SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING DIVERSITY-DISTANCE-MEASURING EQUIPMENT

Systems and methods that allow for distance-measuring equipment (DME) to use either a lower or an upper fuselage-mounted antenna. An exemplary system located on an aircraft includes an aircraft configuration data source that generates aircraft configuration information, an aircraft orientation data source that generates aircraft orientation information, a positioning system that generates aircraft position information and a component that provides DME ground station position information. The system also includes a first antenna, a second antenna and a processing device that determines if a DME signal communication issue exists with the first antenna that is based on the generated aircraft position information, the DME ground station position information and at least one of the configuration or orientation information. The processing device switches DME signal communication to the second antenna if a DME signal communication issue has been determined to exist.