proprietary informationcopyright © icarus instruments, inc. all rights reserved sky connect...

Proprietary Information Copyright © Icarus Instruments, Inc. All Rights Reserved

Sky Connect TRACKER™How the InternetMakes TRACKER

a Viable Product Worldwide

byIain Ronis, Corporate Communications

Icarus Instruments, Inc.

April 2003

Icarus Confidential & Proprietary InformationThis document and the information contained within is

highly confidential and proprietary, is intended only for the use of the intended recipient, and is legally privileged. Any unauthorized dissemination, distribution, or copying of this

message, or its contents, is prohibited.


One Man, One Plane

• Henri Chorosz– Background in Electronics and Mechanics. – Former IBM System Architect during 31 years + 5 years

with French Railways Organization.

• Modified GLASAIR II– Composite construction– Single piston, IO-360, 180hp– Fuel capacity: 190 gals, wing tanks & in-cabin aux– Speed: 160+ knots– 22’ wingspan– Rated to +6 / -4 Gs


Too Much Ice

• November 24th: – Enroute from Cape Town, SA

to Christchurch, NZ via South Pole & McMurdo Stn

– 15,000 ft– 180 kt ground speed– 5 gal/hour fuel flow

• Nearing 60deg. South Lat., rapid icing occurred

• Dropped to:– 300 ft– 80 kt ground speed– 15 gal/hour fuel flow

• TRACKER & Iridium provide assistance via SBM & calls


Marion Island

• ICAO identifier: FAME• In South Indian Ocean• Governed by South Africa• Approx 8mi x 5mi• King Penguins & Elephant

Seals • Discovered 1772• Weather station since 1947

– ~50 people in Summer– ~17 people in Winter

• Typically very windy and low IMC conditions


Henri Chorosz – Safe on Marion Island!


TRACKER Purpose

Real Time Situational Awareness of

Aircraft Operating Anywhere, On or

Over Any Point on Earth, With

Secured Confidential Position and

Status Reports Distributed to

Authorized Monitoring Locations.


About Icarus Instruments, Inc.

• Founded in 1987• Pioneering Manufacturer of Airborne Iridium Phone

Systems Since Iridium’s Start in the Late 1990s• Successfully Adapted Iridium Transceivers For

Airborne, Marine, Mobile, And Fixed Operations• Over 500 Aircraft Systems Currently Installed

Worldwide

www.skyconnect.aero


About Iridium Satellite LLC

• Iridium Satellite LLC is the only provider of truly global mobile satellite voice and data solutions.

• With complete coverage of the Earth’s oceans, continents, airways and polar regions, Iridium delivers essential services to users who need communications access to and from remote areas where no other form of communication is available.

• The company has its Satellite Network Operations Center in Leesburg, Virginia and Gateway facilities in Tempe, Arizona and Oahu, Hawaii.

www.iridium.com


About Flight Explorer

• World’s leading provider of Internet-based real-time flight tracking and weather information, reporting and display products.

• Produces Flight Explorer Professional, the industry's most powerful, reliable and widely used aircraft situation display system.

• Customers include American Airlines, Atlantic Aviation, UPS, FED EX, US Airways, Continental, FAA, AirTran Airways, Atlantic Coast Airlines, American Trans Air, NetJets, Business Jet Solutions, TAG Aviation, Piedmont Hawthorne, the City of Chicago Department of Aviation, the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey, Atlanta Hartsfield International Airport and airport and port authorities in more than two dozen states.

www.flightexplorer.com


Iridium Coverage

• Constellation has 66 satellites in Low Earth Orbit (LEO)

• 14 in-orbit spares (7 launched in 2002)

• Operational health without additional launches is predicted to 2014

• Each satellite footprint is 2800 miles in diameter and overlaps with adjacent satellite footprints

• Each satellite has 48 spot beams; Each spot beam is 250 miles in diameter and overlaps with adjacent beams


Overall System Architecture


Product Viability with Internet

• TRACKER not viable without Internet– Intended markets are wide-spread and worldwide; Versatile

access to the Internet enables TRACKER monitoring anywhere, even with portable devices

– Scalability of notification; Programmatic escalation easily achieved through existing Internet-based methods: email, wireless sms, paging, faxing, etc.

– Immeasurable economies of distribution via Internet versus dedicated means


Propagation of Tracking Information

External Entities

Management/Supervisory

Operations/Dispatch

The Aircraft Itself


Data Destination Options

• Flight Explorer Professional® Software– On-screen Display for Routine Tracking– Email Notification– Pager Notification (typically for emergency activations)

• Custom Data Provisioning for Existing Dispatch Software

• Delivery of Reports to Ships via Sky Connect MARINE Data Feed


Sample ScreenFlight Explorer Professional®

www.flightexplorer.com


Notification Scalability

Aircraft TRACKER Reports

Position System Status Emergency

Dispatch Operations

MaintenanceAuthorized

Users

Dispatch

Operations

Chief Pilot

Executives

Awaiting Customer

Destination FBO

Ground Transportation


TRACKER Capabilities

• Position Reports• Discrete Switch Options• Text Messaging• Control of TRACKER Operational Parameters


Position Reports

• A/C Location Based on Internal or External GPS• Summary of Data (varies by report type)

– A/C Identification– Latitude/Longitude/Hemisphere– Ground Speed (Knots)– Course (Degrees)– Altitude (Meters)– Origin & Destination (Text Identifiers)– Time/Date– Reporting Interval Setting– CRC Data Checking

• Reporting Interval Rate: 1-360 Reports per Hour(once every hour to once every 10 seconds)


Discrete Switch Options

• Emergency Button (standard on all TRACKERs)• Seven Fleet-definable Binary Inputs, such as:

– A/C System Alerts (Fuel state, Winch Ops, etc.)– Crew “Quick Reports” via Pre-Defined Buttons– Interval Rate Change– Landing Gear Squat Switch


Text Messaging

• Potential Text Messaging Flows

Path Message Routing Options

Aircraft to Ground Via TRACKER routing

Ground toAircraft Via TRACKER routing or Iridium SBM

Email SMS from non-monitoring stations

Aircraft toAircraft TBD

Aircraft toShip Via TRACKER routing Delivery to Ship via Sky Connect MARINE

Ship toAircraft Via Iridium SBM Sent from Ship viaSky Connect MARINE


Constraints for SMS/EmailFrom the Cockpit

• Limited Cockpit Space for Text-based Equipment• Minimal Time Availability for Text Entry• Should Pilots Have General Internet Access?


Noted Customer Applications

• Asset Management– Crew & ship safety while VFR (takes the “search” out of SAR)– Mission diversions

• Pipeline Patrol– Selective button press to note routine pipeline concerns– Auto-select of phone numbers for voice calls

• Queen’s Whereabouts• Post-theft Location of Aircraft• Tour/Charter/Patrol Route Traceability

– Charter flights (sticking to assigned routes while VFR)– Grand Canyon noise abatement compliance– Search grid coverage records

• Customer Service for Air Taxi Services– Clients can monitor own air taxi location awaiting pick-up and for

company security awareness


TRACKER Hardware

• Certified Transceiver• Crew & A/C Interfaces• Antennas• GPS Options


Sky Connect Certified Transceiver

• Sky Connect Transceiver Is FAA Certified

• LBT• Internal GPS• CPU-I/O System• Power: 11-33 VDC

– Very Low Standby Power Requirements

• Line Replaceable Unit (LRU)• I2C Chip for Retention of

Aircraft-specific Settings


Crew & A/C Interfaces

• Panel Switches• System Monitoring to Discrete Switches• A/C Switches (e.g. doors, landing gear)


Antennas

• Iridium Single Channel• Iridium Dual Channel• GPS


GPS Options

• Interfaces to Onboard A/C GPS(RS-232/RS-422/ARINC 429)– Provides Flight Plan Information to Dispatcher– Enables ETE/ETA Predictions– Alerts to Flight Route Changes as Entered into GPS

• Internal GPS Option within TRACKER Transceiver – Provides Basic Position Information Independent of Onboard

GPS Systems– Can Provide Fallback in the Event of Failure of Onboard GPS


Other Work in Progress

• Airline Development of EFB with Weather & Content Update Services

• One-way Delivery of Internet-borne Data via Broadcast Satellite

• Fax capabilities via low-speed packet or SBM systems


Sky Connect Voice Options

• FLIGHTDECK – Supports Military & Civilian Headsets for Telephony in the Cockpit

• EXECUTIVE – Provides Cordless Phones in Cabin-Class A/C such as Falcons and Gulfstreams

• SAT-TALK III – Supports the Use of Military Headsets with the Iridium 9505 Handset


Sky Connect EXECUTIVE™

• Provides Single or Dual Iridium Phone Lines in Any Cabin-class Aircraft

• Passengers Can Use Up to Four Cordless Handsets per Line, Anywhere in the Aircraft

• Uses Standard LRU Transceivers, Simpli-fying Installation andMaintenance

• Several EXECUTIVEUnits Can Be CombinedInto Multiple Line PBX System


Sky Connect FLIGHTDECK™

• Interconnects Iridium Phone with A/C Audio Panel

• Supports 1 or 2 Pilots• Works with High and Low

Impedance Headsets in Any Kind of A/C


Sky Connect SATTALK III™

• Used Extensively by the US Military in Worldwide Deployments, including Iraq

• Enables the Use of Low Impedance Handsets with Iridium Handheld Phones

• Interfaces with A/C Audio Panel

• Can Be Used in Any Noisy Environment on Land and Sea

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