ACSS Leads Industry Task Force on Mode S

ACSS led an FAA task force charged with making recommendations that will increase safety and security for the flying public. Focusing on the Mode S transponder that transmits aircraft position information to Air Traffic Control (ATC) and other aircraft, ACSS recommended minor software changes that would allow pilots to alert ATC of an emergency situation with a simple flip of a switch.

The sophisticated design of the XS-950 Mode S Transponder (7517800/ARINC718), currently flying on more than 4,000 aircraft, will allow operators to meet FAA requirements with a software upgrade that can be loaded onboard the aircraft.

Line-replaceable units will not need to be removed and sent to a certified service and repair center, eliminating aircraft downtime. Software upgrades can be made in the field using an industry standard ARINC 615 data loader.

Operators flying with ACSS' first-generation Mode S transponder, the XS-910 (4061400), are encouraged to contact ACSS to discuss special incentives for upgrading their equipment to the XS-950.

ACSS (Aviation Communication & Surveillance Systems), an L-3 Communications & Thales Company, is a leader in safety avionics systems. ACSS products include the TCAS 2000 and TCAS 1500 traffic alert and collision avoidance systems, a family of Mode S transponders and the T2CAS, a combined traffic and terrain collision avoidance system. More than 8,000 units of ACSS' TCAS products are currently operating in commercial, corporate and military aircraft. To learn more about ACSS, please visit the company's web site at www.L-3com.com/acss.