AvSoft Australia has launched AvCARS, a new aviation weather service designed to deliver critical information via text message when pilots are beyond mobile coverage.
The system takes advantage of satellite messaging now available on many modern smartphones, allowing pilots to request weather by SMS even outside 4G and 5G range.
AvPlan CEO Bevan Anderson said the service was developed partly in response to the shutdown of Australia’s 3G network.
“With the shutdown of 3G, getting weather while airborne has become much more unreliable,” Anderson said. “Now that newer phones can send text messages via satellite, we’ve produced a way of getting current METAR, TAF and ATIS via text.”
AvCARS allows pilots to request weather for airports worldwide by sending a simple text message. The system returns operational data including METARs, TAFs and ATIS, making it useful for pilots operating in remote Australia, over water or in areas with limited connectivity.
AvSoft says the service works with satellite-enabled messaging on modern smartphones, allowing access to weather information well beyond traditional mobile networks.
The company also emphasises that AvCARS is EFB agnostic and does not require an AvPlan subscription, allowing pilots to use the service regardless of their preferred electronic flight bag.
No app or data connection is required. Users simply text an airport identifier to +61 488 883 024 to receive weather information directly to their phone. First-time users receive a $5 introductory credit, after which messages are billed at $0.10 per 150 characters, plus any carrier charges.
AvSoft has also expanded its SMS Flight Alerting service, which sends nominated contacts an automatic message on departure and arrival including airport, runway and an optional tracking link. The previous limit of two alert numbers has been removed, with alerts billed at $0.10 per message.
AvSoft says enterprise access and introductory pricing are also available for commercial operators.