ATA 23 - Communications

Ameco Beijing
Aviation College
Training Manual
Fundamentals
Jet
Aircraft
Maintenance
Fundamentals
ATA 23
Communication
JAR-66
Lufthansa Issue: Februay 2002

Technical Training GmbH For Training Purposes Only
Book No: JAMF ATA 23 ALL Lufthansa Base ã Lufthansa 2002
For training purpose and internal use only.
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For Training Purposes Only Lufthansa Technical Training
ATA 23 COMMUNICATION
Page 1
Lufthansa Technical Training
COMMUNICATION
INTRODUCTION
Ameco Beijing FUNDAMENTALS
Aviation College ATA 23 Lesson 1

an audio control panel, or ACP in short, to select the different systems for the
INTRODUCTION headphone and microphone.
Additional control functions for the communication systems are located on the
SYSTEM OVERVIEW overhead panel and in the cabin.
In this unit we will show you the communication systems of modern aircraft. We
can divide the systems into three groups.
The systems for the communication inside and outside the aircraft are called
the Interphone and passenger address systems.
The radio communication systems are called the VHF system, the HF system,
the Satcom system and the ACARS system.
Finally two systems are used for accident investigation. These are the voice
recorder and the Emergency Locator Transmitter or ELT in short.
The interphone system allows communication between the cockpit and other
areas of the aircraft, for example for maintenance.
The passenger address system allows the flight and cabin crew to give an-
nouncements to the passengers, for example for flight safety.
The VHF communication system allows communication via radio signals over a
distance of up to 200 nm, for example with Air Traffic Control or other aircraft.
The HF system allows communication over long distances, because HF radio
signals are reflected by the ionosphere of the earth.
The Satellite Communication system, SATCOM, allows the cockpit crew to
communicate over the whole world. It is also used by any passenger pay--
phone services on board the aircraft.
ACARS stands for aircraft communication, adressing and reporting system. It
allows exchange of information like flight and maintenance data between air-
craft and the ground. It uses VHF or SATCOM for communication with the
ground station.
For Training Purposes Only
The Cockpit Voice Recorder System or CVR stores all communications of the
flight crew for later accident or incident investigations.
The Emergency Locator Transmitter, or ELT in short can help to find the loca-
tion of the airplane after an accident.
The main components of the communication systems are located in the cock-
pit:
On the pedestal, both pilots are provided with a radio management panel, or
RMP in short, for frequency selection of the radio communication systems and
HAM US/F kl 01.2.2002 Page 2

COMMUNICATION
INTRODUCTION

Figure 1 System Overview

COMMUNICATION
INTRODUCTION
RADIO FREQUENCIES
Any kind of communication needs 2 things. The first is the information you want
to exchange and the second is the carrier of the information.
The carrier could be either paper, like a letter or a floppy disc for digital data,
or a wire like a telephone line.
In the aircraft the interphone, the passenger address and the cockpit voice re-
corder system use wires as the carrier to transport the information.

COMMUNICATION
INTRODUCTION

Figure 2 Radio Frequencies

COMMUNICATION
INTRODUCTION

radio frequencies cont.
All other aircraft communication systems need a wireless carrier to allow com-
munication during flight.
This carrier is a Radio Frequency or RF signal.
The radio frequencies that are used in aviation are divided into 8 frequency
bands.
The Very Low Frequency, or VLF, band ranges up to 30 kHz. This band is only
used in military communication systems as a radio frequency but it is also used
for audio signals which you will see later.
The Low Frequency, or LF band is between 30 kHz and 300 kHz. It is not used
for aircraft communication systems, but is used by public radio stations and the
ADF navigation system.
The Medium Frequency, or MF band is between 300 kHz and 3000 kHz, which
corresponds to 3 MHz. It is not used for aircraft communication systems, but is
used by public radio stations and the ADF navigation system.
The High Frequency, or HF band, is between 3 MHz and 30 MHz. It is used by
the HF communication system and allows communication over long distances.
The Very High Frequency, or VHF band, is between 30 MHz and 300 MHz. It is
used by the VHF communication system which allows communication over dis-
tances up to 200 nm. It is also used by navigation systems like the VOR and
ILS systems.
The Ultra High Frequency, or UHF band, is between 300 MHz and 3000 MHz
which corresponds to 3 Ghz. This band is only used by military communication
systems and by radar systems like DME, ATC and the GPS navigation system.
The Super High Frequency, or SHF band, is between 3 Ghz and 30 Ghz. It is
used by the satellite communication system, and the weather radar and radio
altimeter which belong to the navigation systems.
The Extremely High Frequency, or EHF is between 30 Ghz and 300 Ghz. It is
not used for communication or navigation systems.

COMMUNICATION
INTRODUCTION
<
Figure 3 Frequency Bands

COMMUNICATION
INTRODUCTION
WAVELENGTH
As you know from electrical fundamentals, a full wave of an alternating current,
also called a cycle, has a certain length in time, called Period T.
You can calculate T as the reciprocal value of the frequency. So the period of a
frequency of 1 Hz is 1 second.
When you activate an AC on an endless wire then the electric force will travel
with the speed of light, c , which is 300.000 km in one second.
This means that the areas with negative polarity and positive polarity travel
with this speed.
The areas with a high concentration of electrons correspond to the negative
peak of the voltage and areas with a low concentration correspond to the posi-
tive peak.
The wavelength is now defined as the distance between two areas of high or
low electron concentration.
For a frequency of 1 Hz this distance would 300.000 km because this is the
distance the electrical force can travel in 1 second.
Generally you can calculate lambda by multiplying the period with the speed of
light, c or by dividing c by the frequency
We have now added the wavelength to each frequency band. You probably
know that the wavelength is often used to identify a certain frequency band
For example in a microwave oven the term microwave means that extremly
high frequencies are used.

COMMUNICATION
INTRODUCTION

Figure 4 Wavelength
COMMUNICATION
INTRODUCTION
WAVE PROPAGATION & MODULATION

Radio waves travel differently depending on the frequency. This is called the
wave propagation.
High frequencies only travel in a direct line, with the so called sky wave so they
can only be used when transmitter and receiver have contact within a visual
range.
On earth this is possible up to a distance of 200 nm.
For SATCOM, which uses the SHF band, you need satellites to allow reception
around the earth.
The lower the frequency the better the propagation around the world with a
ground wave.
Military systems use this advantage in the VLF and LF band.
In commercial aircraft the HF band is used for communication around the
world. In this band the skywave is partially reflected by the ionosphere and re-
turns to the ground. Reception quality is not always good because daytime
and selected frequency influence the reflection.
To transport information with the radio frequency carrier we must modulate the
carrier frequency with the signal frequency, which is for example the audio sig-
nal. This signal has a frequency in the range of up to thirty kilo hertz and is
called audio frequency or AF.
When the amplitude of the carrier wave is varied, this is called Amplitude Mod-
ulation, or AM in short.
When the frequency of the carrier wave is varied, this is called Frequency mod-
ulation, or FM in short.

COMMUNICATION
INTRODUCTION

Figure 5 Wave Propagation&Modulation

COMMUNICATION
INTRODUCTION
AUDIO COMPONENTS
For communication in aircraft we need two general components for nearly all
systems:
Microphones transfer the acoustic information into an electrical signal.
Loudspeakers transfer the electrical signal back into acoustical information.
Different types of microphone are used in the cockpit. An area microphone is
used by the voice recorder to record the general cockpit sounds a hand--held
microphone is used for announcements to the passengers and integrated mi-
crophones are contained in the oxygen mask or the headset. These are called
the boomset.

COMMUNICATION
INTRODUCTION
Micro in cockpit Boomset

Hand Mike Headset
Figure 6 Audio Components

COMMUNICATION
INTRODUCTION

audio components
Loudspeakers are used in the cockpit for warning sounds.
Small loudspeaker types are used in headsets and boomsets. Boomsets con-
tain a combined microphone and loudspeaker.
In the cabin you can find loudspeakers in the ceiling for passenger information
and entertainment programs.
In addition the cabin crew uses telephone type handsets with a small loud-
speaker and microphone for internal communication and passenger announce-
ments.

COMMUNICATION
INTRODUCTION

Loudspeaker in cabin Figure 7 Audio Components

COMMUNICATION
INTRODUCTION
RADIO COMPONENTS
For radio communication we need additional components like antennas, trans-
mitter and receiver.
A transmitter is equipped to send out the Radio Frequency and a receiver is
equipped to receive the information back from the Radio Frequency .
When the transmitter and receiver are combined it is called a transceiver.To
communicate backwards and forwards there must be a transmitter and receiver
at both ends.
A transmitter has 3 main components:
S an oscillator, which generates the RF--carrier frequency, dependent on the
selected frequency on the radio control panel
S a modulator, where the audio information is coupled to the RF--signal with
either an AM or FM modulation and finally
S a power amplifier which generates the necessary power to transmit the sig-
nal. This power is, for example, about 25W in the VHF system and about
400 W in the HF system.

COMMUNICATION
INTRODUCTION
a
Figure 8 Transmitter Components

COMMUNICATION
INTRODUCTION

radio components cont.
A receiver has 3 main components:
S a tuning circuit which selects only one frequency from the total antenna out-
put. This frequency is selected on the control panel.
S a demodulator which recovers the audio signal from the RF signal and
S an audio amplifier which generates the necessary power for the audio
equipment.

COMMUNICATION
INTRODUCTION

Figure 9 Receiver Components

COMMUNICATION
INTRODUCTION

Antennas are needed to receive or transmit the RF carrier.
Aircraft antennas have different sizes and locations. The location depends on
the task of the system and the size depends mainly on the wavelength of the
carrier frequency. This is because an antenna is most effective when its length
is a minmum of a quarter of the wavelength.
The VHF COM frequency range is between 118 MHz and 137 MHz. This corre-
sponds to a wavelength between 2.5 m and 2.19 m Therefore, theoretically the
required antenna length should be between 55 cm and 64 cm.
As this difference is very small, we could use a fixed antenna length of about
60 cm without losing effectiveness. In modern aircraft you can find VHF anten-
nas which are shorter than 60 cm, like this one on the photograph. This is pos-
sible because you can lengthen an antenna with electronic components. This
saves weight and reduces the drag.
The frequencies of the HF communication system range from 2 MHz to 30
MHz. Therefore, the length of the antenna should be between 2.5 m and 37.5
m. This big variation does not allow use of a fixed average length.
The HF antenna, which has for example a length of 2m must be electronically
lengthened, dependent on the used frequency. This is done by an antenna
coupler.

COMMUNICATION
INTRODUCTION

Figure 10 Antennas
COMMUNICATION
INTRODUCTION

The connection between the transceiver and the antenna is made by special
feeders, called RF lines.
Two different types are used in aircraft. The first type is a co--axial cable type
which is used up to frequencies of 3 GHz. It has an inner conductor which car-
ries the RF and an outer conductor which is grounded. A filler material insu-
lates both conductors from each other.
The second type are waveguides. These are used above 3 GHz and are spe-
cial feeders for radar frequency signals.
All RF lines must only be handled by specially trained personnel according to
the instructions in the maintenance manual.
Note that transport of the radio signals is disturbed by deformations of the RF--
lines. Water in the RF line and corrosion of the contacts will do the same.

COMMUNICATION
INTRODUCTION

Figure 11 RF Lines
COMMUNICATION
INTRODUCTION

Aircraft are equipped with static dischargers at all sharp trailing edges of the
airframe. In these areas the friction with air during flight generates static elec-
tricity.
This static electricity must continously be discharged to prevent build--up of
high voltages on the fuselage, because this would damage electronic equip-
ment and disturb reception of radio signals.
The maintenance manual states how many static dischargers must work prop-
erly to guarantee correct operation.

COMMUNICATION
INTRODUCTION

Figure 12 Static Dischargers

COMMUNICATION
AUDIO SYSTEM
AUDIO SYSTEM
AUDIO MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
The audio management system controls all functions necessary for crew com-
munications.
In modern systems a central computer called the audio Management Unit, or
AMU in short connects the audio equipment of the captain the first officer and a
third crew member with the radio communication and navigation systems.
The AMU also allows each crew member to communicate with the other flight
crew members via the flight interphone system.
For communication with the cabin crew the cabin interphone system is and for
communication with maintenance staff at connections in several areas of the
aircraft the service interphone system is used.
In addition the passenger address system, or PA system in short, allows the
pilots to make announcements to the passengers.
Finally the AMU transfers all relevant signals to the cockpit voice recorder.
Each crew member has an audio control panel, or ACP in short, to select the
necessary communication channel for their own audio equipment.
The panels for the captain and the first officer are located on the pedestal and
the panel for the third crew member is either on the overhead panel or located
on the pedestal. In some aircraft types you can also find a fourth audio control
panel in the cockpit and even one in the avionic compartment
The audio equipment for each cockpit crew member consists of a headset,
boomset and microphones inside the oxygen mask and in a handheld version.
Note that the oxygen mask microphone has priority over the boomset micro-
phone when the mask is in use.
To use the boomset again you must first restore the oxygen mask in the stow-
age box and reset the oxygen mask flag.
Loudspeakers make the selected audio audible in the whole cockpit. The pilots
can adjust the audio volume with a control knob near the loudspeaker or on the
audio control panel.

COMMUNICATION
AUDIO SYSTEM
Loudspeaker
Handheld Microphone
Figure 13 Audio Management System

COMMUNICATION
AUDIO SYSTEM
AUDIO CONTROL PANEL The audio control panel also has a radio transmission or RT switch with 3 posi-
tions. The switch position decides whether you transmit or receive audio with
The ACPs allow a separate selection of reception and transmission channels. the selected communication system.
The transmission selection is done by pushbuttons. Only one system can be In the center position the selected communication system is in the reception
selected at a time which is shown by a light in the selected pushbutton. mode, so you can hear the received audio from the system.
For the reception selection you must release the corresponding rotating knob The spring loaded up position selects the transmission mode. This is also
by pressing on it. After the knob is released you can now select the audio vol- called the push to talk or PTT function. You need to activate this switch when
ume. It is possible to select more than one system at the same time. you want to use the microphones in the boomset or oxygen mask. Only the
With a sidetone you can always monitor the transmitted audio with the recep- handheld microphone has its own push to talk switch.
tion channel. In the Interphone position the microphones are permanently connected to the
For the communication systems you can select the reception and transmission flight interphone system, so the pilots can talk to each other independently of
function but for the navigation systems only a reception is possible. the other selections.
There are 3 VHF transceiver selectors for radio communication, for the left, All modern audio control panels have basically the same functions. Our exam-
center and right systems. In other aircraft they are called systems 1, 2 and 3. ple is used in modern long distance Boeing aircraft and you can find this panel
There are 2 HF transceivers for radio communication. These are either the left on long distance Airbus aircraft.
and right systems or systems 1 and 2. This audio control panel is used in short distance Boeing aircraft, therefore it
The Flight interphone knob selects the channel to communicate with the other has no switches for the HF and SATCOM systems.
flight crew members. One main difference on the 2 panels on the right is that a Voice Only push but-
The Cabin knob selects the cabin interphone channel to communicate with the ton controls the audio filter. Pressing the switch cancels the Morse code so this
cabin crew. corresponds to the V position of the filter selector on the left panel.
You can also select the service interphone function when the aircraft is on Instead of the radio transmission position of the switch on the audio control
ground. panels the pilot can also use a push to talk switch on the control wheelor side-
The PA knob selects the Passenger Address system to allow announcements stick.
to the passengers. On some control wheel switches you also can also select the permanent inter-
The satcom knob selects the satellite communication system to allow telephone position.
phone calls.
Audio information from the navigation systems is needed to identify the se-
lected station by Morse code and to get additional voice information.
You can select the VOR or ADF navigation system and the ILS or marker bea-
con system.
You can influence the received signals using the filter selector.
When the switch is in the V--position you will only receive the voice information
and in the R position, which stands for range, you will only receive the identifi-
cation code.
In the B position you receive both audio signals at the same time. You will
learn more about this subject in the navigation unit.

COMMUNICATION
AUDIO SYSTEM

Figure 14 Audio Control Panel

COMMUNICATION
AUDIO SYSTEM

audio control panel cont.
If there is a malfunction in Captains or first officers transmission or reception
circuits in the AMU or ACP they can transfer their audio equipment to the cir-
cuits of the third crew member.
This is done with a transfer switch usually located on the overhead panel.
After the transfer the pilot must use the audio control panel of the third crew
member.

COMMUNICATION
AUDIO SYSTEM

Handheld Microphone
Figure 15 Audio Switching
COMMUNICATION
AUDIO SYSTEM
INTERPHONE SYSTEMS
The Flight interphone system is used for communication between the cockpit
crew members.
In addition the communication with a mechanic on the ground is possible via a
boomset connection near the nose gear. This is used for example during the
push back from the gate.
When the mechanic wants to communicates with the cockpit he or she must
press the call pushbutton near the jack.
This illuminates the Mechanic call light on the audio control panel accompanied
with a short audio tone.
You can connect your microphone to the flight interphone system by either se-
lecting the FLT pushbutton or by switching the radio transmission switch to the
interphone position.
The headphones are connected to the flight interphone system by releasing the
corresponding knob.
The mechanic call is reset automatically after a time limit or the pilot can manu-
ally reset it by selecting a reset pushbutton.
The attendants light illuminates on the audio control panel when a cabin atten-
dant wants to communicate with a cockpit crew member. The light is also ac-
companied by a short audio tone.
Pushing the cabin pushbutton connects the microphone to the cabin interphone
system and releasing the knob connects the headphone to the cabin inter-
phone system.
The reset of the call is again automatic or done by selecting the reset pushbut-
ton.
The service interphone system is used primarily by maintenance to connect the
cockpit to various areas inside or outside the aircraft.
It uses the cabin interphone channels of the audio management system, so the
same selections are necessary for the service interphone.
As the service jacks are often located in areas with high moisture and dirt they
are only connected to the interphone system on ground.
This is done either automatically by the air--ground sensing circuit or by a
switch on the overhead panel.

COMMUNICATION
AUDIO SYSTEM
SVCE INT
OVRD
Handheld Microphone
Figure 16 Interphone System

COMMUNICATION
AUDIO SYSTEM
PASSENGER ADDRESS SYSTEM

The purpose of the passenger Address system, or PA System in short, is to
give information to the passengers.
Information can come from the cockpit or cabin crew or from a tape player
used for pre--recorded announcements.
Also, when available, boarding music can be played in the cabin.
Finally, the PA system generates chimes as attention getters.
The PA system uses PA amplifiers, which are located in a separate unit or part
of a modern cabin communication systems called, for example, CIDS or
ACESS
The PA amplifier give the inputs a different priority to prevent a mixture of the
audio signals.
The highest priority is the input from the cockpit crew and the second priority is
the purser followed by the other cabin crew members.
The fourth priority is the pre--recorded announcements and the least important
input is the boarding music.
The PA system also generates chimes as attention getters. They are not in-
cluded in the priority circuit, so they will always sound in addition to other audio.
A high chime sounds when a passenger calls the cabin crew and a High -- Low
chime sounds when one cabin crew member calls another crew member or the
cockpit.
A Low chime comes on when the Fasten Seatbelt or No Smoking signs are
switched on.
The PA amplifier can increase the audio volume to make sure that all an-
nouncements can be heard clearly by the passengers.
First, the output increases when an engine is started, usually detected by the
engine oil pressure switch.
The volume level is further increased when the oxygen masks are released
after a cabin decompression, triggered by the fourteen thousand feet pressure
switch.

COMMUNICATION
AUDIO SYSTEM

Figure 17 Passenger Address System

COMMUNICATION
AUDIO SYSTEM

passenger address system
To make a PA announcement from the cockpit the pilot must press the PA push
button on the audio control panel. On some aircraft types this pushbutton must
be held for the duration of the announcement.
Often there is an additional handset especially for PA announcements. This
bypasses the audio control panel.
All PA audio can be heard by the pilots when the PA knob is released. With this
sidetone the pilot can check that his own announcement is transferred to the
cabin loudspeakers and that cabin crew announcements are not interrupted

COMMUNICATION
AUDIO SYSTEM

Figure 18 PA System
COMMUNICATION
AUDIO SYSTEM
COCKPIT VOICE RECORDER SYSTEM You can monitor a test recording when you connect a set of headphones to the
jack on the panel.
The cockpit voice recorder or CVR in short is a very important component for
evaluation of aircraft incidents or accidents, because it keeps a continuous
record of all cockpit crew communications and sounds in the cockpit.
Two different types of voice recorders are presently in use. The analogue tape
recorder stores the last 30 minutes of the flight on an endless tape. Older re-
cordings are automatically erased.
The digital solid state recorder stores the last 120 minutes of the flight in
memory. Here previous recordings are also automatically overwritten.
The cockpit voice recorder system usually has the following components:
S the recorder itself which is located near the flight data recorder usually in
the tail section of the aircraft
S a control panel usually located on the overhead panel and
S an area microphone which is either located on the control panel or in a sep-
arate location
On the front of the recorder you can find an underwater Locator Beacon.
The cockpit voice recorder has four audio inputs. 3 inputs come from the audio
management unit and correspond exactly to the audio which the flight crew
hear in their headphones. As all transmissions are also repeated in the head-
phones the recording contains the reception and transmission.
The 4. input is the general cockpit sounds from the area microphone.
The voice recorder starts recording automatically when one engine is started or
when the aircraft is in--flight at the latest.
The recording stops 5 minutes after shutdown of the last engine on the ground.
With the erase switch on the control panel you can erase the complete record-
ing when the aircraft is on the ground and the parking brake is set. This is to
keep the privacy of the crew.
You can test the voice recorder by pressing the test push button on the control
panel.
This starts the recorder and records a test signal on all four channels. In many
aircraft types you need to activate the recorder power with the ground control
switch first.
During the test the pointer in the meter must deflect to the green area or a sta-
tus indicator must indicate pass. In modern aircraft the test is usually done with
the central maintenance computer system.

COMMUNICATION
AUDIO SYSTEM

Figure 19 Cockpit Voice Recorder System

COMMUNICATION
VHF COMMUNICATION
VHF COMMUNICATION
INTRODUCTION
The VHF communication system is used for short distance voice and data
communication with ground stations or other aircraft.
The VHF frequency range for aircraft communication systems is from 117.975
MHz to 137 MHz .
Note that the frequency of 121.5 is an international emergency frequency,
which is used, for example, by the emergency locator beacon.
The spacing between each communication channel is normally 25 kHz, which
means that 760 frequencies, also called channels, are available.
In Europe more channels are required in high flight levels, therefore modern
systems use a channel spacing of 8.3 kHz which means more than 2000 chan-
nels are available.

COMMUNICATION
VHF COMMUNICATION

Figure 20 VHF Communication System

COMMUNICATION
VHF COMMUNICATION
SYSTEM COMPONENTS
Modern aircraft have 3 independent VHF systems. Two systems are a mini-
mum requirement for commercial flights.
System #1 is normally used for the captains voice communication and System
#2 for the first officer„s voice communications.
The third system is normally used for the ACARS system., but it could also be
used for voice communication if one of the other systems fail.
Each VHF communication system has a transceiver in the avionics compart-
ment and an antenna. The three antennas are installed at different locations on
the aircraft fuselage.

COMMUNICATION
VHF COMMUNICATION

Figure 21 VHF System Components

COMMUNICATION
VHF COMMUNICATION

system components
Usually you can find the antennas for VHF numbers one and three on the up-
per fuselage and the antenna for VHF number two on the lower fuselage.
The VHF communication systems are controlled by radio management panels,
RMP in short, which allow frequency selections and audio control panels which
allow audio selections.
The transceiver has both a transmitter and a receiver for either receiving or
transmitting signals.
You can hear a received signal with your audio equipment when you select the
knob on the ACP and the correct frequency on the RMP.
You must always listen to a selected station first before you start a transmis-
sion to prevent communication interruptions with another aircraft.
To transmit information to the selected station you must push either the radio
transmission switch on the ACP or operate the push--to--talk switch on the con-
trol wheel.
When the transmission works with the normal output power of about 25 W, you
can hear your own voice in the headphones with the sidetone.
A missing sidetone is always an indication for a system failure.

COMMUNICATION
VHF COMMUNICATION

Figure 22 VHF System Components

COMMUNICATION
VHF COMMUNICATION
RADIO MANAGEMENT PANEL Now the VHF COM number one system is tuned to the correct frequency. Be-
fore you transmit your request to the VHF ground station listen to the reception
The Radio Management Panel is the component where you make frequency to make sure that no actual communication is in progress.
selections for the VHF and HF radio communication systems.
You can now start the transmission, by activating one of the push--to--talk
Each RMP can control any system. The selected system is shown by the light switches.
in the pushbutton.
During normal operation the captain„s panel controls the VHF and HF number 1
systems and the first officers RMP controls VHF and HF number 2.
The third RMP is usually used for VHF number three.
The RMP has two frequency windows. The left window is called the active win-
dow. It shows the operating frequency of the selected system.
The other is called the standby window which shows a new selected frequency.
Note that the window shows either ACARS or DATA when you select VHF sys-
tem number 3, because no manual frequency selection is necessary for
ACARS.
When you press the transfer button on an RMP, the frequencies change win-
dows. This means that the standby frequency becomes the active frequency
and vice versa.
All RMPs are constantly updated by each other. When you activate a frequency
on one RMP it is also visible on the other RMPs when the same system is se-
lected.
On some radio management panels, for example, on modern airbus aircraft,
you can find an area for the frequency selection of navigation systems. This is
only used when normal tuning via the flight management system is not avail-
able.
SYSTEM OPERATION
Let„s now see an example of how to establish a connection to a VHF ground
station.
First you must crosscheck that the selection for your audio equipment is done
on your audio control panel and that the required VHF communication system
is selected on the radio management panel.
The required frequency is selected by turning the frequency selector knob. This
changes the frequency in the standby window.
After selection of the correct frequency you must activate the frequency for the
VHF system #1.

COMMUNICATION
VHF COMMUNICATION

Figure 23 Radio Management Panel & Operation

COMMUNICATION
HF COMMUNICATION
HF COMMUNICATION
INTRODUCTION
The HF communication system is used for long distance communication.
HF communication systems are installed on many long distance aircraft for
world wide communication.
The ionosphere around the world is used as a reflector for the radio signals to
reach areas outside the line of sight. Unfortunately the Ionosphere changes its
conditions. For example the intensity of sunlight determines the quality of re-
ception.
In modern aircraft types the SATCOM system replaces the HF system, be-
cause it guarantees a reliable long distance communication.

COMMUNICATION
HF COMMUNICATION

Figure 24 HF Communication
COMMUNICATION
HF COMMUNICATION
HF SYSTEM COMPONENTS
Usually two independent HF communication systems are installed in long dis-
tance aircraft.
Each system has a transceiver, which is located in the avionics compartment
and an antenna which is usually located in the leading edge of the vertical sta-
bilizer.
On older aircraft types or aircraft with three HF systems you also can find a rod
type antenna at the wing tip.
An antenna coupler is needed to tune the antenna to the selected HF--fre-
quency. It is installed near the antenna.

COMMUNICATION
HF COMMUNICATION

Figure 25 HF System Components

COMMUNICATION
HF COMMUNICATION

HF system components cont.
The HF transceiver has a transmitter and receiver that functions in the same
way as the VHF transceiver. Transmission happens with an output power of
200 to 400 W.
The frequency and system selection on the RMP is done in the same way, as
for the VHF system.
The HF frequency range is from 2 MHz to about 25 MHz in steps of
1 or 0.1 kHz.
With the AM pushbutton on the RMP you can select two different operational
modes for HF.
When the push button is pressed the first time the AM mode is selected. AM
stands for amplitude modulation. This mode transmits the modulated signal via
a carrier.
When the push button is pressed again the default SSB mode is selected. SSB
stands for single side band. This mode transmits the modulated signal without
a carrier, giving a better transmission efficiency.
With the HF sensitivity selector knob on the RMP you can adjust the sensitivity
of the reception.
Note that some RMP types have a SQL knob instead. Here you can select the
squelch level which is the level for the noise suppression.
On older aircraft types you can find a separate HF control panel with the same
control functions as described for the RMP.
The antenna coupler must tune the antenna to the selected HF frequency be-
fore you can start any transmission. Reception is always possible without a
new coupler tuning.
Briefly pressing one of the push--to--talk switches for the first time will start the
tuning.
You can hear a 1 kHz tone as long as the tuning lasts. The tuning is very fast in
modern systems but older systems need up to 10 seconds.
When the antenna coupler has completed the tuning, the 1 kHz tone stops, and
you can start transmission by pressing the push--to--talk switch a second time.
You can monitor the correct transmission with the sidetone when normal trans-
mitting power is available.

COMMUNICATION
HF COMMUNICATION

Figure 26 HF System Components

COMMUNICATION
HF COMMUNICATION
SYSTEM OPERATION
From what you have learned in the VHF lesson and in this lesson you should
be able to do the necessary steps to establish HF communication.
With the first step connect your audio equipment to the HF system # 1.
On the audio control panel you have now connected the audio equipment to
the transmission and reception channel of HF #1.
You have selected the HF system #1 to AM mode on the RMP.
The selected frequency is now shown in the standby frequency window.
When the frequency is activated you must first check if this frequency is busy
before you start a transmission.
Lets assume that no communication is in progress, so that you can start tuning
the antenna coupler.
Pressing the radio transmission or push--to--talk switch the first time after a new
frequency selection tunes the transmitter and the coupler to the new frequency.
When the tuning tone has stopped you can start your communication with the
selected ground station.

COMMUNICATION
HF COMMUNICATION
3,495 18.530
Figure 27 HF System Operation

COMMUNICATION
ACARS
ACARS
ACARS INTRODUCTION
ATC will use ACARS in the future air navigation system, FANS, to send re-
The Aircraft Communication Addressing and Reporting system or ACARS in quests to the aircraft, for example Maintain speed . You will learn more about
short, is a datalink communication system which can transfer messages and FANS in the Navigation unit.
data between the aircraft and the ground, for example the airline operation cen- A report request is a downlink when the flight crew requires specific informa-
ter and ATC. tion. These are, for example, airport or weather data, or information for the
It uses the VHF Communication system #3 or the Satellite Communication sy- passengers or crew.
stem dependent on the aircraft location. Information for the crew or the passengers is an uplink as a response to a re-
The data sent by ACARS is received by the ground station of a network provi- port request. For example it gives information about the departure gates for
der which transports the data via its network to the users. transit passengers and the next flight for the crew.
The data transfer in this direction is called the downlink. Consequently the data Maintenance reports can be started from the central maintenance computer
transfer from the ground to the aircraft is called the uplink. system, CMCS, to transmit test results or maintenance reports to the airline
ACARS transmits and receives either automatic reports, which usually depend maintenance center.
on the flight profile and manual reports which are independent of the flight pro-
file.
The OUT report transmits aircraft information and the time when all aircraft
doors are closed and aircraft movement starts.
The OFF report transmits aircraft information and the time when the aircraft
lifts off, detected by the landing gear air - ground switches.
The ON report transmits aircraft information and the time when the aircraft tou-
ches down, detected by the landing gear air - ground switches.
The IN report transmits aircraft information and the time when the first aircraft
door is opened.
The estimated time of arrival , or ETA in short, is automatically transmitted 120
minutes, 20 minutes and seven minutes before the arrival.
The aircraft condition monitoring system, ACMS, transmits an engine report

automatically during each flight and whenever an engine problem is detected,
for example an EGT exceedance.
The loadsheet report is an uplink from the ground to the aircraft during takeoff
preparation.Manual ACARS reports are started by the pilot, airline ground staff
or ATC.
A call request is transmitted to the aircraft if the ground station wants to com-
municate with the flight crew via voice communication. This is used instead of
the old SELCAL system.

COMMUNICATION
ACARS

Figure 28 Acars Overview

COMMUNICATION
ACARS
ACARS OPERATION
A typical ACARS system has a central computer called the Management Unit,
or MU in short. It is the link between the aircraft components and the VHF or
satellite communication systems.
The VHF communication system #3, also called the center system, is now acti-
vated for voice communication. ACARS operation is possible with VHF com-
munication system #3if you can read DATA or ACARS in the window of the ac-
tive frequency. The ACARS MU automatically selects the required VHF
frequency, but does not display it on the RMP.
ACARS uses the SATCOM system if a VHF ground station is not usable. This
depends on the aircraft position which is provided by the Flight Management
Computer system or IRS.
ACARS gets maintenance related data from the Central Maintenance Compu-
ter and the aircraft condition monitoring system. In addition ACARS gets air-
craft status information from several discrete signals, for example door and
gear switches. The software of the management unit can be updated with the
Data Loader when required.
ACARS operation is controlled from an MCDU and the printer allows the crew
to get a hardcopy of each report.
The ACARS main menu gives the operator access to different functions.
You can either request reports for an uplink or create reports for a downlink.
The available choices depend on the flight phase, in our example they are from
the pre--flight phase.
You can also write a telex to a ground station or request a voice contact from a
ground station.
Finally you can select a list of all uplink messages and get access to miscella-
neous pages. From the miscellaneous page you can select information about
the ACARS frequencies for the different areas of the world.
The OOOI status pages give information about the OUT, OFF, ON and IN
downlinks and allows checking and editing of the status conditions.
The VHF and Satellite statistic pages show how many transmissions and re-
ceptions happened in the past and the parameter page gives access to coded
information.
From the ACARS maintenance page you can select information about all part
numbers of the system, the ACARS system status and all information about
the status of the VHF and Satellite communication system. Finally you can do
different types of system test.

COMMUNICATION
ACARS

Figure 29 Acars Main Menue

COMMUNICATION
ACARS
SATCOM INTRODUCTION
The satellite communication or SATCOM system has three main components.
First, the satellites, secondly the aircraft earth stations, abbreviated as AES
and finally the ground earth station, or GES.
The SATCOM system provides reliable world--wide digital data transfer for
ACARS, Cockpit Voice and telex communications and Passengers Voice, telex
and fax communications. All communication systems can use SATCOM at the
same time. Transmission and reception also work at the same time so that nor-
mal telephone conversation is possible.
SATCOM uses 4 satellites in a geostationary orbit, which means that they are
located about 23.000 miles or 36.000km above the earth„s surface. This provi-
des a coverage between latitudes of 75° north and 75° south.
Over 255 SATCOM ground earth stations, world--wide, transmit and receive the
data to and from the satellites.

COMMUNICATION
ACARS

Figure 30 SATCOM Components

COMMUNICATION
ACARS
SATCOM SYSTEM COMPONENTS

The aircraft earth station, AES is the part of the SATCOM system which is lo-
cated onboard the aircraft. It„s architecture depends on the system manufactu-
rer and the needs of the airline.
A typical system has a satellite data unit or SDU in short, a radio frequency
unit, or RFU, a high power amplifier, called HPA in short and a low noise ampli-
fier and diplexer, abbreviated to LNA / DIP.
Finally it has a beam steering unit, BSU in short and an antenna.
The Satellite Data Unit is the heart of the SATCOM system and controls all the
connections to other aircraft systems, for example ACARS, pilots audio system
and passenger telephone system.
It stores all satellite positions and frequencies, and automatically selects the
nearest satellite dependent upon the present position of the aircraft. Different
functions and tests can be selected from the MCDU via the SATCOM menu.
Let us now see briefly how a satellite communication is done. First the SDU
sends the communication data to the RFU. It generates a carrier--frequency of
1,6 GHz and modulates it with the data. After amplification in the High Power
and Low Noise Amplifiers the signal reaches the BSU and the antenna.
The SATCOM system uses either 1 topmounted or 2 sidemounted antennas on
the upper part of the fuselage.
Both types are high gain antennas with several antenna elements. They trans-
mit a steerable beam in the direction of the satellite. The beam direction is con-
trolled by the BSU dependent on the aircraft position and heading, therefore
the IRS must be functional if the antennas are to be used. The high gain anten-
nas allow high data transmission rates, which is necessary for normal SAT-
COM operation.
Some systems also use a low gain antenna on top of the fuselage, which trans-
mits a fixed beam. This allows only a low data rate communication, for example
for ACARS, but no voice communication. The advantage of this antenna type is
that it does not need a BSU nor aircraft position data from the IRS.
Note that the concentrated beam of the SATCOM antennas is high powered,
so SATCOM must only be used if no personnel or metal parts are near the an-
tenna. Refer to the maintenance manual for more detailed information.
A received signal goes from the antenna to the Diplexer which separates the
transmission and reception signals.
From the diplexer the data goes via the RFU to the SDU, where it is demodula-
ted and distributed to the related systems.

COMMUNICATION
ACARS

Figure 31 SATCOM System Components

COMMUNICATION
ACARS
EMERGENCY LOCATOR TRANSMITTER (ELT)

Emergency locator transmitters, or ELTs in short, help search--and--rescue
crews to find aircraft that accidentally land away from an airport or ditch into
water.
Two different types of ELT are used in aircraft. The first type is a fixed transmit-
ter which is installed in the upper aft section of the aircraft fuselage. The se-
cond type is a portable buoyant type, which you can find near the life rafts in
the cabin ceiling.
All ELTs transmit two radio signals on international emergency frequencies.
One signal at the VHF frequency of 121,5 MHz, and the other at the UHF fre-
quency of 243MHz. Both radio signals are modulated with a swept--tone signal.
UHF and VHF frequencies can only be received up to a distance of about
200 nautical miles, so a rescue crew can only find the aircraft if it is located in-
side this range.
Therefore the fixed ELT transmits an additional signal at 406 MHz via a small
antenna near the vertical stabilizer. This signal can be received by satellites
and allows world--wide loaction of aircraft. The signal contains information ab-
out the aircraft type and tail--sign and if available also the last known present
position.
The ELTs are powered by an internal battery for at least 48 hours.
The portable ELT becomes active when the battery comes in contact with wa-
ter or when a small pin is removed from the battery.
The fixed ELT is automatically activated when an internal g--switch detects an
acceleration of more than 5 G in the longitudinal axis. The fixed ELT can also
be activated manually from a control panel on the cockpit overhead panel.
Note that for a test you must only switch on the ELT during the first five minu-
tes of an hour for a maximum of fifteen seconds. All other transmissions will
start search and rescue operations immediately.

During the test you can hear the swept--tone signal when you tune the VHF
communication system to 121,5 MHz.

COMMUNICATION
ACARS

Figure 32 Emergency Locator Transmitter

COMMUNICATION
ACARS
THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK


Ameco Beijing
Aviation College
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ATA 23 COMMUNICATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
SYSTEM OVERVIEW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
RADIO FREQUENCIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
WAVELENGTH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
WAVE PROPAGATION & MODULATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
AUDIO COMPONENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
RADIO COMPONENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
AUDIO SYSTEM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
AUDIO MANAGEMENT SYSTEM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
AUDIO CONTROL PANEL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
INTERPHONE SYSTEMS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
PASSENGER ADDRESS SYSTEM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
COCKPIT VOICE RECORDER SYSTEM . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
VHF COMMUNICATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
SYSTEM COMPONENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
RADIO MANAGEMENT PANEL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
SYSTEM OPERATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
HF COMMUNICATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
HF SYSTEM COMPONENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
SYSTEM OPERATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
ACARS 56
ACARS INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
ACARS OPERATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
SATCOM INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
SATCOM SYSTEM COMPONENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
EMERGENCY LOCATOR TRANSMITTER (ELT) . . . . . . 64
Page i
Ameco Beijing
Aviation College
TABLE OF FIGURES
Figure 1 System Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Figure 2 Radio Frequencies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Figure 3 Frequency Bands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Figure 4 Wavelength . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Figure 5 Wave Propagation&Modulation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Figure 6 Audio Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Figure 7 Audio Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Figure 8 Transmitter Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Figure 9 Receiver Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Figure 10 Antennas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Figure 11 RF Lines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Figure 12 Static Dischargers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Figure 13 Audio Management System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Figure 14 Audio Control Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Figure 15 Audio Switching . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Figure 16 Interphone System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Figure 17 Passenger Address System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Figure 18 PA System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Figure 19 Cockpit Voice Recorder System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Figure 20 VHF Communication System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Figure 21 VHF System Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Figure 22 VHF System Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Figure 23 Radio Management Panel & Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Figure 24 HF Communication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Figure 25 HF System Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Figure 26 HF System Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Figure 27 HF System Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Figure 28 Acars Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Figure 29 Acars Main Menue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Figure 30 SATCOM Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Figure 31 SATCOM System Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Figure 32 Emergency Locator Transmitter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Page: ii

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Ameco Beijing

Lufthansa Issue: Februay 2002

Lufthansa Technical Training GmbH

Lufthansa Base Frankfurt

Lufthansa Base Hamburg

Aviation College ATA 23 Lesson 1

HAM US/F kl 01.2.2002 Page 2

Aviation College ATA 23 Lesson 1

Figure 1 System Overview

Aviation College ATA 23 Lesson 1

HAM US/F kl 01.2.2002 Page 4

Aviation College ATA 23 Lesson 1

Figure 2 Radio Frequencies

Aviation College ATA 23 Lesson 1

not used for communication or navigation systems.

HAM US/F kl 01.2.2002 Page 6

Aviation College ATA 23 Lesson 1

Figure 3 Frequency Bands

Aviation College ATA 23 Lesson 1

HAM US/F kl 01.2.2002 Page 8

Aviation College ATA 23 Lesson 1

Aviation College ATA 23 Lesson 1

WAVE PROPAGATION & MODULATION

HAM US/F kl 01.2.2002 Page 10

Aviation College ATA 23 Lesson 1

Figure 5 Wave Propagation&Modulation

Aviation College ATA 23 Lesson 1

HAM US/F kl 01.2.2002 Page 12

Aviation College ATA 23 Lesson 1

Micro in cockpit Boomset

Hand Mike Headset

Figure 6 Audio Components

Aviation College ATA 23 Lesson 1

HAM US/F kl 01.2.2002 Page 14

Aviation College ATA 23 Lesson 1

Loudspeaker in cabin Figure 7 Audio Components

Aviation College ATA 23 Lesson 1

HAM US/F kl 01.2.2002 Page 16

Aviation College ATA 23 Lesson 1

Figure 8 Transmitter Components

Aviation College ATA 23 Lesson 1

HAM US/F kl 01.2.2002 Page 18

Aviation College ATA 23 Lesson 1

Figure 9 Receiver Components

Aviation College ATA 23 Lesson 1

HAM US/F kl 01.2.2002 Page 20

Aviation College ATA 23 Lesson 1

Aviation College ATA 23 Lesson 1

HAM US/F kl 01.2.2002 Page 22

Aviation College ATA 23 Lesson 1

Aviation College ATA 23 Lesson 1

HAM US/F kl 01.2.2002 Page 24

Aviation College ATA 23 Lesson 1

Figure 12 Static Dischargers

Aviation College ATA 23 Lesson 2

HAM US/F kl 01.2.2002 Page 26

Aviation College ATA 23 Lesson 2

Figure 13 Audio Management System

Aviation College ATA 23 Lesson 2

HAM US/F kl 01.2.2002 Page 28