[MilCom] SATCOM

[Jack Nesmith]

  A3360/05 -  THE JAPAN CIVIL AVIATION BOARD (JCAB) WILL BEGIN TESTING ON A 
NEW MULTI-FUNCTIONAL TRANSPORT SATELLITE (MTSAT). THIS ADDITION OF A FIFTH 
SATELLITE IN THE INMARSAT SYSTEM MAY CAUSE CERTAIN MODELS OF THE ROCKWELL 
COLLINS SATCOM TO FAIL. SATCOM MODELS SUSCEPTIBLE TO THIS PROBLEM ARE LISTED 
IN ROCKWELL COLLINS SERVICE INFORMATION LETTERS (SIL) 05-1 FOR BOTH THE 
SRT-2000 SERIES SATELLITE RECEIVER- TRANSMITTER UNIT AND THE SDU-906 SERIES 
SATELLITE DATA UNIT (DATED MARCH 31, AND APRIL 1, 2005, RESPECTIVELY). THIS 
FAILURE WILL OCCUR REGARDLESS OF THE REGION IN WHICH THE AIRCRAFT IS 
OPERATING. THE POSSIBLE FAILURE OF THESE ROCKWELL COLLINS SATCOMS, WHILE 
THIS FIFTH SATELLITE IS FUNCTIONAL, WILL REMAIN UNTIL THE OPERATOR 
ACCOMPLISHES THE NECESSARY CORRECTIVE PROCEDURES LISTED IN THE ROCKWELL 
COLLINS SERVICE INFORMATION LETTERS NOTED ABOVE. CONSEQUENTLY AFTER 
0508250000, AIRCRAFT EQUIPPED WITH ROCKWELL COLLINS SATCOMS IDENTIFIED IN 
THESE SIL(S), WHICH HAVE NOT BEEN UPDATED, WILL BE UNABLE TO CONDUCT VOICE 
OR DATA SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS, TO INCLUDE CONTROLLER PILOT DATA LINK 
COMMUNICATIONS (CPDLC) AND/OR AUTOMATIC DEPENDENT SURVEILLANCE (ADS). THIS 
SATCOM FAILURE MAY REQUIRE THE USE OF HF DATA LINK OR VOICE COMMUNICATIONS 
FOR AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL, COMPANY, AND/OR OTHER COMMUNICATIONS THROUGHOUT 
AIRSPACE WORLDWIDE. MORE INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE AT: 
HTTP://WWW.FAA.GOV/LIBRARY/MANUALS/EXAMINERS_INSPECTORS/8000/ CONTACT BOB 
TEGEDER AT (202) 385-4581 WITH QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS. 25 AUG 00:00 UNTIL 30 
NOV 09:01