Airbus question
 

Does Airbus have a GPS system connected to the messaging system that an a/c sends out,that way the messages that are sent also contain a position report in the unlikely event of an emergency ?

Ally

No, I do not believe that it does.

It doesn't

Now it begs the question as to why the a/c are not equipped with this ?


Ally

Money$$$$$

Transport aircraft are almost always in radar coverage or on a flight plan, so it is hard to lose them permanently.

There is a lot of areas in our world that are not covered by radar. Within the conus it is true that almost everywhere has radar coverage the same cannot be said for ocean crossing and other countries......

..........

FANS-Future Air Navigaton Sytem
 

Soon, almost every aircraft flying over water will require GPS. As the airspace RNP (required navigational performance) goes below 10nm, gps will be required to take advantage of the compressed clearance requirements, etc.

Our MD11s and 747-400s (and soon our 767s?) combine the gps information with CPDLC (controller pilot data link communication) and ADS (automatic dependent surviellance) on many over water (and some over land) routes. The controller can see me on his virtual radar screen (using my ADS info) and we talk to each other via digital sat comm messaging. No more HF, except for the mandatory SELCAL check! All position reports are sent automatically, and the controller sets the update rate for ADS, and it automatically changes to a rapid update mode if I vary my route or altitude by a predetermined amount (or hit the ADS emergency button).

The FANS system works really well in the long range enroute system.

Canadian controllers use the ADS portion while we're flying over remote central to northwest canada enroute to/from Anchorage. We don't have to make position reports any more, and the Canadians don't have to spend huge amounts of $$(Canadian) on remote radar sites.

I would not be suprised if the last VOR was decommisioned during my flying career (and I'm 50). NDBs are basically gone, and the 2+ million dollars spent on each VOR stations 15 year expected lifetime adds up.

I have no idea if the doomed Air France flight was broadcasting an ADS position to any controller.

Note: You usually lose ADS and CPDLC coverage around 82 degrees north. HF is necessary then, but reception in that area stinks.

Joe