ABSTRACT
This chapter provides background on the work of the Future Air Navigation System Committee and identifies the functional shortcomings of present communication systems, the changes that will form the basis of future communications systems and methods. It reviews the benefits to aviation that could be expected with implementation of these new systems. The chapter describes a discussion of both data link techniques and the anticipated aeronautical telecommunication network, as these technologies form the foundation of the communications, navigation and surveillance/air traffic management (CNS/ATM) communications element. It looks at some of the ways and places where the communication component of CNS/ATM technology is being researched and implemented. An important application of satellite technology in aviation will be in the provision of communication services for ATM purposes. The bulk of voice communication between ground and air in present systems is carried out using very high frequency radio voice for short range communications and high frequency radio voice for long range communications.
