Statistical distribution of line-of-sight and reflected path in the aeronautical channel

Based on channel measurements that were taken during an air-to-air measurement campaign in October 2009, this paper evaluates the statistical behavior of two major components of the air-to-air channel, the line-of-sight and the specular reflection path. The evaluation shows a dependence on the overflown terrain for the specular reflection path and a dependence on the antenna pattern for both paths. In addition to that the deterioration of the line-of- sight to specular reflection ratio caused by banking is investigated. The statistical distributions that fit the line-of-sight and the specular reflection path best can be used to simulate new data link technologies.