US could lag in aircraft tracking if no decision made soon

The US FAA must adopt a new aircraft surveillance system by the end of this year to ensure full access to the global system in 2018 when it becomes available, a senior industry executive said. Matt Desch, CE of satellite operator Iridium Communications said demand for the new service to be offered by Aireon, which is 25 percent owned by Iridium, remained strong ahead of operational testing starting this year. Authorities that oversee 50% of the world's airspace - and two thirds of the world's oceans - have already signed agreements with Aireon, Desch said. Aireon's satellite-based surveillance system is due to cover all of the world's airspace in 2018 using Iridium's new network of 66 low-orbit satellites. The system will transmit location data twice per second, using what is known as the automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast, or ADS-B standard, which is required on all commercial aircraft by 2020. The change will give air traffic controllers real-time data on aircraft anywhere on the planet, rather than the location data now transmitted at 10-minute intervals, allowing them to route planes much closer together. Desch said he was hopeful that US authorities would sign up as well, but the FAA's current plan did not foresee a decision until the end of 2017.<br/>