ACARS Media Management Prepared for DCIT #23 Systems Integration Working Group

Why?  Media management is a part of the framework in which FANS operates.  Media management is used today to meet existing user requirements for shared use networks to be used for ATS services.

Goals of media management inquiry Establish a common understanding of ACARS media management – Media management may mean different things to different groups Identify operational impacts of media management, if any Identify systemic approaches to mitigating impacts of media management

The state of ACARS media management as understood today Existing media – VHF Plain Old ACARS (POA) AOA (VDL Mode 2) – SATCOM INMARSAT IRIDIUM – HF Aircraft behavior depends greatly upon individual ship configuration Ground (CSP) behavior driven by operator requirements – Can be affected by ground automation (FAA) requests (e.g. TEI) – Operator configuration controls order in which media are used

Purpose of media in ACARS POA – First media used for ACARS, extremely limited growth potential at this point AOA – More efficient use of VHF spectrum, support for future technology (ATN) SATCOM(INMARSAT) – Support for remote coverage, also first HF – Adds to SATCOM with global coverage including polar coverage IRIDIUM – Alternative form of global coverage

Impacts to operation Use of VDL Mode 2 media – Frequency and duration of usage – Latency Thresholds for acceptability – Per service?

Future possibilities for understanding Types of timers in the CHI What is the impact to controllers when these timers are exceeded