New safety initiatives announced following MH370

In the wake of the MH370 tragedy Inmarsat, the British satellite company has announced that it is offering the airline industry a free global airline tracking service and a special black box download if a plane deviates off its flight path.
The announcement comes as the International Civil Aviation Organisation holds a conference in Montreal to explore ways of preventing another MH370 disappearance.
Inmarsat is also proposing a special crew distress alarm if the flight attendants suspect any illegal actions by pilots or hijackers.
The tracking service is being offered to all 11,000 commercial passenger planes, which are already equipped with an Inmarsat satellite connection, virtually 100 per cent of the world’s long haul commercial fleet.
In addition to this free global airline tracking service, Inmarsat will also offer what it terms a “black box in the cloud” service.
When certain events such as a course deviation occur historic and real-time flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder information can be streamed off a plane to aviation safety recipients.
Rupert Pearce, chief executive of Inmarsat, said that the company welcomes and strongly supports ICAO’s decision to place the delivery of next-generation aviation safety services at the heart of the industry’s agenda.
“Inmarsat has been providing global aviation safety services for over 20 years and we are confident that the proposals we have presented to ICAO and IATA (international Air Transport Association) represent a major contribution to enhancing aviation safety services on a global basis,” said Mr Pearce.
“In the wake of the loss of MH370, we believe this is simply the right thing to do.”
Mr Pearce added that because of the universal nature of existing Inmarsat aviation services, its proposals can be implemented immediately on all trans-ocean commercial flights using equipment that is already installed.
Inmarsat is also suggesting flight attendants be empowered with the capability of initiating a “satcom flare” that would serve as a distress signal in the event of an emergency.
This could be done from the passenger cabin.

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