Midterm

• Antennas - are crucial on aircraft for communication, navigation, and surveillance

  systems
• Antennas allow the aircraft to transmit and receive various signals including:

  • voice communication
  • data transmission
  • radar signals
  • satellite communication.
• Here are some types of antennas commonly found on aircraft:

  • Communication Antennas
  • Navigation Antennas
  • Transponder Antennas
  • Weather Radar Antennas
  • Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT) Antennas
  • Satcom Antennas
• Communication Antennas - these antennas are used for voice communication

  systems such as VHF (Very High Frequency) and HF (High Frequency) radios
• Communication Antennas - are usually located on the top or bottom surface of the aircraft fuselage or mounted on the tail
• Navigation Antennas - these antennas are used for navigation systems like VOR (VHF Omnidirectional Range), DME (Distance Measuring Equipment), and GPS (Global Positioning System)
• Navigation Antennas - antennas that receive signals from ground-based or satellite-based navigation systems, enabling the aircraft to determine its position and navigate accurately.
• Transponder antennas - are utilized by the aircraft's transponder system, which sends signals to secondary surveillance radar systems, providing identification and altitude information to air traffic controllers.
• Weather radar antennas - are primarily used for onboard weather radar systems
• Weather Radar Antennas - they emit radio waves to detect precipitation, measure its intensity, and identify severe weather phenomena such as thunderstorms, hail, or turbulence
• Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT) Antennas - antennas that are designed to

  transmit distress signals in the event of an emergency or crash
• Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT) Antennas - help search and rescue teams locate the aircraft
• Satcom Antennas - these antennas are used for satellite communication, allowing the aircraft to establish a connection with satellites for voice and data communication, internet access, and other applications.
• Satcom antennas - are typically located on the top or bottom of the fuselage
• Antennas on aircraft - are carefully designed and positioned to minimize interference, maximize signal reception, and reduce aerodynamic drag.
• Aircraft Communication System - is used for speech (voice) communications and also for data communications
• Aircraft communications systems comprise the following:

  • Radio Communication
  • Radio Management Panels
  • SELCAL System
  • SATCOM System
  • ACARS (Aircraft Communication Addressing and Reporting System)
  • Interphone Communication
  • Ground Crew Call System
  • Passenger Address System
  • Audio Management System
• Selective Calling (SELCAL) - is used in conjunction with the aircraft‘s VHF and HF systems
• SELCAL Decoder - the main opponent of the selective calling system
• Aircraft Communications Addressing And Reporting System (ACARS) - is a datalink communication system. It lets you transmit messages and reports between an aircraft and an airline ground station
• Downlink - a message or report from the aircraft to the airline ground station
• Uplink - a message or report from the airline ground station to the aircraft
• These are typical ACARS reports:

  • Crew identification

  • Out, off, on, in (OOOI) times

  • Engine performance

  • Flight status

  • Maintenance items
• Flight Data Recorder (FDR) -monitors parameters such as altitude, airspeed and heading
• Tail Section - where both recorders are installed
• Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) - a device used to record the audio environment in the flight deck for accidents and incident investigation purposes
• Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT) - is an independent battery powered transmitter activated by the excessive G-forces experienced during a crash. It transmits a digital signal every 50 seconds on a frequency of 406.025 MHz at 5 watts for at least 24 hours
• You use the cabin interphone system to make these calls:

  • Pilot to attendant

  • Attendant to pilot

  • Attendant to attendant
• The service interphone system is for these personnel:

  • Flight crew

  • Cabin crew

  • Ground crew
• ATA 31 - Recorders
• Loading System (ATA 31):

  • Up Loading
  • Down Loading
• ATA 22 - Autoflight
• AFS is divided into four main parts:

  • Flight Management
  • Flight Guidance
  • Flight Augmentation
  • First Isolation and Detection System
• ATA 23 - Communications
• Aircraft Communication System has two sub-systems:

  • radio communication
  • on-board communication
• ATA 34 - Navigation
• ATA 46 - Air Traffic Information Management System (ATIMS)
• Different systems of Interphone Communication:

  ·       Flight Interphone System

  ·       Cabin Interphone System

  ·       Service Interphone System
• Flight Interphone System – for internal cockpit communication and also with ground mechanics
• Cabin Interphone System – for cabin crew or cabin crew/pilots communications