If you are one of the people who have ever wondered how a communication system works between an aircraft in flight and the airline , you have the opportunity to know what is the mechanism used in these issues .
This system of automatic and manual information between air and ground is called ACARS . Which issues reports of different factors, such as the possibility of landing in certain situations, fuel level or failure of the aircraft. Thanks to its different functions, it allows to control the airspace and have better performances in the logistics operations of the fleet.
Learn in detail what the ACARS air information system is, and why it is said that its operation is very similar to an email .
What is the ACARS communication system and what is it for?
The “Aircraft Communication Addressing and Reporting System” or ACARS system is a communication method used in aviation. It was created to be able to have a permanent transmission between the aircraft , when it is in flight, and the different maintenance centers of the company that owns the ships.
In this way, it is possible to have precise control over breakdowns, climatic conditions and complementary operation, among other issues. The transmission is performed by means of VHF and HF radio waves , currently it is also broadcast through satellites .
It basically consists of having on the plane a router that automatically transmits information to different exchanges, which can be of the air control, the owner of the airline or the owner of the system. While on the ground there is everything in equipment that allows access to automatic communication.
This part of the system is very important since, if the aircraft does not issue a warning for a certain time, the ground equipment will launch a “ping” to obtain information.
Just as these transmissions are done automatically, it can also be done manually. With which it is possible to obtain printed reports and access important results when there are air accidents .
There are three kinds of messages, the descendants that originate in the ship and are destined for ground maintenance stations and ascending , which have the reverse path . There are also communications that allow an aircraft to communicate, when in the air, with other aircraft of the same company or fleet . We can call this kind of messages side communication.
What are the main features and functions of an ACARS system?
Within the main functions of ACARS we can distinguish the following:
- They allow the air traffic control between airports or agencies in charge of free spaces.
- Logistics operations are monitored of the airline, as well as acts in the arrangements between the on-board crew and the airline.
- Accurate reports of the aircraft’s performance in different situations can be accessed , whether climate or operational, especially in take-offs, stops and landings.
- Thanks to this tool, the airline knows everything that happens inside the plane when it is in flight , so you can warn of unfavorable situations for the aircraft.
- In addition, a pilot manages to notice adverse moments when in the air , whether generated by mandatory deviations or actions outside a normal flight.
- Being able to measure all the components of the aircraft, the different maintenance centers can study in advance some technical irregularity . And in this way they can go planning their intervention.
How does an ACARS system work to achieve ground-air communication effective?
The operation of the ACARS system is based on reports that are transmitted through bases located on the ground, called ARINC , which automatically issue communication without the intervention of people. In this way there is a control dedicated to maintenance, logistics and commercial operations for each aircraft, which has a unique identifier.
The frequencies of VHF used by ACARS depend on where in the world the ship is located, for example 131,550 MHz is the main world frequency or 131,725 MHz is the primary one in Europe.
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The ACARS system has the particularity that it has similarities to an email , since messages are stored on a server until a terminal downloads them and can read them.
When the plane is in flight, automatically issues reports of its operational status, detecting specific faults or failures . Thanks to this technology, the maintenance staff of the aircraft knows in advance all the problems or defects that the plane presents before landing. This way the work is done more efficiently.