The news that AirAsia plane QZ8501 carrying 162 people went missing since this morning has once again shocked the world aviation industry.
Normally, after a plane goes missing, authorities will rely on a lot of information, from traces of previous maintenance to the manufacturer’s information, to search.
An AirAsia Airbus A320-200, the same type as the airline’s plane that went missing this morning.
In the case of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, which has not yet been found, the technology used is called ACARS, short for Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System.
John Hansman, Director of the Center for Air Transportation at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), estimates that 90% of US aircraft use this technology, because it helps airlines save a lot of costs.
For example, the ACARS system will record every detail of when the plane slows down, or when it takes off and lands.
Mr. Hansnam said that this way, if any problem occurs with the aircraft, the maintenance team will immediately receive information and wait at the landing point to make repairs, in time for the plane to continue its journey.
In general, messages between the aircraft and the ground will be transferred quickly with VHF signals, similar to the Apollo spacecraft’s signaling system.
The detail of the signal sending and receiving service depends on how much money the airline spends.
With MH370, so far Malaysia Airlines and the manufacturer have not said what tracking service package they use.
The plane that went missing this morning of AirAsia airline is the Airbus A320-200 series.
Peace