Definition
A service that delivers Automatic Terminal Information Service (ATIS) broadcasts to aircraft as text or synthesized voice through a digital data link rather than through a continuously transmitted VHF radio voice broadcast. The content is the same as standard ATIS — current weather, active runways, approaches in use, and other essential airport information — but the pilot requests and receives it on demand through the aircraft's data link system.
Plain English
Instead of tuning a radio frequency to listen to the recorded airport information, the pilot pulls up the same information as a written message (or computer-spoken voice) through the aircraft's text-messaging-style link with air traffic services.
Context Anchor
Pilots may use it before departure, during arrival planning, or while en route to an airport that provides digital airport information messages.
Derivation
‘Data link’ means a digital communication channel between aircraft and ground systems. Combined with the existing ATIS service, it simply means: ATIS delivered over a data link instead of by voice radio.
Why Pilots Care
Reduces voice frequency congestion and lets pilots receive updates without missing spoken broadcasts.
Intuition Check
Do not read “terminal” as the airport passenger building. Here it means the airport operating area and the information pilots need for arriving or departing there.
Example Sentence 1
Before pushback, the first officer requested D-ATIS and the current airport information printed out on the cockpit display.
Example Sentence 2
Once the Data Link Automatic Terminal Information Service updated, the pilot confirmed the new altimeter setting on the display.