Long Distance ACARS Plots

[Grahame Hutchison]

Conditions today resulted in QF12 VH-OJF not being in contact with an ACARS ground station as it crossed the
Pacific, and then doing a full download of AMDAR data about 40 minutes out of Sydney. The first plot was over
10,000Km out of Sydney from 30,000ft. 16Right.com ACARS Google Maps (http://www.16right.com/ACARSmap.htm)

http://www.16right.com/MessageBoard/ACARS7.jpg

http://www.16right.com/MessageBoard/ACARS8.jpg

[Grahame Hutchison]

Normally the long distance ACARS plots are out over the Pacific because of the lack of ground stations, the aircraft saving the data for later transmission. The first download of these messages is usually about 200-300km off the coast approaching YSSY.

This is the first time I have seen an ACARS plot so far out to the west. The first plot in the Timor Sea is at FL350 and 3829km out of YSSY, climbing to FL370 as they approached Alice Springs.

16Right.com ACARS Google Maps (http://www.16right.com/ACARSmap.htm)

http://www.16right.com/MessageBoard/ACARS9.jpg