RuAviation

Following the withdrawal of foreign providers SITA (Switzerland) and ARINC (USA), providing onboard-to-ground communications services (ACARS), Infocom-Avia and Azimut have created equipment and implemented a similar digital communication service for Russian airlines, the press service of Rostec State Corporation reported.

ACARS is an abbreviation for Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System – a digital system for transmitting short text messages between aircraft and ground stations via air or satellite radio communication. The protocol using the Telex format was developed by ARINC and introduced in 1978. Subsequently, the Swiss aviation telecoms provider SITA supplemented its ground station network with radio equipment operating in the ACARS system.

Until March 2022, to provide digital communication between aircraft and ground services, a network of foreign-made radios was deployed in the Russian Federation, and the processing of air messages was carried out in foreign processing centres. From 29 March 2022, digital communication services became unavailable due to the sanctions imposed by the USA and the European Union, which disrupted critical production processes, resulting in financial losses.

Domestically developed digital ground stations have already been deployed at several airports, including Sheremetyevo. Data is processed in the Russian processing centre, which is connected to the production systems of Aeroflot and S7 airlines, with Rossiya Airlines and Red Wings in the process of connection. By the end of 2023, the stations will be installed in 10 airports across the country. For full-scale provision of the service throughout the country, 105 ground stations will be installed, which will make it possible to provide the service throughout Russia and completely refuse the services of unscrupulous Western partners.

The service created by Russian companies ensures the transmission of all telemetry from the aircraft to the airline’s control centre, as well as the exchange of meteorological and planning information and necessary instructions for crews and operational services, including in critical situations.

“All products are software and hardware complexes. The software developed by us is included in the register of Russian software. With the help of our products it will also be possible to implement such services as delivery of digital aerodrome weather reports (D-ATIS), digital departure clearance (DCL), transmission of digital messages “air traffic controller – pilot of the aircraft” (CPDLC),” said Asker Saidov, General Director of Azimut JSC.