NEWS

In a groundbreaking development, FlightAware, known for its acclaimed aircraft tracking software, is now taking to the skies with a helicopter-specific version of its renowned portfolio. This exciting venture brings enhanced tracking capabilities to the world of helicopter operations, addressing a unique set of challenges in the aviation industry.

The FlightAware portfolio has already gained immense popularity, earning favor not only among airlines and their passengers but also providing tangible benefits to operators of business aircraft in terms of aircraft management and logistics planning. However, when it came to helicopter operations, the system faced limitations due to their distinct operational characteristics, until today.

Meeting the FlightAware Team

RotorHub International had the privilege of sitting down with key figures from FlightAware, including Matt Davis (President and General Manager), James Parkman (Senior Product Manager), and Kathy Bangs (FlightAware spokesperson), for an insightful briefing on the newly launched FlightAware Helicopters.

Revolutionary Enhancements

The key to this innovation lies in two significant additions. First is the integration of the Inmarsat Aerion Satellite-based ADS-B receiver. This addition allows the tracking of any aircraft equipped with a 1090MHz transponder, not only by the vast network of over 34,000 terrestrial ADS-B receivers but also by the global coverage of a satellite network. Matt Davis, President and General Manager of FlightAware, explained that the primary limitation of traditional ADS-B reception is its 'line of sight' constraint, which often hampers tracking helicopters that typically fly at lower altitudes, frequently hidden by terrain or buildings, and occasionally venturing beyond the range of land-based receivers. The incorporation of Aerion capability resolves this issue. With this new capability, the system's algorithms intelligently select the most accurate data from either source, creating a more reliable tracking breadcrumb.

James Parkman, Senior Product Manager, emphasized the significance of this advancement. "When you look at the data sources in a spidertrack, you'll notice a blend of terrestrial and Aireon data, seamlessly providing superior tracking."

Helicopters' Unique Advantage

One of the distinguishing features of helicopters is their ability to perform off-airport operations, a crucial aspect of their missions. However, this characteristic posed a significant challenge for traditional flight tracking services, which were predominantly designed for fixed-wing aircraft. Matt Davis commented, "While you could ascertain that an aircraft had landed somewhere and was on the ground, it was essentially an exercise in guesswork."

This is where the 'custom airport' feature comes to the rescue. Subscribers can now designate custom airports using latitude and longitude coordinates, providing a tailored solution to address the unique needs of helicopter operations. These custom airports can be either permanent or semi-permanent, such as for offshore oil rigs, or temporary, like accident sites or construction bases.

James Parkman expressed his enthusiasm for this groundbreaking feature, noting that, "The combination of custom airports and the Aireon capabilities has enabled us to track helicopters in their actual operational environments, a capability we previously lacked."

FlightAware's venture into helicopter-specific tracking marks a significant milestone in the aviation industry, addressing unique challenges and unlocking new possibilities for these versatile aircraft. The launch of FlightAware Helicopters on October 16, 2023, is set to revolutionize how we track and manage helicopter operations, ushering in a new era of safety and efficiency.

The two key additions that have made a Helicopter-specific version a practical reality is the addition of the Inmarsat Aerion Satellite-based ADS-B receiver, which means that any aircraft fitted with a 1090MHz transponder can be tracked not only by the 34,000 plus terrestrial ADS-B receivers but also the global coverage of the satellite network. “The prime limitation of ADS-B reception is that it is ‘line of sight’ and since helicopters fly much lower, they will frequently be masked by terrain or buildings, or in the case of offshore support pass out of range of land-based receivers,”  explained Davis. “The addition of Aerion capability removes that problem.” With the new capability, the system’s algorithms take the ‘best accuracy’ data from either source and use it for that breadcrumb. “You can see it when you look at the data sources in a spidertrack. You’ll see terrestrial, terrestrial, terrestrial Aireon, Aireon,” said Parkman.

The key advantage of helicopters is, of course, the ability to conduct off-airport operations. Indeed, for most helicopter tasks, it’s the entire raison d’être – but a significant challenge for a flight tracking service. It also proved restrictive for the fixed-wing-based versions of FlightAware. “You knew an aircraft landed somewhere in that it had stopped and is on the ground, but, in reality, it was just mind reading,” said Davis, “that’s where the ‘custom airport’ feature comes in. Using this feature, subscribers can place an airport using lat/long anywhere they like. It may be a permanent or semi-permanent position like an oil rig or something that lasts just an hour or so, like an accident site or a construction base,” added Davis. “We’re really excited about the custom airports feature, and you know the custom airports combined with the Aireon capabilities have allowed us to track these helicopters in their actual operating environments in a way we’ve never been able to do before,” said Parkman.