Airborne Internet

Airborne Internet (A.I.) is an approach to provide a general purpose, multi-application data channel to aviation. It is a concept that adopts modern network theory and principles into the transportation realm, creating a system in which aircraft and people in transit will be connected with a scalable, general purpose, and multi-application aviation data channel. A.I. began as a supporting technology for NASA's Small Aircraft Transportation System (SATS The principle behind the A.I. is to establish a robust, reliable, and available digital data channel to aircraft. Establishing the general purpose, multiapplication digital data channel connection to the aircraft is analogous to the connection of a desktop computer to its local area network, or to Internet. A primary application for A.I. is to track aircraft for the air traffic control system. Many other applications can utilize the same A.I. data channel. Secondly, it helps in accurately determining an aircraft's

position

Airborne Internet Consortium (AIC) is a nonprofit research organization composed of aviation sector participants that collaboratively research, develop, and promote open standards and Internet protocols for aviation digital communications. With the availability of Internet technologies to all sectors of aviation from commercial to general aviation, from the flight deck to the cabin, and from flightrelated tasks to entertainment, dramatic increases in communication and transportation mobility will be achieved. Internet protocols and services will make aircraft easier to fly with more situational awareness, safety, and security. Airborne Internet has the potential to change the way aircraft receive and send data, or more appropriately, information. A.I. will provide an interconnected digital data network between aircraft and tolfrom the ground. A.I. has the potential to change how aircraft are monitored and tracked by the air traffic control system, how they exchange information with and about other aircraft.

Airborne Internet

Airborne Internet (A.I.) is an approach to provide a general purpose, multi-al~plication data channel to aviation. In doing so, A.I. has the potential to provide significant cost savings Tor aircrart operalol-s a~id the FAA, as it allows the consolidation oT many T~~n&tiointso a co~nmond ata channcl. A primary application for A.I. is to track aircraft Tor the air traffic control system. Many otllcr applications can ~~t i l izthee
same A.I. data chan~lel. '['he applications available are only limited by the bandwidth available. A.1. began as a supporting technology Tor NASA's Small AircraTt Transportation System (SATS). But there is 110 reason that A.I. should be limited to SATS-class aircraft. All oT aviation, and even transportation, has the potential to benefit from A.I. 'I'be principle behind the A.1. is to establish a robust, reliable, and available digital data channel to aircraft. Establisliing tile gel-~erapl urpose, multi-application digital data channel connection to thc aircrart is analogous to the connection of a desktop computer to its local area nelworl<, or evcll lhe wide arca nctwork we call the Internet. But aircraft arc mobile objects. Therefore, mobile routing is required to maintain the data channcl connectivity while the aircraft moves Tron~ region to region. The desktop cornpuler, \vhether used in the office or the home, runs many tlifTcrcnl applications that can all use t l~csa nlc data channel. The applications are tlcsignctl arouncl thc lntc~netI' rotocol (11') stancla~.ttlo takc advantage of tlie existence of the network connection to tlic coniputcr. Airbornc Internet is built upon the same model. A.I. will provide a general purpose, multi-application data channel tliat numerous applications can use. By combining application and data functionality over a common data channel, aviation has the potential to significantly reduce costs for equipage on the ground and in the aircraft. IT aircrart ~~tilize1dP as network computers do, functions in the cockpit co1.11db e enabled not currently being provided. It could open LIPa whole new set of operating capabilities, cost savings, safety and efficiency for tomorrow's aviation industry. The Tunctions provided today Illat rccluire tlie use of multiple on-board systems could be reduced to two simple systems. First, a rigorous and dependable method to maintain thc airplane's connection to the ground-based If' network is needed. This T~~nctioins feasible u s i ~ ~ag c ombination of V11I7 radio (as is used Tor today's aircraft co~n~iiunicationsa)n d an alternate, backup commi~nicationm ethod. A satellite comnli~nication system could be employed for aircrafl that fly in sparsely opulated areas tliat are beyond Vk1F coverage of tlie existing NAS infrastructure, or for any aircraft that might lose VHF coverage (even temporarily). Satellite communication is currently being used for trans-oceanic fight today in which aircralt are clearly beyond
range of the VHF radio system in the NAS.