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The Latest News From the IAA

Global Emergency Flight Tracking Service Announced by Aireon

23 Sep 2014

September 23rd 2014: Aireon, a company in which the IAA is a partner, has announced that it will offer a space-based air traffic surveillance system to track flights in emergency situations as a free, public service to the global aviation community.

Known as Aircraft Locating and Emergency Response (ALERT), the system will allow rescue agencies around the globe to request the location and last flight track of any suitably equipped aircraft flying in airspace currently without surveillance.

Aireon will use already-mandated automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) equipment on commercial Airbus and Boeing aircraft, requiring no additional investment on the part of airlines or air navigation safety providers in equipment or services.

Don Thoma, President and CEO, Aireon said: “A comprehensive, global aircraft tracking solution is essential in emergency situations, as evidenced by MH370 earlier this year and Air France 447 in 2009. Aireon is being deployed to improve the efficiency and safety of aircraft operations in oceanic and unsurveilled airspace.  The same technology behind these efficiency and safety gains can also make a significant difference in providing quick, accurate information in emergency situations. With one global view of ADS-B equipped aircraft, Aireon ALERT will provide accurate and real-time tracking data immediately to authorised search and rescue operations, without requiring airlines to equip aircraft with new avionics or the ANSPs and authorities to deploy new systems.”

Eamonn Brennan, Chief Executive, IAA said: “Aireon represents the future of air traffic surveillance and we anticipate support from the world’s airlines for this revolutionary, new flight tracking system for emergency situations. Aireon constitutes a massive technological step change for flight tracking, enabling aircraft to be tracked literally anywhere in the world. The free Aireon ALERT service is a very important addition to the product and will benefit the global aviation community."

Aireon is deploying a global space-based ADS-B surveillance capability providing direct air traffic controller visibility of flights operating in oceanic or remote airspace, focused on improving the efficiency and safety of aircraft operations. When Aireon is fully operational, anticipated for 2017, it will create a powerful platform capable of tracking ADS-B equipped aircraft around the globe in real-time. The Aireon ALERT service will be available soon after Aireon’s full deployment and will be provided through a 24/7 application and emergency call centre.

Aireon is a joint venture among Iridium Communications Inc. (Nasdaq: IRDM), NAV CANADA, ENAV, IAA, and Naviair, established to launch the Aireon system by hosting ADS-B receiver payloads on Iridium NEXT, Iridium’s second-generation satellite constellation, scheduled for first launch in 2015. This new capability is a quantum leap from today’s land-based systems, extending air traffic surveillance to the entire planet and offering untold opportunity for the safety and efficiency of air travel over oceanic and remote regions.

For more information about the Aireon ALERT service, please go to www.aireon.com/ALERT.

 

For more information, contact:

Tony Lane,

Communications Executive IAA,

Tel: +353 86 791 1864

Follow the IAA on Twitter at @IAApress

 

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About Aireon LLC

Headquartered in McLean, VA, USA, Aireon LLC was formed to provide air navigation service providers with the capability to provide aircraft surveillance anywhere in the world in real time, including coverage over oceanic, polar and remote regions. Aireon will harness the best of aviation surveillance advancements already underway and extend them globally in order to significantly improve the business of air operations through increased efficiency, expanded safety, worldwide integration, reduced GHG emissions and significant cost savings to airlines and ANSPs alike. For more information about Aireon, visit: www.aireon.com.

 

About the Irish Aviation Authority

The Irish Aviation Authority is a commercial semi-State body responsible for the provision of air traffic control and related services in Irish-controlled airspace and the safety regulation of the Irish civil aviation industry.

The IAA is amongst the most cost-effective providers of air navigation and regulatory services in Europe. The IAA is taking a 6% stake Aireon, which offers it the potential to enter the global market for the provision of air traffic management services and will allow it to greatly enhance the services it provides to its airline customers.


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