Wireless spread spectrum ground link-based aircraft data communication system with variable data rate

摘要

A system and method of the present invention exchanges information to and from an aircraft and includes a ground data link unit and a data store, which accumulates and stores data files that have been uploaded to the aircraft, and flight performance data related to flight performance of the aircraft in flight. A spread spectrum transceiver of the ground data link unit is operative at a first higher data rate when the aircraft is on the ground, and a second substantially lower data rate when the aircraft is airborne in close proximity to the airport and downloads the flight performance data and uploads other data to and from an airport base spread spectrum transceiver.