Embraer conducted tests to evaluate how two services— Aeronautical Mobile Telemetry (AMT) and Aeronautical Mobile Airport Communication System (AeroMACS)—can operate together without interference at the EMBRAER test facility in Gaviao Peixoto, Brazil. It was important to test it and establish the frequency separation required to optimize the spectrum without causing interference between the two services. Using SIEMENS RUGGEDCOM equipment, Embraer performed the simulated ground operations tests with support from the WiMAX Forum and participation from the Brazilian Department of Airspace Control (DECEA).

AeroMACS and AMT services work separately but share the same spectrum band. AeroMACS operates in the protected and licensed spectrum band from 5091 MHz to 5150 MHz, which the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) designated on a worldwide basis to support the safety and regularity of flight at the World Radiocommunication Conference in (WRC-07). Enabling broadband communications to aircraft on the ground, service vehicles, and distributed airport assets, AeroMACS provides the increased bandwidth needed for a large number of applications that must coexist. For the AMT system, the aircraft sends data from its embedded telemetry unit to the ground unit. Flight test engineers use this data to follow the test of the aircraft in real time.

The tests checked the frequency separation conditions of the Telemetry and AeroMACS services for interference, measured the signals of both channels, and recorded data through the spectrum analyzer. The AeroMACS communication tests used the OMS (Onboard Maintenance System) service that is typically on the Embraer aircraft as a packet generator and acknowledgment of receipt, simulating in full the interferences that could occur in an aircraft or at an airport. The OMS service is responsible for the aircraft maintenance: detecting and isolating faults, generating maintenance messages, and recording information in internal memory, which is later sent to the maintenance engineers when the aircraft touches the ground.

"Using our aircraft, I'm pleased that Embraer drove this extremely important and successful testing," said Luiz Fernando de Souza, Embraer Flight Test Instrumentation. "All objectives were met, and valuable data was collected to inform how to effectively deploy the Telemetry and AeroMACS services from aircraft to ground units."

"The tests were well planned and conducted in an effective manner," said Noam Ivri, Siemens AeroMACS Product Manager. "Siemens is excited to support such AeroMACS tests and provide worldwide implementations with our equipment on all parts of the airport surface."

"We are thrilled to have accomplished the tests without encountering any significant technical issues," said Declan Byrne, President of the WiMAX Forum. "AeroMACS is key to the aviation industry because it improves communications on the airport surface. By providing increased transmission of Air Traffic Control (ATC) and Airline Operations Communications (AOC), AeroMACS will relieve traffic, reduce congestions, prevent delays, and support the safety and regularity of flight."

The testing was successful as the simulation proved that the Telemetry and AeroMACS services can operate together and also provided guidance on the channel spacing. The test results were presented to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Fifth Working Group Meeting, and to the Brazilian Regulator (Anatel) for review and consideration. The subject is expected to be included in the Anatel regulatory agenda in 2019-2020, and the addendum to the current resolution should include the AeroMACS frequency according the Geneva World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-12).

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 Embraer conducted tests to evaluate how two services— Aeronautical Mobile Telemetry (AMT) and Aeronautical Mobile Airport Communication System (AeroMACS)—can operate together without interference at the EMBRAER test facility in Gaviao Peixoto, Brazil. It was important to test it and establish the frequency separation required to optimize the spectrum without causing interference between the two services. Using SIEMENS RUGGEDCOM equipment, Embraer performed the simulated ground operations tests with support from the WiMAX Forum and participation from the Brazilian Department of Airspace Control (DECEA).

AeroMACS and AMT services work separately but share the same spectrum band. AeroMACS operates in the protected and licensed spectrum band from 5091 MHz to 5150 MHz, which the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) designated on a worldwide basis to support the safety and regularity of flight at the World Radiocommunication Conference in (WRC-07). Enabling broadband communications to aircraft on the ground, service vehicles, and distributed airport assets, AeroMACS provides the increased bandwidth needed for a large number of applications that must coexist. For the AMT system, the aircraft sends data from its embedded telemetry unit to the ground unit. Flight test engineers use this data to follow the test of the aircraft in real time.

The tests checked the frequency separation conditions of the Telemetry and AeroMACS services for interference, measured the signals of both channels, and recorded data through the spectrum analyzer. The AeroMACS communication tests used the OMS (Onboard Maintenance System) service that is typically on the Embraer aircraft as a packet generator and acknowledgment of receipt, simulating in full the interferences that could occur in an aircraft or at an airport. The OMS service is responsible for the aircraft maintenance: detecting and isolating faults, generating maintenance messages, and recording information in internal memory, which is later sent to the maintenance engineers when the aircraft touches the ground.

"Using our aircraft, I'm pleased that Embraer drove this extremely important and successful testing," said Luiz Fernando de Souza, Embraer Flight Test Instrumentation. "All objectives were met, and valuable data was collected to inform how to effectively deploy the Telemetry and AeroMACS services from aircraft to ground units."

"The tests were well planned and conducted in an effective manner," said Noam Ivri, Siemens AeroMACS Product Manager. "Siemens is excited to support such AeroMACS tests and provide worldwide implementations with our equipment on all parts of the airport surface."

"We are thrilled to have accomplished the tests without encountering any significant technical issues," said Declan Byrne, President of the WiMAX Forum. "AeroMACS is key to the aviation industry because it improves communications on the airport surface. By providing increased transmission of Air Traffic Control (ATC) and Airline Operations Communications (AOC), AeroMACS will relieve traffic, reduce congestions, prevent delays, and support the safety and regularity of flight."

The testing was successful as the simulation proved that the Telemetry and AeroMACS services can operate together and also provided guidance on the channel spacing. The test results were presented to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Fifth Working Group Meeting, and to the Brazilian Regulator (Anatel) for review and consideration. The subject is expected to be included in the Anatel regulatory agenda in 2019-2020, and the addendum to the current resolution should include the AeroMACS frequency according the Geneva World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-12).

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