View Full Version : In flight tracking
Sam Rutherford
11th Nov 2009, 07:38
Hi,
I'm looking at various live in-flight tracking options, Spot, TRAX etc. any feedback out there, pros/cons, coverage, reliability etc. Ideally with a basic messaging system.
Mostly flying VFR, so logging into the IFR flight plan system won't cover me all the time (and is not live).
Cheers, safe flights, Sam.
wigglyamp
11th Nov 2009, 21:36
Spidertrack from New Zealand do an Iridium-based tracking system which is very popular with helicopter operators in particular.
Spidertracks - Home (http://www.spidertracks.com/Home.mvc)
Romeo Tango
12th Nov 2009, 08:27
I used spot on a recent long distance trip across Asia, USA and N Atlantic. It worked well.
Be sure you have a newer model that works with the tracking option
The tracks have to be downloaded from the web site within a few weeks or they evaporate.
Bill
BackPacker
12th Nov 2009, 09:09
Someone set up a simple but nice way for the world to check on the progress of Chalkies record flight (Cape Town - London - Cape Town on less than 200 HP). I don't remember the details but it was the same kind of equipment they use in South Africa to check migration patterns of elephants or something like that.
Worked on the Southern Hemisphere only, until they fixed the script... :-)
You might be able to track those guys down, starting from here:
http://www.pprune.org/aviation-history-nostalgia/373198-henshaw-challenge-success-now-includes-photographs.html
Henshaw-Challenge Cape to London To Cape > Home (http://www.henshaw-challenge.com/)
I don't think it includes in-flight messaging though. But who knows, maybe that can be added.
Gravytrain
2nd Jan 2010, 22:07
There are some problems with the legality of using these systems in an aircraft - as Portable Electronic Devices, they have to legally be switched off when the doors are closed (which kind of defeats the purpose). Only systems certified with RTCA DO160 are allowed to be used - SPOT, TRAX and many others aren't, and rely on the pilots not knowing the regulations around PEDs (which most don't)...
eharding
2nd Jan 2010, 22:16
There are some problems with the legality of using these systems in an aircraft - as Portable Electronic Devices, they have to legally be switched off when the doors are closed (which kind of defeats the purpose). Only systems certified with RTCA DO160 are allowed to be used - SPOT, TRAX and many others aren't, and rely on the pilots not knowing the regulations around PEDs (which most don't)...
Oh dear.
As per the other thread, either provide a link to the legislation - which you can't - or get nurse to increase your medication.
Gravytrain
3rd Jan 2010, 00:41
Asked and answered in http://www.pprune.org/private-flying/376709-gps-tracking-devices-ga-aircraft.html
Time to wind your neck in a bit I think...
Sam Rutherford
3rd Jan 2010, 07:14
Have found and bought a great system which works globally.
Given the tone of this thread (!) please email me if you would like to know the results of my research!
sam at prepare2go dot com
Cheers, Sam.
fholbert
4th Jan 2010, 04:51
When I was a Air Traffic Controller law enforcement wanted us to call them anytime a certain Navajo taxied for takeoff. Yea right, we never called. ATC doesn't do things like that.
A couple of weeks later the feds had a guy in the tower watching the Navajo. After a few days we let the fed drink our coffee. No love lost here but he was bringing donuts every morning. We tolerated the guy, even spoke to him sometimes. Finally the Navajo departed and we got a radar ID on him. Handed the target off to center and the fed left.
A couple of days later the fed is back in the tower and the Navajo is back on the ramp. Appears the Navajo knew he was being watched and flew down the canyons below radar.
The feds decided to install a 2nd hidden transponder in the aircraft set to a special law enforcement code. In the middle of the first attempt the guy came to the airport and almost caught them. In the tower we could see both sides of the fence. At one point they were 50' apart with a block wall in the middle. Someone was screaming abort, abort on the radio. The feds were trying to get the inspection plate on and kept dropping screws. It was so frickin funny I could hardly work traffic.
Attempt 2 with the super secret transponder was made at night. Success!!! A day or two later the Navajo departed and we thought we'd seen the last of the fed.
About a week later the Navajo was back on the ramp. I was working traffic and the fed came up the stairs with his usual peace offering, a box of donuts. I just looked and shrugged. The fed said, "The guy found our transponder. He mailed it back to us."
Frank Holbert
Flying the Bellanca Super Viking (http://160knots.com)
BackPacker
4th Jan 2010, 09:51
He must have found the annotated W&B sheets in the POH. Not hard to figure out the location of that super secret transponder from that data.
Oh, wait, you're not saying the feds did an illegal mod on the airplane, are you? Now there's a precedent.:}
dublinpilot
4th Jan 2010, 10:14
Ermm....Judge, I've no idea where that illegal tracking device fitted to my aircraft came from....perhaps the Feds fitted it during the night! :O
That's really funny :)
On a somewhat related note, IFR (Eurocontrol) flight progress can be viewed, using any normal web browser, if the flight plan was filed using the EuroFPL (http://www.eurofpl.eu/) IFR flight plan filing site.
Any other "flight monitoring" method will involve either GPS data logging (trivial) or the transmission of data from the aircraft (possible only using a satellite phone, and non-trivial).