AIRCAFT AVIONICS SYSTEM

• The term avionics encompasses the design,

production, installation, use & maintenance of
electronic equipments mounted in an aircraft.
• Basic communication and navigation systems
used in aviation today were developed in
1940s but the introduction of newer system
has increased dramatically in recent years.
• Avionics system continue to advance at a
more rapid pace than any other part of the
aircraft.
 Radio Principles
• Radio refers to the wireless transmission of
information from one point to another.
• A radio transmits and receives by means of
electromagnetic waves.
• EM waves are produced by the synchronised oscillation
of electric and magnetic fields.
• EM waves may be emitted in various patterns and in
infinite no. of frequencies.
• Radio waves are classified as per the frequency band
they occupy i.e. 30 kHz – 30000 MHz.
RF Application
in Aviation
Radio wave technology is
used in the following
avionics system:

• Communication
•Navigation
•ATC Radar
•Weather Avoidance Radar
•Approach and Landing
Aids
•Altitude Measurement
•Airborne Collision
Avoidance
 Radio Waves Propagation
Ground Waves- Frequencies below the HF band. They follow earths’s curvature

Sky Waves- Operate in HF band. They travel in straight line and become blocked
by terrain & earth’s curvature. Also, bounce off the ionosphere.

Space waves- At frequencies above the HF band. They also travel in straight line
but don’t bounce off the ionosphere.
 Communication System
• Voice transmission and reception between
aircrafts or a/c and ground station.
• HF Comm – Operate on RF between 3-30 MHz
• Used by a/c that operate long distance over
water or are in remote areas of earth
• Longer transmission range (about 1500-2000
miles compared to 250 miles for VHF comm)
• Affected by atmospheric interference
• VHF Comm – Designated as the standard radio
communication system for ATC purpose over
land by ICAO.
• 118.0 – 135.975 MHz
• Much clearer reception and very less
interference by atmospheric conditions
• Much less power consumption (5-20 W as
compared to 80-200 W of HF)
• Since space waves are used, so limited to LOS
reception.
• Intercom & Interphone- Instead of radio signals,
they use audio signals to permit communication
between various points in and around the a/c.
• Intercom- Voice communication from one point
to another within the a/c e.g. cockpit crew &
cabin crew and vice versa.
• Interphone- Communication between cockpit
crew and someone outside the a/c, mostly
maintenance personnel.
• Satcom- UHF radio installed in a/c for voice and
data communication.
• Uses satellites orbiting around the earth as the
relay medium.
• Used for telephone calls from business jets and
datalink from an a/c in flight to airline’s
computer system.
• Permits monitoring of flight progress and a/c
system status
• Selcal- Connected to existing HF & VHF comm radio on
aircraft.
• Used for communication between a/c in flight and
people on ground such as airline managers or dispatch.
• When a person wants to communicate directly with a
specific a/c crew, he can selectively use which a/c to call.
Prevents disruption to ATC and flight crew for unwanted
comm.
• Consists of coder and decoder. Each a/c is assigned a 4-
digit Selcal code before the flight. When proper code is
received, tone is heard in cockpit to alert crew.
• Great help to airlines to reroute a flight or to pass
important information to flight crew.
 Navigation System
• Used to identify exact location of a/c by determining direction
and distance from certain points.
• ADF- Radio receiver with directional antennas used to
determine the directions from which signals are received. In
use since 1930s.
• ADF (a/c eqpt) + NDB (ground based eqpt)
• Signals transmitted from NDB doesn’t provide specific
directional info. Instead ADF eqpt determines only the station
direction relative to a/c position.
• Not as accurate as modern nav systems, still widely used in
general aviation a/c.
 • Standard radio navigation system.
VOR
• VOR stations on ground transmits
radio beams or radials outward in
Very High Frequency Omni every direction.
Directional Range. • Rx determines azimuth from the
station by comparing the timing of the
two signals from the station.
• Accurate directional info and reduced
errors due to atmospheric
interference
• Since reception is LOS, it limits usable
signal range at low altitudes or over
mountainous terrain
• Military services have their own nav
system that operates on similar
principles of VOR, known as TACAN.
• DME- Indicates distance in NM to associated
VOR/DME or VORTAC site as well as ground
speed and time enroute the station.
• TxRx first transmits an interrogation signal to the
ground station, station replies back to the
aircraft.
• Rx measures round trip time of the signal
exchange, computes distance and displays
digitally on the flight deck.
• Displays slant range between a/c & ground
station and not the horizontal range.
 Transponder
• To provide a/c identification directly on the ATC’s radarscope so that they can
prevent mid-air collision and provide guidance to the a/c.
• Used in conjunction with ground based surveillance radar.
• Transponder receives a ground radar interrogation for each sweep of
surveillance radar antenna and automatically dispatches a binary coded
response. (4-digit FIC)
• It is used for identification purpose and is assigned during flight planning
procedure.
• Special codes- 0000 (military), 1200 (a/c operating under VFR and not in ATC
control), 7500,7600,7700 (emergency purpose).

• Mode A- Used for identification

• Mode C- Identification + Pressure Altitude
• Mode S- Mode C + capability of sending additional msgs e.g. ATC instructions or
Wx report that can be viewed on CRT or printed through flight deck printer. Also
used with TCAS.
 TCAS
• Traffic Collision Avoidance System
• Sends out interrogation signals in all directions. Any
transponder equipped a/c within a specific range will send
back a reply and the TCAS calculates its direction, range &
altitude.
• Each detected a/c is displayed as a lighted symbol over
screen. If the a/c gets closer and creates a threat, the symbol
changes colour and shape.
• Also gives vertical avoidance manuevers commands to pilot
(TCAS II).
 • Same principle as ground based radar.
Weather Radar • The directional antenna transmits brief
pulses of radar frequency EM waves
Display ahead of the a/c in order to locate and
avoid thunderstorms.
• Clouds are invisible, but ice, hail & rains
reflect the energy back to the a/c radar
antenna. The size of rain drops, rainfall
intensity and the type of radar system
installed affect the strength of return.
• Colour radars use different colours to
indicate different intensity. Green,
Yellow & Red are commonly used with
red indicating the highest intensity.
• Safety Precautions
• ILS- Instrument Landing System
• Slide made of radio signals on which the a/c can be brought safely to
the runway.
• Ground equipments required- Localiser, Glide Slope, Marker beacon,
Runway Approach lights

• Localiser- Produces radio beams aligned with centre of runway to

provide lateral guidance to a/c.
• It emits dual beam signals from a navigational array located at far
end of runway. Left half of signal is modulated at 90 Hz and right half
at 150 Hz.
• A/c Rx measures the relative strength of the two signals. When they
are equal, a/c is lined up with runway centreline.
• If the signals are not aligned, cockpit indicator directes the pilot to
move to the required side to come on course.
• Glide Slope- Produces radio beam which provides vertical guidance to
pilot helping him to make correct angle of descent to the runway.
• Similar principle as localiser.

• Marker Beacon- Produces signal which indicate position of the a/c

along the approach to the runway.
• Low powered Tx that transmit a cone shaped pattern signal straight
up in the air.
• When the a/c flies directly above the MB site, an indication is given in
cockpit to indicate the distance to the approach end of runway.
• Outer Marker- Located at beginning of approach path.Sgnals
modulated by 400 Hz. Causes aural tone & blue lamp in cockpit.
• Middle Marker- 3500 ft from runway end. Modulated at 1300 Hz.
Aural tone & amber lamp
• Inner Marker – Not used with all ILS system. Modulated at 3000 Hz.
White lamp in cockpit.