GlobalBeacon(SM) Goes Live Ahead of ICAO Airline Flight Tracking Recommendations

GlobalBeacon, a solution from Aireon and FlightAware, is now providing global, real-time flight tracking to airlines ahead of implementation of ICAO standards and recommended practices for flight tracking

MCLEAN, Virginia, Nov. 5, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Aireon LLC and FlightAware today announced that GlobalBeacon^SM is live and providing airlines with global flight tracking ahead of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Global Aeronautical Distress Safety System (GADSS) recommendations, which will be effective November 8, 2018. GlobalBeacon provides airlines with minute-by-minute global aircraft tracking for their aircraft at all times, anywhere in the world.

GlobalBeacon is a first of its kind, turnkey solution that surpasses GADSS standards and recommended practices for flight tracking. By combining FlightAware's data processing platform and web-interface, with Aireon's space-based ADS-B network, GlobalBeacon transcends borders and Flight Information Regions (FIRs) and eliminates coverage gaps in polar airspace, over deserts and in oceanic regions. At the heart of GlobalBeacon's capability is an aggregation of tracking information from Aireon's space-based ADS-B network and FlightAware's contextual flight data – including origin, destination, flight plan route and estimated time of arrival (ETA).

Now live, GlobalBeacon enables airlines of all sizes to proactively position themselves to respond in the event of an emergency. It facilitates communication between the aircraft operator and the controller with constant fleet monitoring, automated distress alerts and tools that make it easy to share information.

"FlightAware and Aireon announced the development of GlobalBeacon back in September 2016. Now, we are days away from ICAO GADSS recommendations for flight tracking going into effect. We have a live solution that not only exceeds the recommendations for 2018, but also includes the components already ahead of the requirements for 2021," said Aireon CEO, Don Thoma. "We are extremely proud of the partnership we have cultivated with FlightAware, and through this partnership, space-based ADS-B is already operational through many airlines and aircraft operators."