• E-mail
• Print
• Comment
• Font Size
• Digg
• del.icio.us
• Discuss article

Blue Sky Network's Satellite-Based Flight Tracking Solution Powers Erickson Air-Crane's Worldwide Fleet

Posted on: Monday, 22 October 2007, 12:00 CDT

Blue Sky Network, the global logistics solution provider for two-way linking and managing transportation assets via satellite, today announced that Erickson Air-Crane is deploying Blue Sky Network's flight tracking and communications solutions on its worldwide fleet of 18 S-64 Aircrane helitankers. Blue Sky Network provides a high level of safety and control to all of Erickson's flights, enabling increased performance in firefighting, civil protection, hydro seeding, timber harvesting and power line construction around the world.

The addition of Blue Sky Network's user-friendly D1000A provides Erickson with access to text messaging, more reliable telemetry data and location reporting from anywhere on Earth, as well as unlimited user accounts for monitoring fleet online. In the event communication is lost with an operational aircraft, the "view trail" option provides crucial flight path tracing information for Search and Rescue. Previously, Erickson used only satellite and cellular phone to communicate between the pilots and the ground crew.

"Installing the Blue Sky Network equipment gave us much more confidence about the operating status and performance of our aircraft," said Dennis Hubbard, spokesman for Erickson Air-Crane. "As the manufacturer and largest operator of the S-64 Aircrane, we require a tracking and communication system that is as high-performance as our fleet, and that is what we get with the D1000A."

Comprised of an Iridium transceiver for data transfer and a compact control head with mayday alerting and Ethernet connection for simple email text messaging, the D1000A is designed for fixed installation or total portability. With a built-in GPS sensor for position reporting and complete remote management of the unit's settings, Erickson can manage the D1000A anywhere in the world with the click of a button. Additionally, the D1000A complies with U.S. Forest Service standards.

Erickson can change position reporting intervals or telemetry settings easily from SkyRouter, Blue Sky Network's online asset management portal. This web-based software is used for asset tracking and communications, easily integrating with Google Earth. The onboard unit transmits reports from the remote assets directly to the site for review by operations or dispatch, providing a real-time view of asset locations.

About Blue Sky Network

Blue Sky Network is the leading provider of global logistics solutions for two-way linking and managing remote transportation assets via satellite. Using its interactive Web portal, SkyRouter, with detailed mapping and integration with Google Earth, Blue Sky Network links enterprises to personnel and assets anywhere on earth over the Iridium satellite network. FAA-certified data and voice products enable users to customize features including safety and event reporting. Blue Sky Network's exceptional customer service and management team make it the perfect partner for adding true global communication to your transport network. For more information, please visit www.blueskynetwork.com.

About Erickson Air-Crane

Erickson Air-Crane is the manufacturer and largest operator of the S-64 Aircrane helitanker. With nearly 250,000 flight hours across 35 years, Erickson Air-Crane is a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) certified Repair and Overhaul Depot with a comprehensive manufacturing, maintenance, and repair capability. Administrative and manufacturing headquarters are located in Central Point, Oregon, USA, though Erickson supports a worldwide employee base and often supplies assistance and fleet for international projects. To learn more about Erickson's aerial operations and manufacturing capabilities, please visit www.ericksonaircrane.com.

Source: Business Wire

More News in this Category