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Rev 4 Aug/2007
KMD 250 Pilot's Guide
Section 2
FIS Operation
SECTION 2
FIS VDL OR XM OPERATION
INTRODUCTION
CONCEPT OF OPERATION
The Flight Information Services (FIS) system supplies real-time weather
information and other flight advisory information to pilots to enhance situ-
ation awareness.
FIS is not intended to replace voice radio services. Voice communication
of weather and meteorological information, in accordance with FAA
operating rules, is still required.
Real-time weather is available 24 hours / day, 7 days / week. Two dif-
ferent systems are available for delivery of the weather data: a ground-
based VHF Datalink (VDL) network and Baron WxWorx weather deliv-
ered via the XM Radio satellite system. Data acquired from FAA
approved weather sources is processed and then distributed to VDL
Ground Stations and to the XM satellite network. The Ground Stations
broadcast the information over a VHF Data Link (VDL) to aircraft within
line-of-sight utilizing VDL mode 2 transmitters at a bit rate up to 31.5
kbps. The XM satellite network uses two geosynchronous satellites to
broadcast network weather to aircraft at S-band (2.3 GHz) frequencies.
This diagram illustrates how FIS VDL data is received in the aircraft.
Introduction
KMD 250 FIS_R4 8/13/07 10:07 AM Page 2-1