Aeronautical Telecommunication Services

There are two general categories of voice and data communications that serve international civil aviation. They are the ground-ground communication between points on the ground and the air-ground communication between aircraft and points on the ground. The air-ground communication provides aircraft with all necessary information to conduct flights in safety, using both voice and data.

An important element of the ground-ground communication is the aeronautical fixed telecommunications network (AFTN), a worldwide network organized to meet the specific requirements of international civil aviation. Within the AFTN category, all significant ground points, which include airports, air traffic control centres, meteorological offices and the like, are joined by appropriate links designed to serve aircraft throughout all phases of flight. Messages originated at any point on the network are routed as a matter of routine to all points required for the safe conduct of flight.

Last Updated: 2009-04-16