Originally Posted by
MG23
Saying 'that's not a lot of data' is rather like saying you can stick a $200 SSD in the CVR and record for years. It's not a lot of data on your home broadband, but it's a lot of data for a legacy SATCOM system designed decades ago.
Both Iridium and INMARSAT have been or are in the process of upgrading and in any case already have the bandwidth for ADS-C. The specification for ADS-C EPP "
report containing the sequence of 1 to 128 waypoints or pseudo waypoints with associated constraints or estimates (altitude, time, speed, etc.), gross mass and estimate at Top of Descent, speed schedule, etc." are already agreed. Aircraft in oceanic airspace equipped with FANS 1/A already transmit ADS-C position reports over SATCOM every 10 minutes so could increase the frequency. Even if ICAO and the various national regulators take no action, the insurance companies involved may 'mandate' use of ADS-C if it reduces their losses.