Bangkok Airways Selects GlobalBeacon as GADSS Solution

HOUSTON, April 18, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Bangkok Airways will deploy GlobalBeacon^SM to improve passenger safety as part of The International Civil Aviation Authority's (ICAO) Global Aeronautical Distress Safety System (GADSS) concept of operations. Under GADSS, which will be applicable starting on November 8^th of this year, aircraft operators will be expected to track their aircraft during normal operations at a frequency of one position every 15 minutes. By January 2021, they will need to automatically receive once-per-minute positions for aircraft in distress.

GlobalBeacon is a first of its kind product from Aireon and FlightAware that combines FlightAware's data processing platform and web-interface with Aireon's space-based ADS-B network. The Aireon^SM network is hosted on the Iridium^® NEXT constellation of satellites, which is over two-thirds of the way complete and will be fully operational later this year. The constellation provides the first and only solution for global coverage that exceeds GADSS standards and recommended practices (SARPs) for flight tracking.

"Today's agreement means that Bangkok Airways will surpass the GADSS SARPs applicable this year, and will also proactively meet the 2021 requirements for distress tracking," said Theng Hui Low, Director of Asia Pacific for FlightAware. "GlobalBeacon is cost-effective, easy to deploy and won't require Bangkok Airways to install new avionics."

Mr. Kittisak Sudtachart, Director of Operations Control Center for Bangkok Airways, said, "At Bangkok Airways, safety is at the very core of our value-offering to our customers, partners in the industry and our employees. We are proud to continue our commitment to leading the industry in operational safety standards by deploying GlobalBeacon," Mr. Kittisak added, "GlobalBeacon will provide our Flight Operations team with better visibility of our entire aircraft fleet, thereby improving operational safety and efficiency. It also aligns with our safety mission, which is to continually upgrade and maintain worldwide industry safety standards."

About FlightAware
FlightAware (www.FlightAware.com) is the world's largest flight tracking information company and provides over 10,000 aircraft operators and service companies as well as over 12 million passengers with global flight tracking solutions. FlightAware leverages data from air traffic control systems in over 45 countries, from FlightAware's network of over 15,000 ADS-B ground stations in over 180 countries, Aireon space-based ADS-B and from global datalink providers. FlightAware is privately held with offices in Houston, New York and Singapore.

SOURCE FlightAware