[ACARS] New United position format

Fri, 21 Mar 2003 07:49:43 -0000

One slightly intriguing thing about the waypoints in these (and many
other) reports is the way they alter identifiers to a non-standard
format.
  I understood the convention to be that NDBs have 2-letter codes, VORs
have 3-letter codes and fixes have 5-letter codes. Hence in the routing
here 'LES' should be LESTA, 'BED' should be BEDFO, 'POT' should be POTON
and 'TUM' should be TUMTI.
  I realise the length of acars messages is heavily constrained, but I
can't help wondering if there is scope for confusion here.
  There is also an anomaly within the anomalies, in that RODOL doesn't
get renamed 'ROD' (don't go there!) and possibly in consequence TUMTI is
referred to both as TUM11 and TUM12 in what I have always assumed to be
the sequential listing of waypoints for the specific flight.

Dave Peel 

> -----Original Message-----
> From: [email protected] 
> [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of 
> [email protected]
> Sent: 20 March 2003 18:05
> To: [email protected]
> Subject: [ACARS] New United position format
> 
> 
> Folks
> 
> Did some 'screen-watching' yesterday. Here is a 'new-to-me' 
> format United message ('5Z') which appear similar to the 
> current format messages, but shows only a few of the 
> waypoints. The DET(ling) report is interesting as the winds 
> speeds are different! I assume OV = OVer EO = Estimate fOr? 
> NP = Next Point? CZ = Cruise TB LGT = Light Turbulence; WV - 
> Wind Velocity FB = Fuel on Board?
> 
> Both types of messsage included: oddly the '5Z' message 
> routes him via DUNLO to GOMUP, but the 'H1' messages don't 
> mention DUNLO!
> 
> ACARS mode: E  Aircraft reg: .N645UA
> Message label: H1  Block id: 6  Msg. no: F96A
> Flight id: UA0943
> Message content:-
> #M1BPOSN51216E000408,DET,125624,320,BPK,130124,POTON,M57,34417
> ,1068/TS125624,1903038B80
> -----------------------------------------------------------[19
> /03/2003 12:54]
> 
> ACARS mode: E  Aircraft reg: .N645UA
> Message label: 5Z  Block id: 7  Msg. no: M22A
> Flight id: UA0943
> Message content:-
> /PW CDGORD 19,OV DET 1256 F320,EO DUNLO 1343,NP GOMUP,CZ 
> M0.80,FB 1068,TA -57,WV 342018,TB LGT
> -----------------------------------------------------------[19
> /03/2003 12:58]
> 
> ACARS mode: E  Aircraft reg: .N645UA
> Message label: H1  Block id: 8  Msg. no: F97A
> Flight id: UA0943
> Message content:-
> #M1BPOSN51508E000045,BPK07,130120,320,POT08,130424,BED09,M56,3
> 3517,1058/TS130120,1903031ADF
> -----------------------------------------------------------[19
> /03/2003 12:59]
> 
> ACARS mode: E  Aircraft reg: .N645UA
> Message label: H1  Block id: 6  Msg. no: F98A
> Flight id: UA0943
> Message content:-
> #M1BPOSN52065W000233,POT08,130428,320,BED09,130544,LES10,M56,3
> 2914,1052/TS130428,1903032826
> -----------------------------------------------------------[19
> /03/2003 13:02]
> 
> ACARS mode: E  Aircraft reg: .N645UA
> Message label: H1  Block id: 7  Msg. no: F99A
> Flight id: UA0943
> Message content:-
> #M1BPOSN52126W000359,BED09,130548,320,LES10,131036,TUM11,M56,3
> 2412,1049/TS130548,190303BD12
> -----------------------------------------------------------[19
> /03/2003 13:04]
> 
> ACARS mode: E  Aircraft reg: .N645UA
> Message label: H1  Block id: 8  Msg. no: F01A
> Flight id: UA0943
> Message content:-
> #M1BPOSN52394W001144,LES10,131036,320,TUM11,131420,RODOL,M56,3
> 0216,1040/TS131036,190303002B
> -----------------------------------------------------------[19
> /03/2003 13:08]
> 
> ACARS mode: E  Aircraft reg: .N645UA
> Message label: H1  Block id: 9  Msg. no: F02A
> Flight id: UA0943
> Message content:-
> #M1BPOSN53033W001398,TUM12,131424,320,RODOL,131608,KOLID,M56,2
> 8614,1032/TS131424,190303F54F
> -----------------------------------------------------------[19