Patent ID: 7904081

Claim:
A method for receiving ACARS messages, from a ground-based data provider, the method comprising: receiving, at a communication device aboard an aircraft, a plurality of Iridium Short Burst Data messages sent via an Iridium Short Burst Data Service, each of the plurality of Iridium Short Burst Data messages including at least a respective portion of an ACARS message and a respective added Iridium header, each of the respective added Iridium headers including an application indicator for indicating one of a plurality of applications to which the respective portion of the message pertains; wherein if indicated by the respective added Iridium headers, combining the respective portions of one or more received Iridium Short Burst Data messages to form a combined ACARS message; and delivering at least one of the at least a respective portion of the ACARS message and the combined ACARS message without the added Iridium header, to avionics equipment aboard the aircraft.