network became known as VHF Digital
Link (VDL). It boasted speeds up to 15 times faster than traditional analog ACARS and had a much greater band of
frequencies available for communication. The datalink service providers began updating their ground equipment to support
this newly improved VHF datalink protocol.

V DL has become the flagship due to its superior technology, but the traditional analog VHF datalink still exists today
and is widely used across the globe, especially in areas void of VDL ground stations. Analog VHF datalink operates
with the service name POA, an abbreviation for “Plain Old ACARS.”

2. Inmarsat Satellite
T he aviation sector soon started to require connectivity in
I nmarsat began offering their spectrum to the aviation
© Copyright 2016 UAS international Trip Support | The Essentials of Datalink Communications

more distant places, and the installation of VHF ground community under trade names like Aero C, Aero H, Aero
stations did not keep up with the demand. High-Frequency H+, and Aero I (all of which later became known as Classic
Datalink (HFDL) existed, but the link speed was slow, the Aero Services). They continued to evolve these technologies
reception and clarity of the signal was prone to errors, over the years, reaching a maximum link speed of 10.5
and the service could be prohibitively expensive. Aircraft kbps, which was sufficient to send Short Burst Data (SBD)
manufacturers started to take note of how their counterparts messages to and from the ground. Once the industry began
in the maritime world kept their ships in communication to openly accept Inmarsat equipment and the adoption rate
while at sea, effectively operating in large, unmanaged was climbing, Inmarsat made sure its network was capable
swaths of unpopulated Earth. The shipping industry had of carrying the most important datalink message types
started to outfit their vessels with satellite equipment, – those relating to the safety of the flight – thus, earning
which gave them the ability to make communication with itself the esteemed honor of being the first satellite provider
a number of satellites recently launched by a non-profit certified to transmit said messages without using traditional
intergovernmental organization known as the International radio spectrum.
Maritime Satellite Organization, or INMARSAT. The group
had recently launched a number of geostationary satellites
into low-earth orbit at 22,236 miles (35,786 km) above the
Earth’s surface in an effort to improve communications in
I nmarsat continually grew its satellite constellation over
the years, improving bandwidth and performance. Today,
Inmarsat operates 11 satellites in low-earth geostationary
unpopulated and rural areas, as well as improve aeronautical orbit (they are fixed above a reference point on the globe
safety. (In the mid-1990s, many nation states that were part and do not move). Most of their older satellites operate
of the INMARSAT steering committee refused to invest in on the L-band spectrum, but their newest satellites, the
improvements and modernizations of the satellite fleet, Inmarsat-5 (I-5) constellation, operates on the more efficient
which ultimately led to the privatization of the company.) and speedy Ka-band.

Page 6/12
So, Iridium is cheaper and has a
better coverage area. Why would
we even consider choosing an
Inmarsat solution?

While it is true that Iridium is an


excellent low-cost alternative to
traditional Inmarsat service offerings,
there are still a number of factors that
could influence your decision. A few
questions should be asked when
contemplating Iridium vs. Inmarsat,
including the below:

1. What equipment does your aircraft


have? If you don’t have Iridium

3. Iridium Satellite equipment, you must be willing


to add or change the hardware
onboard, which could come at a
significant cost.

I n the 1990s, the Motorola Corporation was the principal financial backer
of what was thought would be the “next big thing” in the telephone
marketplace: satellite telephone services. Specifically, communications
2. Does your aircraft have an internet
connection? Iridium only supports
Short Burst Data (small packets of
via the Iridium satellite constellation, a network then comprised of 66 geo- text), and will not support internet
synchronous satellites operating at an altitude of approximately 483 miles connectivity.
above the Earth’s surface and moving quickly in defined parabolas at the 3. Does your Iridium transceiver
speed of approximately 16,689 miles per hour (26,858 kilometers per hour), support more than one SIM card?
making a complete orbit of the planet every 100 minutes. If it does, you can dedicate one to
data-only transmissions and link it

I ridium was touted as the first global communications network. As long as


you had access to the sky, you had connectivity. The selling point of truly
global connectivity was also the problem: you had to be outside to make
to the datalink system; if it doesn’t,
you will have to choose if you
are willing to give up your voice/

© Copyright 2016 UAS international Trip Support | The Essentials of Datalink Communications
or receive a telephone call. On top of that, the devices were large, clunky, fax connection in order to use the
expensive, and not user-friendly. Ultimately, the “next big thing” ended up single channel for datalink.
being decommissioned and ultimately filing for U.S. bankruptcy protection. 4. Do you use any datalink
applications that are not yet

S hortly thereafter, a private equity group purchased the company and


revived its operations. The company shifted its focus from the end
consumer to different markets, including the maritime and aeronautical
approved for use over Iridium
connections? Does your Iridium
setup provide you with all
sectors, and gained success quickly. Soon thereafter, a group of engineers the necessary safety of flight
patented the ability to send Short Burst Data (SBD) messages via the Iridium requirements?
satellite network at a link speed of 2.4 kbps, providing an alternative satellite
network that could be used to send and receive datalink messages. Iridium’s Again, there is no right or wrong
popularity soared in the aviation sector, namely because of its low cost of answer to these questions. Selection
entry into the equipment market, true global coverage, and its usage fees of equipment is an important part of
being less than its Inmarsat counterparts. future-proofing your aircraft and your
investment. Technologies will continue

L ike with Inmarsat, aircraft manufacturers began installing Iridium satellite


equipment on aircraft, and since Iridium is SIM card based and easily
expandable, people began provisioning one channel (SIM card) for voice
to evolve; it is important to pick the
right one for you and your operation.

and dedicating a second channel (SIM card) for datalink communications.


In July 2011, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) of the United States
certified Iridium for use in certain safety of flight communications, including
emerging Future Air Navigation System (FANS) technologies.

Page 7/12
Satellite - Inmarsat
or Iridium
Datalink Equipped
Aircraft

Grand Earth Company or Airline


Station Operations
Datalink Service
Provider
VHF Tower

Figure 3:
Diagram showing datalink communications.
© Copyright 2016 UAS international Trip Support | The Essentials of Datalink Communications

I have an Iridium connection dedicated solely for datalink communications. It’s worldwide and I don’t
notice a speed difference between VHF and Iridium. Why do I need the VHF connection?

You might not. In the early days of satellite Therefore, selecting Iridium as a primary (or singular)
communications, the price was the main factor for not communication network, is indeed a viable option;
making the satellite the preferred service. However, as but you need to weigh all of the pros and cons of that
satellite connectivity prices continue to drop (sometimes action before you make the transition. The good news
at near parity with their VHF counterparts), service is that if you ever want to switch back to VHF or a
providers are beginning to offer a number of satellite- medley of VHF and satellite, it typically only requires a
only options. The aircraft can be configured to prioritize few minutes’ worth of work to reconfigure the priorities
satellite over VHF (and vice versa), or it can easily be in the aircraft’s datalink system.
told not to attempt the VHF connection whatsoever.

However, there is one main drawback to eliminating the


VHF connection; aircraft will be unable to participate
in many ATN Future Air Navigation System (FANS)
initiatives, due to the fact that a VDL connection is a
requirement for many airspaces and implementation
zones. For example, any aircraft that is configured in a
satellite-only manner will not be allowed to operate over
FL285 in Europe beginning in 2020.

Page 8/12
The Datalink Equipped Aircraft searches for a VHF Tower

If successful, it sends its message via VHF If unsuccessful, the aircraft will connect to a Satellite

The Satellite will send the message to the


Ground Earth Station

The VHF Tower will route the message to the The Ground Earth Station will route the mes-
Datalink Service Provider sage to the Datalink Service Provider

The Datalink Service Provider either respond to a routine query (request for weather, etc) or routes the mes-
sage to the appropriate Company or Airline Operations

If the Company or Airline Operations replies to the message, it is returned to the Datalink Service Provider

the Datalink Service Provider sends the message back to the last known VHF Tower

If the VHF Tower can make contact with the air- If the VHF Tower cannot make contact, it will return
plane, it will deliver the message via VHF the message back to Datalink Service Provider

© Copyright 2016 UAS international Trip Support | The Essentials of Datalink Communications
The Datalink Service Provider will send the mes-
sage to the Ground Earth Station

The Ground Earth Station will route the message


to the Satellite

The Satellite will route the message to the Data-


Link Equipped Aircraft

The message link is complete. The pilot and ground dispatch benefit from seamless two-way datalink communications.

Figure 4:
A flowchart of datalink communications.

Page 9/12
Upcoming Regulations

D ue to the operational benefits in terms of efficiency and


safety, datalink has moved from a nice-to-have technology
to a required piece of equipment in many airspaces around the
Strange Side Effect of Regulations:
ATN Only Avionics
globe. Datalink initiatives will enable true performance-based
separation minimums and improve the efficiency of air traffic With the compliance clock for datalink equipage
management operations. This in turn will provide more efficient continuously counting down, some aircraft and
routings in terms of time and fuel and lowering the overall cost of avionics manufacturers have decided that the most
navigation and surveillance services. For operators to continue direct route toward compliance is to build equipment
operating in preferred airspaces at optimal levels, their aircraft that only supports the required datalink message
will need to be fitted with the prerequisite equipment, and sets. Some manufacturers are now producing
certain approvals and certifications will need to be obtained. ATN-only avionics, leaving out the AOC and Airline
Administrative Communication (AAC) message types.
Here are some of the most common datalink mandates in A customer can purchase an aircraft that complies with
effect today, as well as those scheduled for the future: all FANS mandates, including Automatic Dependent
Surveillance – Contract (ADS-C) for position and
FEBRUARY North Atlantic Track System (NATS) –
CPDLC for voiceless ATC communications but

2013 Partial Implementation


not have the ability to send or receive any free-text
To fly the most optimal center tracks in
messages, uplink a flight plan, or obtain weather.
NATS airspace between FL360 and FL390,
the aircraft must be FANS-equipped.
This trend will likely continue as in-flight connectivity
continues to be on the rise, with more aircraft being
FEBRUARY North Atlantic Track System (NATS) – 2A
outfitted with internet connectivity at speeds hundreds

2015 To fly any of the tracks in NATS airspace


of times faster than the low-link speed of traditional
between FL360 and FL390, the aircraft must
ACARS. Many feel that if their aircraft has an internet
be FANS-equipped.
connection, they can get better and more detailed
information from their mobile device than from their
DECEMBER North Atlantic Track System (NATS) – 2B
datalink service provider.

2017 To fly in any of the North Atlantic Region


© Copyright 2016 UAS international Trip Support | The Essentials of Datalink Communications

between FL350 and FL390, the aircraft must


It is true that in a connected environment, superior
be FANS-equipped.
products and services are available on the internet.
Why send a short burst data message with limited
JANUARY North Atlantic Track System (NATS) – 2C
characters when you can send an email, text, or

2020 To fly in any Minimum Navigation Performance


WhatsApp message? Why rely on limited graphical
Specification (MNPS) airspace throughout
weather capabilities when you can get animated, high-
the entire North Atlantic Airspace at FL290 or
definition graphics on your phone, tablet, or computer?
above, the aircraft must be FANS-equipped.
However, what do you do when you don’t have an
FEBRUARY Link 2000+ (Single European Skies or SES)
internet connection? What happens if you do not have

2020 To fly in Eurocontrol airspace (Europe) above


a satellite phone on board? Would you be comfortable
FL285, aircraft must be FANS-equipped,
not having the ability to send a free-text message to
specifically using “Protected Mode” Controller
the ground asking about weather conditions or arrival
Pilot Data Link Communication (PM-CPDLC),
information? How about not having the ability to uplink
which is ATN datalink using a VDL connection.
the flight plan directly to the FMS?

Many other nations and airspaces have FANS mandates in There is no right or wrong answer for this, as each
place as well, including certain high-traffic airways in China operator is different. However, if you are faced with
and Asia. The best way to determine compliance with the decision of ATN-only avionics in the future, it is well
datalink mandates is to talk to your maintenance facility, worth discussion and analysis.
your service provider, your local regulatory authorities, and
your flight planning team.

Page 10/12
The Future of ACARS
A s onboard technologies continue to expand and satellite
connectivity prices continue to drop, more aircraft will
be equipped with advanced communications equipment,
A dditionally, one of the main advantages is offering a great
deal more flexibility and convenience by hosting ACARS
and ACARS-like applications on smart phones, tablets, and
specifically items that provide in-flight internet access. ACARS laptops aboard the aircraft, instead of on small, restrictive
in its traditional sense is held back by the relatively low speed of avionics boxes and screens.
the data connection. Even the “fastest” connection, VDL, tops
out at a maximum throughput of 31.5 kbps, which is roughly
half the speed of dial-up modem from the early 1990s. H owever, on the other side, one of the major concerns
of ACARS-over-IP is the security threat. Today, ACARS
messages are transmitted completely independent of any

T he next step in the datalink evolution will most likely take


advantage of Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and
Internet Protocol (IP), collectively TCP/IP methodologies,
IP pathways. They are segregated communications tunnels,
with no overlap. With ACARS-over-IP, you run the risk of
infecting the ACARS network with malicious code, viruses, or
effectively changing the delivery mechanism from outdated dedicated attacks, since the ACARS unit is passing operational
text packets to rich, expandable content delivered via the messages on the same WiFi network on which the passengers
internet and onboard WiFi systems. are surfing the internet. Datalink service providers and avionics
manufacturers are being very careful about exposing critical

T his functionality, becoming known as ACARS-over-IP, is


currently in development with the major datalink service
flight networks to open internet traffic.

providers and avionics manufacturers. One of the earliest


examples of ACARS-over-IP is the mechanism used to convert
flight deck information into Short Burst Data packets, which
O ne thing is clear: the need for datalink connectivity in
the aircraft is on the rise. ACARS equipage has grown
exponentially since the technologies were introduced nearly
are transmitted over the Iridium network, as described earlier 40 years ago and is currently installed on 18,000-plus aircraft
in this document. that send an average combined total of 40-45 million datalink
messages per day. Compounded with the fact that datalink use

I n 2015, Hawaiian Airlines became the first commercial carrier


to operate flights using ACARS-over-IP technology. Their
aircraft were configured to translate data from the avionics to
is now being mandated around the globe, it is more important
than ever to make sure your aircraft is equipped, and your
crews are properly trained to take advantage of the technology
TCP/IP packets, which were shipped over Inmarsat’s high- that Human Resources created two generations ago.
speed network.

© Copyright 2016 UAS international Trip Support | The Essentials of Datalink Communications
A CARS-over-IP technologies have many superior benefits
as compared to their predecessors, with link speed being
the primary advantage. IP connections to the aircraft are
expected to reach 15 Mbps within the next year or so, which
will yield an exponentially high increase in the Kbps rate for
both POA ACARS and Inmarsat’s Classic Aero connections.

UAS International Trip Support is a leading global trip support solutions provider,
trusted by heads of state, VVIPs, Fortune Global 500 companies, and business
jet operators worldwide. With a global network that includes continental
headquarters in Houston, Johannesburg, Hong Kong, and Dubai, regional
offices in Lagos, Nairobi, Beijing, and New Delhi, and station managers at 23
global locations, we offer clients unrivalled connectivity, consistent operational
excellence, and uniquely customized solutions to their aviation every need.
We channel our extensive expertise and experience into the creation of game-
changing technology solutions designed specifically for business aviation. Our
experienced international industry experts also provide 24/7 support, executive
travel, and air charter services.

Page 11/12
Visit uas.aero/evolution
© Copyright 2016 UAS international Trip Support | The Essentials of Datalink Communications

Americas Headquarters Asia-Pacific Headquarters Africa Headquarters Middle East Headquarters


1880 S Dairy Ashford Rd #175 911, Silvercord Tower 2, 30, Canton Postnet Suite #112, Pvt Bag X21 UAS Building, DAFZA,
Houston, TX 77077-4851 USA Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon Johannesburg, 2021, S Africa P.O.Box 54482, Dubai, UAE

Tel: +1 281 724 5400 Tel: +852 3975 3975 Tel: + 27 11 514 0755 Tel: +971 4 299 6633

UAS International Trip Support, the UAS logo, UAS|evolution™ and flightevolution™ are trademarks of UAS International Trip Support, LLC in the USA. All other company
and product names may be trademarks of their respective companies. © 2016 UAS International Trip Support, LLC. All rights reserved.

Page 12/12

You might also like