Aircraft call sign
The aircraft call sign follows the ARP or ARS report type and identifies the aircraft making the report.
AIREP DECODER
Decode an AIREP
Decode ARP and ARS aircraft reports into position, flight level, temperature, wind and turbulence.
Try an example:
AIRCRAFT REPORTS
What is an AIREP?
An AIREP is an aircraft report containing operational or meteorological information observed during flight. The ARP and ARS forms covered here contain aircraft identification, position, observation time, flight level, temperature, wind and turbulence information.
The original encoded report remains visible above the decoded fields, so each value can be checked directly against the aircraft report.
REPORT TYPE
ARP and ARS AIREP reports
The documented examples use the report types ARP and ARS. The report type appears at the beginning of the encoded message, followed by the aircraft call sign and reported flight information.
This page is limited to those documented ARP and ARS forms. Other AIREP variants may contain elements or structures that are not interpreted here.
DECODED FIELDS
How to read an AIREP
In the ARP and ARS forms shown here, the report reads from left to right: aircraft identity, position and observation time are followed by the reported flight and weather values.
Position and observation time
Latitude and longitude identify the reported aircraft position. The associated time records when the observation represented by the report was made.
Flight level
Flight level is carried in an F-prefixed group. For example, F350 represents flight level 350.
Temperature
The report includes coded air temperature. The demonstrated negative-temperature form uses an M-prefixed value, such as M43 for −43 °C.
Wind
Wind is reported as true direction and speed. The decoded result shows direction in degrees true and speed in knots.
Turbulence
The documented examples use TB LGT for light turbulence and TB SEV for severe turbulence.
EXAMPLE
AIREP example decoded
ARP XXX836 2443N 15516W 2229 F350 M43 315/128 TB LGT
In this example, ARP identifies the report type and XXX836 is the aircraft call sign. The aircraft reports position 2443N 15516W at 22:29 UTC, flight level 350, temperature −43 °C, true wind from 315 degrees at 128 knots and light turbulence.
AIREP AND PIREP
AIREP and PIREP are separate report formats
AIREP and U.S. PIREP are separate aircraft-report formats. For UA and UUA pilot reports, including PIREP weather, cloud, turbulence and icing groups covered by that tool, use the PIREP Decoder.
A broader AIREP-versus-PIREP comparison is intentionally not duplicated here and may be treated as a separate informational search intent in the future.
DECODER COVERAGE
Current decoder coverage
The decoder covers the documented ARP and ARS report forms, including aircraft identification, position, observation time, flight level, temperature, true wind and the light and severe turbulence forms shown above. Other AIREP structures are left uninterpreted unless their format is established by the available documentation.