Aireon and the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) have announced that the Aireon Aircraft Location and Emergency Response Tracking (ALERT) service is now live. According to Aireon, the ALERT service is designed to provide Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSPs), commercial aircraft operators, aviation regulators and search and rescue organizations with the last known position of ADS-B-equipped aircraft anywhere on the planet. ALERT uses Aireon’s space-based air traffic surveillance system, which went live last April.
“Aireon ALERT can provide the most accurate and precise aircraft locating data for emergency and distress situations, free of charge,” said Aireon CEO Don Thoma. “As the operator of the world’s only global aircraft surveillance system, we recognize our unique position to provide such a critical service to the aviation community, and see it as our duty to provide this data to the proper authorities to assist in emergency situations.”
When contacted about an aircraft in distress, Aireon ALERT operators will provide a map of the last 15 minutes of flight and a report including altitude, latitude, longitude and time information. The service is operated by the IAA from its North Atlantic Communications Centre in Ballygirreen, Ireland. Aireon says ALERT users do not have to be Aireon or IAA customers but that it is “important that all commercial aircraft operators/airlines, aviation regulators and search and rescue organizations register to ensure they can contact the 24/7/365 operations facility.”
