Welcome aboard! Over the next month you'll be joining the Aircraft Datalink & Communications Engineering team. This page is your starting point — please read through it and complete the section below before your first day of technical work.
Before we dive into the technical side, please add a short introduction of yourself to this page (edit this section directly in Wiki.js, or ask your supervisor for edit access).
Please include:
💡 Tip: Don't worry if you haven't studied avionics specifically — a strong foundation in networking, RF communications, or embedded systems is just as valuable. We'll teach you the aviation-specific context.
Qatar Airways is the national carrier of the State of Qatar, headquartered in Doha, and operates its hub-and-spoke long-haul network through Hamad International Airport (DOH). The airline is a member of the oneworld alliance and is known for its widebody-heavy, sixth-freedom connecting traffic model — linking Europe, Africa, the Americas, Asia, and Oceania through Doha.
Qatar Airways operates a modern, predominantly widebody fleet of roughly 260–270 aircraft across Airbus and Boeing families. Approximate breakdown:
| Aircraft Type | Category | Approx. In Service |
|---|---|---|
| Airbus A320-200 | Narrowbody | ~27 |
| Airbus A321neo / A321LR | Narrowbody | Growing (new deliveries) |
| Airbus A330-200 / A330-300 | Widebody | ~15 |
| Airbus A350-900 | Widebody | ~34 |
| Airbus A350-1000 | Widebody | ~28 |
| Airbus A380 | Widebody (super jumbo) | Small number, largely reduced since 2021 |
| Boeing 777-200LR / 777-300ER | Widebody | ~90+ (largest single fleet group) |
| Boeing 787-8 / 787-9 | Widebody | ~60 |
| Boeing 737 MAX 8 | Narrowbody | Small, growing |
Notes:
As the Datalink & Communications team, we support the avionics that keep every one of these aircraft types connected to the ground — from CMU configuration to VHF/SATCOM link performance.
This section introduces the core concepts you'll be working with during the internship.
Datalink refers to the digital (as opposed to voice) exchange of information between an aircraft and ground systems — Air Traffic Control (ATC), the airline's Operations Control Center (OCC), and other service providers. It allows short, structured messages (clearances, weather, position reports, maintenance data, company messages) to be sent automatically or on request, reducing radio congestion and pilot/controller workload.
Datalink is used for:
The CMU (on older aircraft) or CMF (integrated into newer avionics suites, e.g. on the 787/A350) is the onboard "router" for datalink. It:
Think of the CMU as the "gateway" that decides what message goes out and which radio link it should use.
ACARS is the messaging protocol/system used to send datalink messages between aircraft and ground stations. Key points:
Aircraft don't talk directly to airline servers — messages are routed through Datalink Service Providers, who operate the ground network infrastructure (VHF ground stations, satellite gateways) and forward messages to/from the airline's host systems. The two major global DSPs are:
These providers maintain global VHF ground station networks and satellite links, and route messages between aircraft, ATC centers, and the airline's OCC/dispatch systems.
The CMU selects among several physical communication media depending on availability, cost, and coverage:
| Medium | Range / Use Case | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| VHF (Very High Frequency) | Line-of-sight, near airports & continental airspace | Lowest cost, primary link when in range of a ground station; ~118–137 MHz band |
| HF (High Frequency) | Long-range, oceanic/remote/polar routes | Uses ionospheric skywave propagation; lower data rate, used where VHF/SATCOM coverage is poor |
| SATCOM (Satellite Communications) | Global coverage, including oceanic/remote regions | Higher bandwidth, higher cost; used for datalink, cockpit voice, and cabin connectivity; providers include Inmarsat, Iridium |
General link selection logic: VHF is preferred when available (cheapest, fastest), SATCOM is used over oceans/remote areas or as a backup, and HF serves as a fallback/legacy option in polar or SATCOM-shadowed regions.
Welcome to the team — looking forward to working with you! ✈️