New Zealand aircraft tracking system developer Spidertracks and air traffic service provider Airways New Zealand have partnered to improve the safety of the country's general aviation.
They are to subsidise the purchase and subscription costs of Spidertracks' Iridium-based satellite tracking system. The partnership follows substantial global sales success for the small Palmerston North-based company.
The portable Spidertracks system uses GPS points transmitted via the Iridium satellite system to track an aircraft's flight. The information can be viewed over the internet through a secure log-in, with the system providing a real-time report of position, altitude, direction and speed.
The system can monitor aircraft movements, acting as a flight following tool for pilots. It comprises a compact, self-contained unit integrating a GPS receiver and transmitter and does not require an external antenna.
New Zealand-based GA aircraft owners have been offered a subsidised purchase price of NZ$1,295 ($800), compared with NZ$3,300 normally.
Airways NZ is to cover the first six months subscription to the satellite network, which is normally NZ$32 a month. The partnership also involves Lynne Erceg, widow of New Zealand businessman Michael Erceg, who died in a helicopter crash in 2005, with the crash scene not found for 15 days due to a loss of signal from the emergency locator transmitter.
Airways NZ says each month it deals with about 230 flight plans going overdue, with a high rate of false alarms generated by pilots who forget to amend or terminate their flight plan.
"The conditions and terrain in this country are some of the most challenging in the world and there's no doubt that technology is the key to safety for aircraft operating in this environment," says Rob Irwin, Airways programme manager.
The Spidertracks system was launched in 2007 and has secured sales in more than 30 countries, with customers including GA operators, fleet operators, firefighting operators and flight training providers.
Source: Flight International
