The difference between this and previous systems is that this process should be autonomous, requiring no input from pilots or flight crew in order to initiate distress tracking, and cannot simply be shut off. This is vital in order for the continued monitoring of the situations as they progress and in order to establish a cause for any incident. These losses of aircraft are tragic and we must continue to improve in order to prevent reoccurrence where possible. The image below gives the basic overview of the GADSS principles.
The three main aims of this system are as follows: Eradication of late notification of SAR services when aircraft are in distress. Remove the problem of missing or inaccurate end of flight aircraft position information. Halt lengthy and costly retrieval of flight data required for investigation. What is essentially a very simple concept, and one which is relatively modest to implement, should make a huge difference to our awareness of aircraft location at any given time, particularly in the event of a serious incident. Making the public aware of this will also support an increase in consumer confidence when flying, something which has been voiced as a concern, particularly since the events of 2001. As an industry it is our responsibility to produce solutions to problems that haven’t yet arisen and this concept is a step in the right direction.
