 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Iridium Proposes Real-Time Cockpit Voice and Flight Data Monitoring To FAA
Leesburg - Oct. 2, 2001 - Iridium Satellite LLC today announced that it has submitted a preliminary proposal to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and other appropriate government organizations for a real-time cockpit voice and flight data monitoring capability utilizing its constellation of 66 low earth orbit satellites. The service, which would address national security concerns relating to aircraft safety and control, could be deployed quickly using commercial off-the-shelf components and the Iridium system. "With existing systems, officials on the ground have only limited visibility into what is happening inside an aircraft in flight," said Dan Colussy, Iridium Satellite's chairman and an aviation industry veteran. "Using its global footprint and voice and data capabilities, combined with existing commercially-available equipment, Iridium gives ground personnel unrestricted access in real time to vital voice and data communications from the aircraft." The current system, which captures information in cockpit voice and flight data recorders or "black boxes" located on the aircraft, provides insight into the causes of a crash only after the fact and only if the recorders are found intact. Since the black boxes provide no information to ground control during flight, they cannot be used to intervene in the event of an emergency. Under Iridium's proposal, the voice and data signals captured by the cockpit voice and flight data recorders would also be transmitted via existing FAA-certified equipment to the Iridium satellite constellation and sent directly to secure FAA data centers for live monitoring. The Iridium system, when coupled with other security enhancements currently under review, could have a profound impact on aircraft safety both through active use and as a deterrent. Benefits of a real-time system include:
Email This Article Comment On This Article Related Links Iridium Satellite FAA SpaceDaily Search SpaceDaily Subscribe To SpaceDaily Express Satellite Constellation - multiple satellite deployments in LEO and Beyond
Royal National Lifeboat Institution Tests Iridium Based Satellite Tracking System
Bethesda MD (SPX) Dec 20, 2005The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) has begun testing a maritime safety system for automatic vessel monitoring and emergency alerting at sea using the Iridium satellite network. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2006 - SpaceDaily.AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA PortalReports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additionalcopyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by SpaceDaily on any Web page published or hosted by SpaceDaily. Privacy Statement |
