Analysis of Aeronautical Mobile Airport Communication System

Kristina Kovacikova

, Andrej Novak

and Alena Novak Sedlackova

Department of Air Transport, University of Zilina, Zilina, Slovakia

Keywords: AeroMACS, Communication Systems, Network, Airport.

Abstract: Air traffic is doubling every 15 years. Aeronautical technologies are changing and developing every year and

with it the global Air navigation systems needs to adapt to the increased air traffic, to the move of more than

one hundred thousand commercial flights daily and this number is expected to increase in the future. Increased

flights in early 2000s, caused the saturation in the Air Traffic Management communications capacity that uses

the VHF data link provided by International Telecommunication Union in Europe and in the United States.

The situation created a need for new research to find new communication systems to help release the pressure,

and that can eventually replace the current aeronautical communication system. It led to the use of

Aeronautical Airport Communication System. The aim of this paper is to analyse the Aeronautical Airport

Communications System.

1 INTRODUCTION

Aeronautical Airport Communications System

(AeroMACS) is the next generation aeronautical

Communication system, and it is being deployed

internationally to help airlines increase capacity, to

cope with the people’s demand for travels and flights

(Kalapos et al., 2019). The purpose of this paper is to

analyse AeroMACS, their coverage area, benefits,

SWOT analysis, researching problems if they exist

and to provide best practices for safety.

The main problem that the aeronautical

communication system facing is the congestion of the

VHF datalinks (Bartoli et al., 2013).

It seems that a new system of communication is

needed now more than ever to lower the congestion

in VHF datalink including all assigned by the 4

modes, Aeronautical VHF data links use the band

117.975–137 MHz that is used for the aircraft and

airport communication systems, the congestion

problem was more severe in Europe than in the

United States (Hall et al., 2012). However, both made

taken steps to lower/reduce the congestion by

significantly reducing the channel spacing (50 to

25khz in the U.S. and from 25 to 8.33khz in Europe),

this reduction allowed for more application and

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0579-8253

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9567-5104

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3719-2555

services to work simultaneously in the crowded VHF

spectrum, some countries got ICAO approval

independently on some Air/Ground data links, but

non achieved global reach (Budinger & Hall, 2011).

In the ICAO’s 11th Air Navigation Conference

held in Montréal, Quebec, Canada in late 2003, about

advanced work for the development of global future

(ATM) related to communication systems, the

committee made a report including several

observations and recommendations related to the

matter (Tang et al., 2021). It included the gradual

introduction of new communication systems to

help/complement and eventually replace the existing

communication system, and the need for the existing

aeronautical communication infrastructure, to take in

new services and applications, as well as the

globalization and harmonization of the A/G

communication systems (Shin et al., 2021).

2 VHF DATALINK MODE 2

PROBLEMS

The VHF VDL-M2 is outdated and old and it has been

congested especially in Europe, it has been criticized

for its limited speed and usage of outdated data link

Kovacikova, K., Novak, A. and Sedlackova, A.

Analysis of Aeronautical Mobile Airport Communication System.

DOI: 10.5220/0011066500003179

In Proceedings of the 24th International Conference on Enterprise Information Systems (ICEIS 2022) - Volume 1, pages 211-217

ISBN: 978-989-758-569-2; ISSN: 2184-4992

211

methods especially the Open Systems

Interconnection (OSI) based communication system

with the presence of the Internet Protocol (IP) based

network, as well as security issues which weren’t

considered when the datalink was designed to be used

in the (ATC).

The security issues with this Datalink are

significant, especially with the advanced cyber-

attacks that can attack even more secured networks

than the VDL-M2, attacks on power grids, financial

institutions and even oil pipelines, ATC running on

the outdated datalink makes it very vulnerable for

cyber-attacks (Hruz et al., 2022).

VHF is not able to integrate advanced applications

and services, (compared to the AeroMACS) due to

the architecture/technology of it and the very low

throughput. VHF has unstable latency as well and it

has relatively higher packet loss.

3 FUTURE COMMUNICATION

STUDY

Some recommendations included the search for new

communication system put under criteria before they

are approved and standardize for the future A/G

communication systems (Budinger & Hall, 2011).

These recommendations helped establishing

goals for both EUROCONTROL and FAA to

establish a joint investigation and working closely to

find the possibility of development and introduction

of new aeronautical communication systems, and the

Future Communications Study (FCS) was conducted,

which led to the beginning of (2004) both NASA

Glenn and its contractor ITT, and EUROCONTROL

and its contractor QinetiQ conducting the study and

working closely together in multiple phases

(Budinger & Hall, 2011). First phase which studied

the possibility to use some candidates, the seconds

phase included detailed investigation of a smaller set

of candidates, and the third phase led to

harmonization of small list of candidates and

Figure 1: The technology assessment process.

common recommendations between the U.S. and

Europe. The process is illustrated in Figure 1

(Naganawa et al., 2017).

The conducted FCS assessment considered

technology candidates in three flight domains

continental, oceanic and remote airspace, and airport

(pre-departure and post-arrival on the surface) it is

summarized in Figure 2.

Figure 2: The common technology recommendations of the

Future Communications Study.

The common starting point which was

recommended to be used for aeronautical wireless

communication in the airport was the IEEE 802.16e

AeroMACS (Bartoli et al., 2013).

4 AeroMACS TECHNOLOGY

Aeronautical Mobile Airport Communication System

is based on the Institute of Electrical and Electronics

Engineers standard known as Wireless Worldwide

Interoperability. Microwave Access or WiMax, is a

wireless broadband technology, AeroMACS operates

in the licensed aviation spectrum band from 5091

MHz to 5150 MHz (Naganawa et al., 2017).

AeroMACS is one of the three elements of the of

the Future Communications Infrastructure which is a

new Internet Protocol Suite system to provide the

secure communication Base infrastructure for the Air

traffic communication as it provides the network

functionality necessary to connect air and ground via

multiple IP datalink (Budinger & Hall, 2011).

EUROCONTROL supporting the research for the

development of the European datalink system which

includes/integrates the AeroMACS into the FCI as

well as the Open systems interconnection.

AeroMACS has been already certified by

EUROCAE, RTCA, AEEC, and ICAO.

AeroMACS uses the 512 subcarriers in 5-MHz

channel, it supports multiple access modulation, and

multiple channel bandwidth from1.25- 20-MHz with

ICEIS 2022 - 24th International Conference on Enterprise Information Systems

212

peak data rate of 50Mbps (Materna & Galierikova,

2019).

Some of the IEEE 802.16e features that the NASA

found which made it a good candidate are in Table 1.

Table 1: IEEE 802.16e features.

Feature Advantage

Mobility Supports vehicle speeds of up to 120 km/h,

sufficient for aircraft Taxiing and emergency

vehicles speed.

Range Covers up to approximately 10 km in line-of-

sight communications, which is enough for most

airports.

Quality of

Service

(QoS)

Enables QoS based on throughput rate, packet

error deletion, scheduling time delay and jitter

up to 50Mbpd speed per wireless channel for

both fixed and portable apps and under 1%

packet loss.

Security Includes user authentication, authorization, key-

management protocol (strong encryption and

digital certificates), protection of control

messages and fast handover.

Open

Sourced

supports modern Internet based network

protocols and further developments.

Cost

Efficiency

It is efficient when it comes to industry and

reduced physical infrastructure compared to the

ACARS VHF technology that uses buried

copper/fiber cables.

Privacy Supports private VLANs.

Link

Obstruction

Tolerance

Exploits multipath to enable non-line-of-site

communications especially at the big airports.

Scalability Includes flexible bandwidth and support

channelization, and different configurations

depending on the need.

4.1 Possible AeroMACS Application

AeroMACS uses a specific profile of WiMAX

forums, the WiMAX forum is an industry-led non

profitable consortium whose primary technical

function and sole purpose is to develop the technical

specifications underlying WiMAX Forum Certified

products. It has developed several profiles that will be

in future be developed on and used by device

manufacturers (Budinger & Hall, 2011).

IEEE 802.16e can support a wide variety of voice,

video and data communications among fixed and

mobile users at the airport, AeroMACS services can

be provided to aircraft anywhere on the airport

surface, as long as wheels are in contact with the

surface (Hruz et al., 2022).

The infrastructure suggested for the AeroMACS

in the airport, is to have multiple Base stations

(AeroMACS communication towers provided with

antennas) around the airport to cover it. The summary

of Some of the Possible uses that AeroMACS can

provide:

1. The near real-time video that the

AeroMACS provide can aid a lot in improving the

surface traffic movement to reduce delays.

2. AeroMACS can provide temporary

communication capabilities during outages and

during construction.

3. AeroMACS can reduce the cost of

connectivity as stated in the last table (scalability)

compared to the ACARS (underground buried cable)

4. AeroMACS can enhance the collaborative

decision making.

5. AeroMACS can ease updating of large

databases of loading of flights plans.

6. AeroMACS can enable aircraft access to

system wide information management for delivery of

“time-critical” information to the cockpit (Budinger

& Hall, 2011).

FAA with ICAO with the help of the FCS

categorized the Possible applications into three major

categories (Budinger & Hall, 2011).

1. ATC/ATM and infrastructure,

2. Airline operations,

3. Airport and / or port authority operations.

Since AeroMACS is flexible and can provide

communication of moving vehicles of up to 120km

per hour made it perfect to be used for the mobile

applications in the airport (Bartoli et al., 2013). And

even with aircrafts in the taxi and runways, so it can

provide connection for both fixed and mobile hence

why the applications and services within the three

major categories mentioned above can be described

as either fixed or mobile application, these

applications are summarized in Figure 3 and

examples given By NASA Glenn in Table 2.

Table 2: Applications of AeroMACS.

Air Traffic Services

-Selected air traffic control and air traffic

management

Mobile

-Surface communications, navigation,

surveillance, weather sensors

Fixed

Airline Services

Aeronautical operational control (AOC) Mobile

Advisory information

-Aeronautical information services (AIS)

-Meteorological (MET) data services

-System wide information management

(SWIM)

Mobile

-Airline administrative communications

(AAC)

Mobile

Airport Operator

-Security video Fixed

-Routine and emergency operations Mobile

-Aircraft de-icing and snow removal Mobile

Analysis of Aeronautical Mobile Airport Communication System

213

Figure 3: Applications of AeroMACS.

4.1.1 Possible Air Traffic Services

Applications

Many applications and services are under

consideration in the AeroMACS for the ATC and

ATM, examples are:

• Communications addressing and reporting

system (e.g., Pre-Departure Clearance PDC).

• Selected Controller Pilot Data Link

Communications (e.g., four-dimensional

trajectory negotiations 4D-TRAD).

• Selected COCR Services (e.g., Surface

Information Guidance D-SIG).

• Other Safety-Critical Applications (e.g.,

Activate Runway Lighting Systems from the

Cockpit DLIGHTING).

Possible fixed applications in the U.S.:

• Communications (e.g., controller-to-pilot

voice via Remote Transmit Receiver).

• Navigation Aids (e.g., instrument landing

system data).

• Surveillance (e.g., airport surface movement

detection and Airport Surveillance Radar).

• Convey Electronic equipment performance

data for remote maintenance and monitoring.

4.1.2 Airline Services

Mobile AIS/MET services these include:

• AIS baseline synchronization service (e.g.,

uploading flight plans to the FMS and

updating terrain).

• Airport/Runway configuration information.

• Data delivery to the cockpit (e.g., Data link

Aeronautical Update Services.

• Convective weather information (e.g.,

graphical turbulence guidance data and

maps).

• Navigational databases and aerodrome

charts to Electronic Flight Bag.

Airline services provide big amount of data and

services transmitted with a possibility to be integrated

into AeroMACS:

• Aircraft and company operations (e.g., Weight

and balance information required for takeoff).

• Sharing of maintenance information (e.g.,

offload of flight operational quality assurance

data).

• Ground operations and services (e.g.,

coordination of refueling and deicing

operations).

4.1.3 Airport Operator Services

Airport operator provides the last category in the

Possible applications that can be integrated into

AeroMACS these includes:

• Video applications for safety applications

(e.g., cameras inside the vehicles, surveillance

cameras, mobile cameras for live video and

voice stream, which can be useful during de-

icing, and emergency operations like rescue

and fire situations).

• It helps with airport runway and taxiway

inspection, time critical operations,

monitoring of the taxiway and the runway and

their maintenance.

Most of these applications are used right now with

a mix of land radio services, data and voice links on

the VHF datalinks modes, and even commercial local

area networks, these services are very important and

critical. U.S. is studying the possibility of adding

detection devices like radars to the IEEE 802.16e

infrastructure in the airports.

These applications and services can be provided

by governmental and commercially licensed, some of

them can be provided by the airlines service

provisions.

4.2 Data Rate and Channel Modelling

Data Rate Needed for Mobile Applications/

Services:

The needed date transmission rate needed to run

mobile applications in airport network and location

equipment was estimated to be 20 Mbps and this

include the, and onboard electronic flight bags, Radio

frequency identification, and Voice-over-Internet-

Protocol between the airlines and airport personnel.

The AOC account for approximately more than half

of the 20 Mbps.

Data Rate needed for Fixed Applications/Services:

It was estimated to be over ~51 Mbps and they

include applications like sensor communications,

ICEIS 2022 - 24th International Conference on Enterprise Information Systems

214

surveillance camera, weather data products, data from

radars and ASDE-X sensors, and AOC to RTR voice

over (Budinger & Hall, 2011).

Channel Modelling:

It was Planned that the channel is 5091-5150 MHz

provided by ITU, and that it can be divided to 5-MHz

Channels, so it can fit up to 11 channels in this band

range, and in the future, this plan can be extended, for

the band range would include new 5-MHz Channels

between 5000-5030 MHz for possible national

allocations.

Table 3: Band channelling.

Lower AeroMACS Band (5000-5030 MHz)

Channel Number Channel Frequency

1 5005 MHz

2 5010 MHz

3 5015 MHz

4 5020 MHz

5 5025 MHz

Upper AeroMACS Core-Band (5091-5150 MHz)

Channel Number Channel Frequency

6 5095 MHz

7 5100 MHz

8 5105 MHz

9 5110 MHz

10 5115 MHz

11 5120 MHz

12 5125 MHz

13 5130 MHz

14 5135 MHz

15 5140 MHz

16 5145 MHz

4.3 Network Configuration and

Coverage

To provide airports with AeroMACS, base stations

have to be installed in the airport sometimes even two

to cover the whole airport, and it is an infrastructure

proposed for the WiMAX (Kanada et al., 2013).

2 base stations to provide the scalability, coverage

range and protection, this infrastructure allows the

ATC and Management to be physically far/isolated

from the airport authority and airlines (Kanada et al.,

2013). The architecture is the common Internet

Protocol I.P, depends on the IP addresses to provide

connection between users and base station to the

services, so it works with the Dynamic Host

Configuration Protocol to provide private IP address

for each subscriber station.

The AeroMACS wireless network architecture

suggested for the connection in the airport consists

mainly of mobile and stationary Subscriber sides

Base stations, and the connectivity services network

(Naganawa et al., 2017).

4.4 Network Security

AeroMACS provides great security, as the Public

Key Infrastructure provides the certificate system

needed for aircrafts, and between all devices, ground-

to-air, air-to-ground, ground-to-ground-

authentication, it provides the instrument for safe

connections, access control, and key management

protocol (Materna, 2019).

- It lessens hacking threats, like cyberattacks and

cyberterrorism.

- Provides secure connectivity with encryption

and certificates.

- Collects data securely from mobile and fixed

devices.

- Maintains connection with aircraft and staff.

4.5 Network Speed

Now that we talked about AeroMACS, it is also worth

to note that the Very high frequency data link, VDL-

M2, is considered slow, old and outdated compared

to the AeroMACS, even when it comes to the budget

for installing it, wireless connection is much cost

efficient compared to the buried copper cables and

fiber optics.

AeroMACS has the capacity, bandwidth, speed,

security, scalability, and performance compared to

the Wi-Fi, VDL-M2 and even Swift BB (Skultety et

al., 2018).

In a study performed by ICAO, demonstrated that

even at aircraft moving at 200 km/h with 3000m

direct distance, the maximum thorough put of the

system was able to obtain up to 6.5 Mbps, a

throughput of 3-4 Mbps is enough to use real time

video applications which can be achieved with 8000m

direct distance with 200 km/h speed moving aircraft

(Koman et al., 2018).

In summary it is able to achieve 6000-7000 kbps

in best conditions, which can provide excellent data

communication, compared to the VDL-M2, 31.5

Kbps, Swift BB 432 Kbps, and Wi-Fi Gatelink 2000

Kbps.

Figure 4: AeroMACS speed compared to other

communication systems.

Analysis of Aeronautical Mobile Airport Communication System

215

4.6 AeroMACS DEployment

AeroMACS is already deployed in Lisbon Airport in

Portugal, some Airports in Japan, USA, Argentina,

and China.

FAA in the USA in contract to deploy Airport

Surface Surveillance Capability at 9 airports, 3

support systems.

In China the WiMAX frequency is centrally

controlled and regulated at the Chinese central State

by Radio Regulatory Commission and the Civil

Aviation Administration of China, as the aviation

data communication corporation in China authorized

AeroMACS in 2017, to setup and operate it in 110

airports. AeroMACS is already setup in more than 41

airports in China as of 2019 so by now it already

exceeded at least +55 airports (Rostas & Skultety,

2017).

4.7 SWOT Analysis

The AeroMACS SWOT analysis can be summarized

down below

Strengths:

1. LoS and NLoS connections

2. Scalability and security

3. Fast wireless connection up to 7000Kbps

for optimum use in the airport.

4. Industrial efficiency compared to the

existing VDL-M2

5. Quality of Service

6. Range and Mobility

Weaknesses:

1. The range can be a weakness compared to

the VHF but it offers much more benefits

than the VHF so it can be ignored, and with

today and possibly future technology

developments which can improve it,

wireless after all is best option better than

the buried cable.

Opportunities:

1. FAA and EUROCONTROL

identified more

than 330 applications to be used in the air

traffic.

2. Possibility to be used in Unmanned aircraft

vehicles in the future.

3. Release the congestion on the existing VHF

datalink, especially in Europe.

4. Europe and USA are studying opportunities

to use the AeroMACS in further application,

services and the possibility of integration

with other communication technologies.

5. In the future Artificial Intelligence (AI)

applications and services like AI analytics

and prediction systems can be

added/integrated into AeroMACS, because

of the relatively low latency, high

throughput and QoS.

Threats:

1. The 5-GHz is attractive, and many

competitors will seek to acquire the 5091-

5150 MHz band, so some regulation will be

needed in all countries. As the C-band

started to be congested due to the use of (Wi-

Fi).

2. Hence the AeroMACS will be used in

Airports, it is going to be an open line of

sight, with open surface, some degradation,

dB noise and fading can happen because of

the reflection of the AeroMACS wireless

waves off the ground surface and moving

vehicles.

4.8 Possibility to use in UAV

Studies and analysis show that AeroMACS can also

be taken advantage of to be used in Unmanned

Aircraft Vehicles in the future, as AeroMACS has

been recognized as an important technology, and it

can open new horizons in Controlling these vehicles

with its fast speed.

5 CONCLUSION

The VHF datalinks security is bad even with attempts

to improve the security it is still not a great system in

today’s technology and it is vulnerable to

cyberattacks, as well as the congestion of the VHF

datalinks, Europe and the U.S. worked closely on

studies, to research and develop new systems to be

used in the aeronautical communication systems, to

help and improve the existing systems, the

implementation of new systems which can eventually

replace the systems that rely on the VHF frequencies.

One of these systems suggested was WiMAX forums

(IEEE 802.16).

AeroMACS (IEEE 802.16e) WiMAX is going to

be an important part of the FAA and ICAO vision for

the future of communication in aviation, which will

be fully implemented by 2025, it offers high

throughput, low latency, QoS, IP protocol-based

architecture, security and protection. And can be used

with fixed and mobile applications and services in the

airport ATC/ATM, airline services, and Airport

ICEIS 2022 - 24th International Conference on Enterprise Information Systems

216

Operator/Port Authority Services, it offers AI

integration for analytics and prediction systems. And

it is a candidate for many future research and studies

to be implemented in other areas like Unmanned

aerial Vehicles.

AeroMACS has been implemented in many

airports and it is showing a great promise and

potential.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This paper is an output of the project KEGA 040ŽU -

4/2022.

REFERENCES

Bartoli, G., Fantacci, R., Marabissi, D. (2013). AeroMACS:

A new perspective for mobile airport communications

and services. IEEE Wireless Communications, 20(6),

44–50. doi:10.1109/mwc.2013.6704473.

Budinger, J. M., Hall, E. (2011). Aeronautical mobile

airport communications system (AeroMACS). National

Aeronautics and Space Administration, Glenn Research

Center.

Hall, W., Magner, J., Zelkin, N., Henriksen, S., Phillips, B.,

Apaza, R. (2012). C-Band airport surface

communications system standards development-

aeromacs prototype test results summary. In 2012

Integrated Communications, Navigation and

Surveillance Conference (pp. 1-16). IEEE.

Hrúz, M., Pecho, P., Socha, V., Bugaj, M. (2022). Use of

the principal component analysis for classification of

aircraft components failure conditions using

vibrodiagnostics. Paper presented at the Transportation

Research Procedia,59, 166-173. doi:10.1016/j.trpro.20

21.11.108.

Kalapos, G., Labun, J., Kurdel, P., Ceskovic, M. (2019).

Measurement of vehicle antenna parameters. Paper

presented at the MOSATT 2019 - Modern Safety

Technologies in Transportation International Scientific

Conference, Proceedings, 76-79.

doi:10.1109/MOSATT48908.2019.8944111.

Kanada, N., Sumiya, Y., Yonemoto, N., Kohmura, A.,

Futatsumori, S., Honda, J., Okada, K. (2013). Signal

evaluation on airport surface in 5.1Ghz band. 2013

Integrated Communications, Navigation and

Surveillance Conference (ICNS). doi:10.1109/icn

surv.2013.6548514.

Koman, G., Kubina, M., Holubčík, M., Soviar, J. (2018).

Possibilities of application a big data in the company

innovation process, doi:10.1007/978-3-319-95204-

8_54.

Kraus, J., Pleninger, S., Hospodka, J. (2019). Methodology

for positioning of GNSS interference detector. Paper

presented at the ICMT 2019 - 7th International

Conference on Military Technologies, Proceedings,

doi:10.1109/MILTECHS.2019.8870015.

Materna, M. (2019). Variants of air navigation service

providers’ business models. Transportation Research

Procedia, 2019, 40, pp. 1127–1133.

Materna, M., Galieriková, A., (2019). A new approach to

classification of air navigation service providers in the

context of commercialization. Transportation Research

Procedia, 2019, 43, pp. 139–146.

Naganawa J., Morioka K., Honda J., N. Kanada, N.

Yonemoto, Y. Sumiya. (2017). Antenna configuration

mitigating ground reflection fading on airport surface

for AeroMACS. In 2017 IEEE Conference on Antenna

Measurements & Applications (CAMA), pp. 91-94,

doi: 10.1109/CAMA.2017.8273487.

Rostáš, J., Škultéty, F. (2017). Are today's pilots ready for

full use of GNSS technologies? Paper presented at the

Transportation Research Procedia, 28, 217-225.

doi:10.1016/j.trpro.2017.12.188.

Škultéty, F., Badánik, B., Bartoš, M., Kandera, B. (2018).

Design of controllable unmanned rescue parachute

wing. Paper presented at the Transportation Research

Procedia, 35 220-229. doi:10.1016/j.trpro.2018.12.026.

Tang, Y., Zhu, F., Chen, Y. (2021). For More Reliable

Aviation Navigation: Improving the Existing

Assessment of Airport Electromagnetic Environment.

IEEE Instrumentation & Measurement Magazine,

24(4), 104–112. doi:10.1109/mim.2021.9448266.

Shin, H. G.; Kim, H. J.; Lee, S. W.; Yoon, H. G.; Choi, Y.

H. (2021). Calculation of AeroMACS Spectrum

Requirements Based on Traffic Simulator. Sensors

2021, 21, 3343. https://doi.org/10.3390/s21103343.

Analysis of Aeronautical Mobile Airport Communication System

217