QA Becomes First Airline to Launch GlobalBeacon for Flight Tracking

Qatar Tribune -- Qatar Airways (QA) has become the launch customer of GlobalBeacon, a key product solution created by FlightAware and Aireon to provide the airline with global, real-time flight tracking.

In September 2016, Qatar Airways announced that it would be the first airline to adopt this innovative technology that would feed directly into its Integrated Operations Centre.

Two years later, Qatar Airways, in partnership with FlightAware and Aireon, has announced that GlobalBeacon SM is now live and ready to provide the airline with global flight tracking, ahead of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Global Aeronautical Distress Safety System (GADSS) recommended timeline.

From the start of the product development cycle, the airline has been involved in beta testing and validation of GlobalBeacon, a technology that exceeds GADSS recommendations for flight tracking by providing airlines with minute-by-minute position updates for their aircraft at all times, anywhere in the world.

Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Akbar al -aker said, "We are thrilled to be the first airline in the world with a wide network to use space-based ADS-B technology. We are honored to collaborate with both FlightAware and Aireon on the development of this solution to achieve the highest level of flight tracking standards that exceed GADSS requirements and recommendations."

"As one of the leading airlines in the world, our goal is to deliver the best service to all our customers. GlobalBeacon seamlessly integrates with our existing ICAO 2018 compliant flight watch technology (Total Operations System), and further enhances the safety of our operations and fleet management by providing updates every minute or less. In doing so, this is a testimony to our ever-evolving leadership in the crucial area of aviation safety and awareness."

GlobalBeacon will enable Qatar Airways to position itself to respond proactively in the event of an emergency, facilitating communication between the aircraft operator and the controller with constant fleet monitoring, automated distress alerts and tools that make it easy to share information.

Aireon CEO Don Thoma said, "With a modern fleet of more than 200 aircraft flying all over the world, across remote and oceanic airspace, Qatar Airways and GlobalBeacon couldn't be more perfect for each other. Being one of the youngest and fastest-growing leaders in the aviation industry, Qatar Airways' initiative to implement the GADSS recommendations for flight tracking reinforces that safety is top priority and comes second to none."

FlightAware CEO Daniel Baker said, "With Qatar Airways' involvement early on, we've been able to test and validate GlobalBeacon to ensure that it incorporates best practices for global flight tracking and fleet monitoring. We applaud Qatar Airways' early adoption and we are pleased with how they've been able to deploy it to work in conjunction with their existing processes, increasing their ability to locate aircraft in distress and improving search and rescue capabilities."