ACARS, What it is?
ACARS ([A]ircraft [C]ommunication [A]ddressing and [R]eporting [S]ystem)
is a digital data link system transmitted via VHF radio which allows airline flight operations departments to communicate with the various aircraft in their fleet.
This VHF digital transmission system, used by many civilian aircraft and business jets, can be likened to "email for airplanes," as the registration of each aircraft is it's unique address in the system developed by aeronautical radio giant ARINC (Aeronautical Radio, Inc.). Traffic is routed via ARINC computers to the proper company, relieving some of the necessity for routine voice communication with the company. With ACARS, such routine items as departure reports, arrival reports, passenger loads, fuel data, engine performance data, and much more, can be requested by the company and retrieved from the aircraft at automatic intervals. Before the advent of ACARS, flight crews had to use VHF to relay this data to their operations on the ground.
Here are Messages you recieve:
-------------------------------------[17/06/2001 15:19]
ACARS mode: 2 Aircraft reg: .N786AN
Message label: 5Z Block id: 5 Msg. no: M37A
Flight id: AA0047
Message content:-
OS ORD /FTM
PLS.ADVISE.LHR.OPS..PSGR
R.VOSS 31G LEFT-BLACK
WAIST PACK AT SECURITY
CREDIT CARDS ETC
THANKS..LET US KNOW IF
FOUND
Simple message from American Airlines to Heathrow about the passegener. This is a downlink meaning it was sent from a plane down to the ground.
-------------------------------------[17/06/2001 15:25]
ACARS mode: 2 Aircraft reg: .G-BNLI
Message label: 10 Block id: R Msg. no: :PAD
Flight id: BA024
Message content:-
**********************
* ATTENTION *
*ARRIVAL STAND CHANGED*
* NOW T4 *
***********************
This is an uplink from Heathrow to the British Airways aircraft of its new stand.
You can use WACARS or AirNav software to decode theses messages. WACARS can get into a more readable format:
----------------------------------------------------17:54:33, 30/04/2001
F-GFKD A320-111 14 CDJP
AIR FRANCE AF2070
Using Ground Station T London Gatwick.Message No. M52A
Message Type 26 ?????
VER/26/E/A320
SCHEDULE/ PARIS CDG / HEATHROW /30APR/1500
ESTIMATED TIME OF ARRIVAL- /1714/ HEATHROW /09L /30APR/1657/ /
----------------------------------------------------18:44:58, 30/04/2001
G-VXLG B747-41R 29406/1177 PSLR [Ruby Tuesday]
VIRGIN ATLANTIC VS0009 LondonHeathrow to NewYorkJFK
Using Ground Station 2 Broadcast.Message No. M47A
Message Type 1L OFF MESSAGE
021822052001732,1748, HEATHROW , NEW YORK - ,,66200
Many Airlines use acars now
How far can acars transmissions can be heard?
Usually acars transmissions from and an aircraft at 32,000 feet can be heard 200 miles away. Though this is variable to where you
live such as in a valley it will be less, and more on a hill. Uplinks transmit from airports and can be heard up to 11 miles away.
The distances can vary due to the weather. If the area has low cloud more, acars transmissions can be heard from furhter away.
This was case from me living in south London to recieve a message from a AA at Manchester.
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