Rule Part
47 C.F.R, Part 87
Radio Service Code(s)
- AA - Aviation Auxiliary Group
- AF - Aeronautical and Fixed
- AR - Aviation Radionavigation
The FCC regulates the Aviation Services in cooperation with the Federal Aviation Administration. Wherever aviation services are provided in U.S. territory, both FAA and FCC requirements must be met by anyone who uses aviation radio. In addition, civil aircraft on international flights are subject to international radio regulations intended to safeguard air travelers worldwide. Flight safety is the primary purpose of all Aviation Services.
Aeronautical and Fixed Service
Aeronautical advisory stations, also called Unicom stations, are land stations used for advising pilots of private aircraft about local airport conditions. They are not used to control aircraft in flight.
Aeronautical multicom stations provide communications between private aircraft and a ground facility for temporary, seasonal, or emergency activities like crop dusting, livestock herding, forest firefighting, aerial advertising, parachute jumping, etc. In some cases, multicom stations may be authorized to serve as unicom stations.
Aeronautical enroute stations are used by aircraft owners or operators for operational control and flight management of their aircraft. They have access to these stations by cooperative arrangement, but any pilot with a flight emergency may use these stations without prior agreement.
Flight test stations are airborne and ground stations used only to pass information or instructions concerning tests of aircraft or airborne components. Frequencies requested for this station class must be coordinated with the Aerospace and Flight Test Radio Coordinating Council (AFTRCC). Please see www.aftrcc.org for further information concerning coordination.
Aviation support stations are airborne and ground stations used for pilot training, soaring (with gliders), or free ballooning.
Airport control tower stationsprovide all necessary communications between an airport control tower and all arriving and departing aircraft. They are used to maintain an efficient flow of traffic for aircraft taxiing, landing, and takeoff and for all vehicle movement on the airfield. For vehicle movement on the airfield, airport control tower stations communicate with aeronautical utility mobile stations
Automatic weather observation stations provide updated weather broadcasts for a specific landing area.
Aviation Auxiliary Group
Aeronautical search and rescue stations are used for air-to-ground communications during actual or practice search and rescue operations, or for search and rescue training.
Aeronautical utility mobile stations are installed in vehicles that provide maintenance, fire and crash protection, freight handling, or other group support normally under control tower direction at an airport. They are used for both operational and emergency communications.
Aeronautical Radionavigation Service
The Aeronautical Radionavigation Service is made up of stations used for navigation, obstruction warning, instrument landing, and measurement of altitude and range. Air radionavigation stations stations are usually operated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), so technically they are not radio services regulated by the FCC. The FCC does license some air radionavigation stations, however; if air radionavigation service is needed where the FAA does not provide it, the FCC authorizes private operators to provide the service, in strict compliance with the FAA requirements. Radionavigation stations also include radar, radiobeacons, and these other aids to air navigation:
- Glide path stations are directional radiobeacons associated with instrument landing systems used to guide the descent of aircraft in landing.
- Marker beacons are transmitters that radiate vertically to provide positioning information to aircraft in flight.
- Omni-directional range stations (VOR) transmit signals in all directions from which aircraft can determine their bearing.
- Land Test Stations transmit signals for testing and calibrating air navigation aids.
- Nondirectional Radiobeacon stations (NDB) transmit nondirectional signals whereby the pilot of an aircraft can determine bearings and “home” on the station.
- Localizer stations provide the pilot with course guidance to the runway centerline.
- Radionavigation land stations (DME) provide distance measuring from the aircraft to the ground station.
Ground Stations Data
License Grant Reference Copies Printed formatted copies of licenses issued in Universal Licensing System (ULS) are available.
Application Search Application Search provides the capability to search the Universal Licensing System (ULS) database for specific wireless service filed applications and view applications, associated schedules, attachments, status information, and historical data.
License Search The ULS License Search provides the capability to search the ULS database for specific licenses and view information on a license including its status, special conditions, comments, technical information, history, and associated applications and their attachments.
Ownership Search Ownership Search provides access to Ownership Disclosure Information that has been filed within the Universal Licensing System (ULS). You can search by filer information, such as licensee name, or by filing dates.
ULS Database & Daily Transactions The Universal Licensing System (ULS) database downloads for specific wireless radio services are available as zip files and are updated weekly. To stay abreast of the daily changes to the databases, you may also download daily transaction files.
TOWAIR TOWAIR (or Landing Slope Facility Calculator) allows antenna structure owners to determine whether their structures are close enough to an airport or heliport to require an aeronautical study by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and registration with the FCC.
Operations
Hand-held Aviation VHF Radio
You may only use your hand-held aviation VHF radio from your aircraft, or under the authority of an FCC ground station authorization. Ground station authorizations are usually only issued to aviation service organizations located on airports, businesses engaged in pilot training, aircraft manufacturers, or persons engaged in chase activities related to soaring and ballooning.
FAA Coordination
See ATC Spectrum Engineering Services on the FAA website for filing requirements involving construction or alteration of transmitting facilities at an airport.
Construction Requirements
For aeronautical advisory (Unicom) stations and radionavigation land stations (excluding test stations) only When a new license has been issued or additional operating frequencies have been authorized, the station or frequencies must be placed in operation no later than one year from the date of the grant. The licensee must notify the Commission in accordance with Section 1.946 of the Commission's rules.