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ACARS Usage Question
Hi,
Question on ACARS: Curious about how Acars is actually utilized, and for what purposes. Is this used only for company communications air to ground, and ground to air communications, such as in-flight maintenance problems, arrival times, etc., or does the flight also use it to contact the FAA for clearances, etc. ? Thanks, Bob |
#2
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Robert,
Yes, yes and yes. ACARS is used by airlines as a company-to-crew text messaging system. Passenger manifests, gate information, maintainance messages...anything that is of an internal nature between the company and the cockpit crew can be passed from ground to crew or crew to ground. Most airlines with ACARS also have small printers installed so the crew can print out the info for reference or to hand to a flight attendant so she can read connecting gate information to passengers. It is also standard practice to send weather information, aircraft performance data prior to departure and in most cases, receive the ATC IFR clearance from the FAA. This last one is called "PDC" (Pre departure clearance) and is not available at all airports...mostly the ones near where bureaucrats with a lot of political clout live. All airlines do not own ACARS as it is an expensive system and the crews need to get their clearances prior to departure by calling clearance delivery at the departure airport or receive their weather and performance data from dispatchers. By the way, this information is what you usually see the gate agents handing to the pilots when they arrive at the gate to depart. If you're late for departure and the captain makes a PA announcement about "needing paperwork," he is probably referring to the weather and performance data that will tell him the aircraft can lift off the ground at the ambient temperature and its planned weight. ACARS can provide this immediately to crews. Vern Weiss, W9STB Minocqua, WI Airline Captain & SWL Robert11" wrote in message ... Hi, Question on ACARS: Curious about how Acars is actually utilized, and for what purposes. Is this used only for company communications air to ground, and ground to air communications, such as in-flight maintenance problems, arrival times, etc., or does the flight also use it to contact the FAA for clearances, etc. ? Thanks, Bob |
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