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Aero-Tips 08.16.06
A reader writes:
I'd like to learn about the ARINC frequencies at FBOs. Pilot
ground schools don't cover these. For example, Raytheon Aircraft
Services at KICT (Wichita, Kansas) lists ARINC frequency 130.575.
Can anyone use them like a Unicom? What are the rules for
pilots?
ARINC is a subscription flight
communications service that has expanded far since incorporation in
1929. It is an $891 million company that's recognized as the
leading provider of transportation communications and systems
engineering solutions for five major industries: aviation,
airports, defense, government, and transportation.
ARINC and Airplanes
Although ARINC fills a multitude of aviation roles, it's
probably best known for its air-to-ground Domestic Voice Service.
With a network of almost 110 ARINC-operated VHF radio stations in
the United States and Canada, ARINC provides en route coverage
above 20,000 feet in the continental United States, Hawaii, and on
the coastal regions of western Canada and Alaska, as well as
on-ground coverage at most major U.S. airports.
The service allows aircrews and ground parties to immediately
communicate about matters such as:
- Operational control and flight information
- Aircraft malfunctions and emergencies
- In-flight medical assistance
- Weather and destination airport information
- Aircraft diversions
ARINC also allows subscribers to:
- Send transcribed messages via AviNet® to any ICAO address
worldwide
- Deliver messages by telephone
- Establish a phone patch between aircraft and any ground
facility
- Deliver ground-originated calls to aircraft anywhere in the
coverage area
- Signal the aircraft's Selective Calling System (SELCAL) that a
message is incoming, so pilots do not have to constantly monitor
for incoming calls.
ARINC, then, is a subscriber service for commercial, military
and CEO-level corporate flight operations. Most private and even
corporate pilots will probably never need, or use, ARINC's
services, but they can be vital for those operators that do
subscribe.
Aero-tip of the day: If you have a question
about a communication frequency or service, ask.