Certification Opens Door to Major New Market for Iridium in Commercial Aviation Sector
The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Council approved standards and recommended practices (SARPs) that will permit Iridium® Satellite to provide Aeronautical Mobile Satellite (Route) Services (AMS®S) for commercial aircraft on transoceanic flights.
“The ICAO AMS®S approval opens a significant new market for Iridium in the international commercial aviation sector,” said Greg Ewert, executive vice president, Iridium Satellite. “Iridium’s dramatic double-digit growth in the aeronautical marketplace over the last few years has been largely driven by the business jet and helicopter sectors. The ICAO decision means that member states can now approve Iridium satellite equipment to meet the international requirements for redundant communications when flying over ocean regions. As a result, we expect to see rapid adoption among long-haul commercial carriers in the coming year.”
Iridium is the only mobile satellite service that provides ubiquitous, gap-free, reliable coverage over Polar Regions, which are used by aircraft on international flights. Iridium’s lightweight, low-drag aeronautical satellite terminals are less costly to install and maintain than those needed for geostationary satellite systems.
Ewert noted that a growing number of air carriers have installed Iridium satellite terminals for cockpit communications, especially on high-latitude flights. “The ICAO approval means they can also have the Iridium systems certified by member states for air safety communications.”
About Iridium Satellite
Iridium Satellite LLC (http://www.iridium.com/) is the only mobile satellite service (MSS) offering gap-free, pole-to-pole coverage over the entire globe. Iridium’s constellation of 66 low-earth-orbiting (LEO), cross-linked satellites (and multiple in-orbit spares) provides critical voice and data services for regions not served by other communication networks. Driven by increasing demand for reliable, secure, global, mobile satellite links, Iridium has been steadily growing at a double-digit annual rate since 2004. Iridium serves commercial markets through a worldwide network of more than 150 partners, and also provides services to the U.S. Department of Defense, and other U.S. and international government agencies. The company’s 250,000 users are in the maritime, aeronautical, government/defense, public safety, utilities, oil/gas, mining, forestry, heavy equipment and transportation industries. Iridium has launched a major development program for its next- generation satellite constellation, called “NEXT,” through which it will enable satellite-based innovations beyond communications. The company is based in Bethesda, Md., and Tempe, Ariz., U.S.A. and is privately held.
