Phenom 100 Carries Satellite-Based Live Flight Tracking Device On South America-North America Flight

Blue Sky Network operated its new D410A flight-following and messaging transceiver on a flight spanning two continents, the company said Wednesday. The portable Iridium satellite-powered D410A, designed to track aircraft location, was carried on an Embraer Phenom 100 traveling from Brazil to the United States Wednesday. The trip is viewable by the public on Blue Sky Network’s website.

The D410A allowed the aircraft, piloted by Ben Marcus of jetAviva, to stay in touch via regular GPS reports and two-way texting capabilities. Beyond these basic flight tracking features, the D410A is unique in that it charts an aircraft’s location and facilitates web-based message transmission via Blue Sky’s SkyRouter web portal, a Yahoo!-based map accessible to anyone with an Internet connection.

Blue Sky says the D410A, which weighs less than six ounces, can be easily carried on to small planes or helicopters, eliminating complicated installations while offering superior tracking over the renowned Iridium network.

“Traveling over the Atlantic, from Brazil in particular, has at times shown to be a perilous mission, with ground personnel losing contact with planes that don’t carry global flight tracking equipment,” said Carlton van Putten, Blue Sky Network’s Senior VP of Sales and Marketing. “This flight will demonstrate the robustness of the D410A and its ability to keep an aircraft safe and secure during a long journey, anywhere in the world, in spite of its compact size, speedy installation, and minimal cost.”

The pocket-sized D410A additionally includes key features like an integrated antenna, optional Blue Sky Messenger software for Windows Mobile PDAs, and 2-yr Li battery. It lets pilots easily track speed, altitude, and GPS location and is built to withstand the harshest environments. Contract helicopter transport, international business charter, aerial firefighting medical evacuation, and public safety aviation operators depend on Blue Sky Network’s powerful transceivers to deliver reliable GPS and event data around the globe.

FMI: www.blueskynetwork.com