Aircraft-Based Observations Standards

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Standard Description & Comments

AMDAR Onboard Software Functional Requirements Specification (AOSFRS), Version 1.1 (CIMO, IOM Report No. 115)

 

This document is also available from the WMO FTP Website here.

This specification provides the primary WMO meteorological-based specification for AMDAR onboard software.

The AOSFRS defines the recommended formats for AMDAR data uplink and downlink for ACARS applications of AMDAR onboard software. This specification will be consistent with and provide the functional requirements for the AEEC 620-8 Meteorological Report Version 6.

AOSFRS Version 1.1 is an update of version 1.0 and has the following primary elements and additions:

  • Contains several additional recommended downlink and uplink formats (see Appendix A) that will provide consistency with the AEEC ARINC 620 Meterological Report Version 6 (ARINC 620-8)
  • Several extensions have been made to appendices to provide further information and clarity for applications developers.
  • Several corrections have been made to various sections.

Changes made are documented within Appendix H, AOSFRS Version Control.

The AOSFRS is published and will be maintained as a CIMO, Instruments and Observing Methods (IOM) technical report.

AEEC 620-8 Data Link Ground System Standard and Interface Specification (DGSS/IS) from AEEC

This standard (and following supplements) contains the specifications of the AMDAR onboard software, Meteorological Report (versions 1 to 6).

This specification defines recommended datalink formats for one of two existing WMO developed format standards for AMDAR onboard software. The other is the AOSFRS, which superceded the AAA specifications.

WMO recommends that version 6 of the Meteorological Report should be used in conjunction with the AOSFRS (see above) for the development of AMDAR applications supported by ACARS.

Relevant sections for AMDAR are:

  • Chapter 4
    • Section 4.3.9: Command uplink formats for Met. Report versions 2 and 3.
    • Section 4.3.10: Command uplink format for Met. Report version 4.
    • Section 4.3.11: Command uplink format for Met. Report version 5.
    • Section 4.3.20: Command uplink format for Met. Report version 6.
  • Chapters 5
    • Section 5.3.13.1 : Met. Report downlink format version 1.
    • Section 5.3.13.2 : Met. Report downlink format version 2.
    • Section 5.3.13.3: Met. Report downlink format version 3.
    • Section 5.3.13.4: Met. Report downlink format version 4.
    • Section 5.3.13.5: Met. Report downlink format version 5.
    • Section 5.3.13.6: Met. Report downlink format version 6.
    • Sectoin 5.3.54: Meteorological Report Configuratioin Status Downlink format for Met. Report versions 4 and 5.
    • Section 5.3.67: Configuration Status Report for Meteorological Report Version 6 Application.
    • Section 5.3.68: Turbulence EDR Event-Triggered Downlink Messaging
  • Appendix G: Uplink Control Programming Notes for version 4 Onboard Software - relevant to Met. Report versions 4 and 5;
  • Appendix H: Meteorological Report Compression - describes the Base 40 character compression technique and the downlink compressed formats for Met. Report versions 4 and 5.

A copy of the latest specification can be purchased from the ARINC Store.

AMDAR AAA Version 3.0 Software Requirements Specification, Bureau of Meteorology Australia

This document provides the onboard AMDAR software specification for ACARS Aircraft AMDAR Version 3 (AAA V3).

AAA V3 software applications have been developed by AirDatec and implemented for Qantas and Jetstar Airbus and Boeing fleets, South African Airways Airbus fleets and British Airways fleets.

The AAA specification series is now superseded by the AOSFRS (see above).

AAA AMDAR Software Developments – Technical Specification, EUMETNET AMDAR (AAA V2)

This document provides the onboard AMDAR software specification for ACARS Aircraft AMDAR version 2 (AAA V2).

AAA V2 software applications were developed for British Airways and South African Airways (SAA) by AirDatec but were installed on the SAA Airbus fleets only, which have subsequently been updated to AAA V3.

Superseded

AMDAR Onboard Software Functional Requirements Specification (AOSFRS), Version 1.0 (CIMO, IOM Report No. 114)

The AOSFRS defines a new, more efficient and recommended format for AMDAR data downlink for ACARS applications, superceding the AAA software specification.

This specification is superceded by AOSFRS version 1.1.

The original specification was drafted by a consultant under a WMO Special Services Agreement (SSA) under a Description of Work, Compilation of a Generic Specification of Functional Requirements for AMDAR Software, developed by the AMDAR Panel.

Software Requirements Specification for the ASDAR Project This document by Matra Marconi Space provides the specifications for the software component of the ASDAR system. The ACARS Aircraft AMDAR Version 1 (AAA V1) onboard software applications that were developed by Qantas and British Airways were based on this specification, although there is no existing AAA V1 specification document.