# Airframes
# https://app.airframes.io
# Beyond ADS-B Tracking — Real-time ACARS, VDLM2, HFDL, and SATCOM aviation message tracking

> Airframes is the world's largest community-built platform for aggregating and decoding aircraft data link messages (ACARS, VDL Mode 2, HFDL, SATCOM, CPDLC) and marine vessel traffic (AIS). It captures aviation data that typical flight trackers like FlightRadar24 and FlightAware cannot see — including operational messages, position reports, weather requests, ATC clearances, and free-text crew/dispatch communications. Most large flight aggregators operate under government contracts that legally restrict what they can show; Airframes has no such contracts, so data is never filtered for political or commercial reasons.

## What makes Airframes different

Most flight trackers ingest ADS-B (cooperative position broadcasts). Airframes ingests *data link messages* — the operational backbone of commercial, cargo, business, and military aviation. These messages carry information ADS-B doesn't: flight plans, position reports over oceans where ADS-B isn't received, dispatch communications, maintenance reports, departure/arrival times, ACARS-routed clearances, and more. The receivers are operated by a global volunteer community.

## Key Pages

- [Home](https://app.airframes.io/): Live aviation data dashboard with real-time message feed, station stats, and flight tracking
- [About](https://app.airframes.io/about): How Airframes works — architecture, protocols, community, and setup guides
- [Community](https://app.airframes.io/community): Community builders, sites, and resources around Airframes and aircraft data-link monitoring
- [Contributors](https://app.airframes.io/contributors): People who operate, test, document, and improve the Airframes aviation data network
- [Tools](https://app.airframes.io/tools): Community-built tools for ACARS, HFDL, and aviation data monitoring
- [FAQ](https://app.airframes.io/faq): Comprehensive FAQ covering ACARS, VDL, HFDL, SATCOM, hardware, software, legality, and data access
- [Live Messages](https://app.airframes.io/messages/live): Real-time stream of decoded ACARS and VDL aviation messages from aircraft worldwide
- [Historical Messages](https://app.airframes.io/messages/historical): Search 7.5B+ decoded aviation messages by flight, airline, airport, frequency, and more
- [Flights](https://app.airframes.io/flights): Active flights with decoded ACARS data and route visualization
- [HFDL](https://app.airframes.io/hfdl): High Frequency Data Link messages from aircraft over oceans and remote areas
- [Stations](https://app.airframes.io/stations): Global network of community ACARS/VDL/HFDL/SATCOM ground stations
- [Stations by Country](https://app.airframes.io/stations/by-country): Geographic distribution of ground stations
- [Airlines](https://app.airframes.io/airlines): Airlines with decoded ACARS message activity
- [Airports](https://app.airframes.io/airports): Airports with ACARS activity and ground station coverage
- [Airframes Database](https://app.airframes.io/airframes): Aircraft tracked by tail number and ICAO hex code
- [Leaderboard](https://app.airframes.io/leaderboard): Top contributing ground stations and community members
- [Ingest Stats](https://app.airframes.io/ingest-stats): Real-time data ingestion statistics
- [Frequency Usage](https://app.airframes.io/frequency-usage): Frequency activity by protocol and country
- [Sponsors](https://app.airframes.io/sponsors): Organizations and individuals supporting the project
- [Services](https://app.airframes.io/services): Data services and API offerings

## Protocols Tracked

- **ACARS** (Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System) — VHF data link, typically on frequencies around 131.525 / 131.725 / 131.825 MHz depending on region
- **VDL Mode 2** (VHF Digital Link) — digital successor to ACARS, on 136.x MHz frequencies, higher throughput
- **HFDL** (High Frequency Data Link) — long-range HF (~2–22 MHz) communications used over oceans and polar regions where VHF is out of range
- **SATCOM** (Satellite Communications) — Inmarsat (Classic Aero, SwiftBroadband) and Iridium aircraft links
- **CPDLC** (Controller-Pilot Data Link Communications) — ATC data link for clearances and routine communications
- **AIS** (Automatic Identification System) — marine vessel tracking and identification

## Decoder Software (used by community feeders)

- **acarsdec** — ACARS VHF decoder (UDP port 5550 to Airframes)
- **dumpvdl2** — VDL Mode 2 decoder (UDP 5552, or TCP 5553 via acars_router)
- **dumphfdl** — HFDL decoder (TCP 5556)
- **AIS-catcher** — AIS marine vessel decoder (HTTP 5599)

## Data Scale and Coverage

- 7.5+ billion decoded aviation messages in the historical archive
- Hundreds of volunteer-operated ground stations across every populated continent
- Real-time ingest of millions of messages per day
- Coverage growing daily as new feeders come online
- Free public access to the live feed, historical search, and aggregated statistics

## API and Programmatic Access

- Free public API available at https://api.airframes.io
- Real-time WebSocket stream available at wss://ws.airframes.io for live message ingestion
- Account-based API keys for programmatic access — see [Settings → API Keys](https://app.airframes.io/user/settings/api-keys)
- Data is intended for research, education, journalism, and aviation enthusiasts

## How to Contribute

- Operate a feeder: any SDR (RTL-SDR, AirSpy, etc.) plus open-source decoder software (acarsdec, dumpvdl2, dumphfdl, JAERO) can feed Airframes
- Setup guides and decoder recommendations live on the [About](https://app.airframes.io/about) and [FAQ](https://app.airframes.io/faq) pages
- Community feeder software and tooling: https://github.com/airframesio

## Technology

- Frontend: Vue 3 + TypeScript + Pinia + Bootstrap Vue Next, OpenLayers map
- Real-time: Socket.IO over WebSocket Secure (wss://ws.airframes.io)
- Authentication: Kinde Auth with PKCE / OAuth flows
- Hosted as a Progressive Web App with offline-capable manifest

## Community and Support

- GitHub: https://github.com/airframesio
- Twitter / X: https://twitter.com/AirframesIO
- Discord: invite link on the About page
- Security contact: see https://app.airframes.io/.well-known/security.txt

## Citing Airframes

If you use Airframes data in research, journalism, or analysis, please credit:
"Airframes — https://app.airframes.io — community-aggregated aircraft data link archive."

## License

Decoded message data is made publicly available for non-commercial research and educational use; aggregate API access is provided under the project's terms of use. Source code for community decoders and tooling is open source on GitHub.