For more information on how we can help your airline today, contact us at [email protected]
As connected aircraft operations improve efficiencies and reduce costs, the airline industry is expected to see annual savings of around $15 billion. At the same time, these new generation aircraft generate up to four times the amount of Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System (ACARS) data than their predecessors – leading to cost and congestion increases that reduce the overall operational gain. In response, airlines are now looking for new ways to improve throughput and reduce these costs by sending particular messages over different media.
ACARS over IP (AoIP) is the newest option for these communications. AoIP harnesses the advantages of ACARS while also utilizing the growing availability and decreasing cost of broadband cellular connectivity on the ground, and IP capable SATCOM connectivity when airborne.
Helping mission critical communications continue
ACARS over IP and broadband connectivity present an opportunity for aircraft and engine data to be moved away from traditional ACARS VHF, HF, and safety SATCOM connectivity. This will help preserve the limited bandwidth of traditional networks so they can continue to provide highly reliable communications services for operational and safety critical airline information.
The specific mechanisms vary by aircraft and the type of system used but, in general, standard ACARS 618 messages are encapsulated in IP messages between the aircraft and ground-based message handlers for processing.
Because AoIP uses broadband IP communications, which have a much higher effective throughput than VHF and HF, it is a highly scalable long-term solution. As an additional benefit, cellular and IP capable SATCOM throughput is so much higher, airlines can also use it to improve other parts of their operations including Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) applications and automated Flight Operational Quality Assurance (FOQA) data acquisition.
AoIP provides the ability to offload the growing volume of Airline Operations Communications (AOC) ACARS information from VHF, HF, and narrow band safety services SATCOM to broadband connectivity. Engine and aircraft ACARS data has grown 25% to almost 75% between new and older generation aircraft. Sending this data over ACARS over IP will help alleviate network congestion and manage cost efficiencies. Dispatch critical or Air Traffic Service (ATS) ACARS will continue to be sent over VHF and narrow band safety services SATCOM.
For more information on how we can help your airline today, contact us at [email protected].
Contacts
Request information
I would like more information about this capability.