Panasonic to provide worldwide satellite tracking to customers

Panasonic Avionics has announced it will now offer worldwide satellite tracking to its Global Communications Services and FlightLink customers.
Time Aerospace thumbnail
The Global Communications Services and FlightLink solutions, when used with the company’s AirMap application, meets the requirements of ICAO’s Global Aeronautical Distress and Safety System definitions for normal and abnormal tracking.
 
“Today, we can seamlessly enable flight tracking on over 1,500 aircraft, and we expect to extend this capability to over 3,500 aircraft over the short term,” said Paul Margis, president and chief executive officer, Panasonic Avionics.
 
Panasonic has deployed ground and aircraft communication solutions to support the satellite systems, allowing for efficient aircraft tracking.
 
AirMap provides an airline portal into operations and provides a graphical way to monitor, track and receive alerts on the aircraft.
 
The flight tracking is based on Panasonic’s Ku-band eXConnect broadband and Iridium satellite communications solutions, allowing airlines to integrate tracking into cockpit and crew communications and use messaging to contact an aircraft.
 
“With only incremental cost to add the AirMap application, they will have an elegant and cost-effective solution without having to spend even more capital on a separate tracking technology,” said Margis.