Iridium Aviation Security Communications System

For

Emergency Real-time Monitoring of

Cockpit Audio and Flight Data

White Paper Presented to

Department of Transportation

Research and Special Projects Administration

DTRS56-01-BAA-0002

November 20, 2001

Point of Contact:

Donald Thoma

EVP Data Services

Iridium Satellite, LLC

1600 Wilson Blvd, Suite 1000

Rosslyn, VA 22209

(703) 465-1007

don.thoma@iridium.com

Real-time Information on the Status of Hijacked Aircraft Essential to Air Safety and Security

The Aviation and Transportation Security Act authorizes the Department of Transportation Undersecretary for Security to “provide for the use of technology that will permit enhanced instant communications and information between airborne passenger aircraft and appropriate individuals or facilities on the ground.” The DoT, Federal Aviation Administration and NORAD have the responsibility to ensure the safety of the US aviation industry and to protect the public from suicide hijacked aircraft. This important mission highlights the immediate need for a communications capability to provide cockpit audio and flight data information to an Emergency Ground Operations Center that can accurately assess the status and threat of a suspected hijacked aircraft and alert the proper authorities in time to take action.

The Iridium Solution for Emergency Real-time Monitoring of Cockpit Audio and Flight Data

Iridium Satellite, LLC (“Iridium”) operates an existing satellite network with the capability to improve the security and safety of commercial aviation. The Iridium Aviation Security Communications System (IASCS) provides:

· Ubiquitous real-time ground-based monitoring of the cockpit audio and aircraft flight data recorder information in the event of an emergency - Audio and flight data communications download from an aircraft located anywhere in the world to an Emergency Ground Operations Center for assessment and action. Communications are initiated by authorized aircraft personnel (a pilot with a "panic button," or an air marshal), by a ground controller (e.g., if an aircraft deviates from its assigned flight path) or triggered by anomalous aircraft performance.

· Downloading and recording of cockpit audio and flight data information at a secure FAA ground facility. This allows reliable, private, and immediate transmission and archiving of cockpit audio and flight data information now solely recorded on FAA-required “black box” recorders, using Iridium satellite channels and other secure links that are independent of the terrestrial public communications networks. (Continuously throughout the flight, in emergency situations or periodically as required).

Each aircraft will be equipped with two FAA-certified "Airsat" units, which are satellite communications devices manufactured by Honeywell. The aircraft will also require a separate Aircraft Interface Unit that is currently in prototype test stage. One unit is connected to a microphone (or the output of the voice recorder) for voice/audio transmission, and the other transmits the aircraft's flight data from the flight data acquisition unit. The Airsat units are designed to minimize installation and maintenance costs, and currently operate on more than 50 aircraft worldwide. Each Airsat unit transmits -- from anywhere in the world, pole-to-pole -- voice and data information to one of Iridium’s 66 low-earth orbiting satellites now in operation. This information is transmitted through the constellation to an existing earth station (including the dedicated Defense Department facility in Hawaii), and then sent via dedicated circuits to the designated FAA facilities for storage, recovery or real-time monitoring.

The IASCS uses the unique elements of the Iridium satellite network to provide several essential capabilities:

· The only seamless, worldwide communications system, with coverage in the US, internationally, open ocean and polar routes using a single phone, a single frequency, and a single network

· Instantaneous communications with ground operations center during emergency situations

· Private and dedicated digital communications channels are virtually impossible to intercept and can be designated with priority access status for the FAA

· Independence from terrestrial and foreign infrastructure – Iridium’s unique satellite-to-satellite crosslinks connects communications traffic with a private ground station operated on US soil, increasing communications security and decreasing susceptibility to disruptions by terrorist activities

· Commercial-off-the-shelf equipment certified by FAA for use on corporate aircraft that can be readily adapted for commercial airliners, minimizing development and certification time

· US Department of Defense is an anchor customer of Iridium - the DoD owns and operates a dedicated ground Gateway in Hawaii to support DoD missions worldwide.

Unique Global Satellite Communications Network

The Iridium satellite network provides a unique communication capability to commercial and Government customers. Iridium is the only readily available system that provides continuous global coverage, pole-to-pole, in a private network environment, independent of public switched phone network. The voice and data communications services are provided by a constellation of 66 low-earth orbiting satellites connected to one of three ground earth stations and communications Gateways (two commercial Gateways in Tempe, Arizona and Fucino, Italy and one DoD gateway in Hawaii). All traffic is routed through the satellites and does not require transmission through the terrestrial public voice or data networks unless desired by the customer. This architecture provides a high degree of redundancy, reliability and inherent security for communications traffic. Iridium is currently being used by over 370 users in the aviation industry including units that are being installed on high priority DoD aircraft.

In addition to the 66 operational satellites, Iridium maintains 7 on-orbit spare satellites and an additional 7 satellites on the ground that will be launched with two separate pre-paid launch vehicles to extend the operating life of the Iridium network beyond 2010.

The US Department of Defense is a major customer of the Iridium satellite network. The DoD owns and operates a dedicated Iridium Gateway in Hawaii to support Government operations. The DoD maintains a $36M per year contract with Iridium Satellite, LLC for the purchase of airtime in support of up to 20,000 subscribers. The DoD has been a continuous user of the Iridium satellite communications network since its launch in November of 1998 to the present. The DoD continued to use the system even while commercial operations were suspended during the Chapter 11 proceedings.

Iridium Satellite, LLC is the owner and operator of the Iridium network. Iridium Satellite, LLC purchased the assets of the Iridium network in December of 2000 and re-initiated commercial operations of the network in March 2001. Iridium Satellite, LLC is backed by a group of multinational investors who funded the asset purchase and are currently financing the initial operations of the company. Iridium Satellite, LLC has a strategic relationship with Boeing Corporation to provide satellite engineering and operations support. As part of this contract, Boeing operates the Satellite Network Operations Center for Iridium in Leesburg, VA.

Commercial Off-the-shelf, FAA-Certified Satcom Equipment

Two Airsat units are required for each aircraft. One Airsat unit is connected via an Aircraft Interface Unit (AIU) to a dedicated cockpit mounted microphone for voice transmission using one Iridium voice channel. The second Airsat unit retrieves, also via the AIU, the required flight data parameters from the aircraft data bus and transmits on a non-interference basis with the existing black box. Typical black box recorders receive and store 1,536 bits per second of data. With transmission overhead and encryption, the full complement of black box data can be transmitted in one 2400 bits per second Iridium channel. New design black box data recorders may require multiple data channels, data compression, data subset or reduced sample rates to transmit continuous flight data.

Each Airsat unit transmits the data or voice information to an Iridium satellite. The communications traffic is then routed from any aircraft around the world through the constellation of Iridium satellites and is downlinked to the Iridium commercial Gateway in Tempe, Arizona or to the dedicated DoD Gateway in Hawaii. The traffic is then sent via redundant dedicated private circuits to a FAA-controlled Emergency Ground Operations Center for storing and monitoring of the voice or flight data information in the event of a distress or hijack situation. Each transmission can be initiated in one of three ways through ground initiated action, through a cockpit initiated action or as part of standard operating procedure during aircraft flight operations.

Honeywell is the manufacturer of the FAA-certified Iridium satellite communications system, Airsat. The Airsat unit provides a cost-effective solution for aircraft voice and data communications, designed to minimize installation and maintenance cost as compared to other aircraft-based communications systems. The Iridium Airsat system is the lowest cost satellite-based aircraft communications system available and is installed and operating on over 50 corporate aircraft worldwide. An on-going commercial production capability is in operation. The AIU is developed in prototype stage and the full system will require additional certification for use on commercial passenger aircraft.

FAA Emergency Ground Operations Center

As envisioned for the proof of concept and subject to additional FAA input, the FAA Emergency Ground Operations Center (EGOC) acts as a single point of contact for the monitoring and disposition of all emergency cockpit audio and flight data transmissions. This center can be co-located with an Iridium Gateway or located anywhere connected to the Gateway via the dedicated private dedicated circuits.

The EGOC acts like an E911 call center providing recording / logging / identification / authentication / notification / coordination functions. Calls to the center are automatically logged and recorded, with the calling aircraft identified by comparing the AirSat phone number to an aircraft tail number in a database. An additional correlation is then made between the tail number and the flight number. The EGOC personnel, using Standard Operating Procedures, authenticate the transmission, assess the nature of the emergency, and respond accordingly to the emergency. Based on the procedures, different agencies may be involved. The center will then notify the appropriate authorities and if so desired, they can monitor or be “conferenced” into the call. The center will have immediate contact capability with all the appropriate agencies including FAA Security, NORAD, JCS, NSC, NTSB, FBI, etc.

The center will use existing E911 call management software running on off-the-shelf workstations. A telephone number to tail number database can be used to generate a further query to a tail number to flight number database maintained by the FAA or airlines. An existing service / application like Flight Explorer Professional will be used to determine the current position versus flight plan using that flight number as well as showing the weather in vicinity of that flight. Small business PBX level telephone switches, like a Nortel Meridien with conference bridging capabilities and automatic call direction (ACD), can provide the phone capabilities required. Before a final decision on a switch can be made, discussion of specific operating requirements must occur.

Additional Engineering Can Expand Capability

With additional engineering of the aircraft data system, the capability of real-time monitoring of cockpit audio and flight data can be expanded. These improvements could include:

· Modifying the on-aircraft data acquisition application to transmit flight data when critical flight parameters are out of preset boundaries;

· Modifying the on-aircraft data transmission to sample flight data at a lower rate and transmit less information during nominal performance situations or certain phases of flight; and

· Integrating the Iridium communications capability into a larger hybrid network of combined ground-based and satellite-based communications to support the full worldwide aircraft fleet.

Future Capabilities for Improved Safety Possible

The addition of two-way communications between the ground and cockpit can enable potential future safety-related systems to thwart terrorist activities. These include the capability to access the aircraft autopilot from the ground to place the aircraft in a safe holding pattern until the appropriate action or intercept can be made. In addition, capabilities to provide still images from the interior of the aircraft can also be contemplated in future implementations of the system.

The sequence of operations for the IASCS is as follows:

1. Transmission of cockpit audio and/or flight data can be initiated by: a. cockpit crew; b. cabin crew; c. Federal Air Marshals; or d. Emergency Ground Operations Center (based on inquiry from ATC, airlines or NORAD)

2. Cockpit audio and flight data begins transmitting real-time to FAA Emergency Ground Operations Center

3. Operations Center monitors audio and flight data from distressed aircraft. Emergency operations personnel are trained to monitor information and assess situation

4. Emergency operations personnel will have emergency response procedures to handle possible contingencies and will follow such procedure to alert the appropriate authorities (ATC, NORAD, FBI, etc)

5. Emergency operations personnel can “conference-in” to provide information access to other appropriate authorities such as ATC, NORAD or other command authorities where appropriate

6. Information is recorded and archived during emergency incidents only

Recording and Archiving

As an option, the IASCS can provide secure storage on ground of cockpit audio and flight data. The cockpit audio and flight data are transmitted to a FAA ground data storage facility where access to the information is restricted and governed by the same legal and operating restrictions that currently govern cockpit voice and flight data recorders. The specific data download requirements must be defined by FAA and NTSB and can include full voice and flight data for high priority flights; sample of all flights based on time, data subset, phase of flight or other criteria; or emergency situations for all flights. It is important to highlight that the IASCS does not replace existing aircraft cockpit voice and flight data recorders. However, it may provide a significant step toward meeting the intent of NTSB’s recommendation for redundant on-board recorders.

Operating Concept

In order for the IASCS to be effective in helping deal with hijacking threats, it is useful to address critical in-flight threat scenarios, defined in the table below, identifying how the IASCS meets each scenario’s needs and highlights the benefits achieved through system implementation.

Scenario Description

IASCS Meets Audio/Flight Data Needs

IASCS System Benefits

Hijacking In Progress – Major Threat (in air or on ground)

¨ Pilot, crew or Air Marshal can covertly begin transmission through panic button

¨ EGOC assesses situation and contacts appropriate authorities to make all agencies aware of hijack situation

¨ Reliable, dedicated communications to authorities to assess situation

¨ Early notification of NORAD/other authorities

¨ Notice can be provided to other flights

Potential Hijacking Threat – abnormal behavior by aircraft or external threat notification (in air or on ground)

¨ EGOC personnel can covertly begin transmission through panic button

¨ Ground can assess situation and try to confirm with pilot

¨ Ground authorities can prepare for landing situation with accurate information

¨ Early detection or notification of threat

¨ Early notification of NORAD and other authorities

Aircraft Incident- Ground Connectivity Lost

¨ Pilot can initiate transmission of voice and flight data to make ground authorities aware of anomaly

¨ Provides reliable backup voice capability for cockpit/crew

¨ Notification provided to NORAD of communications failure, not hijacking

Aircraft Emergency – System Failure

¨ Pilot initiated transmission of audio and flight data may EGOC to assess situation independent of pilot and assist in resolution of malfunction

¨ CVR and FDR information stored on ground

¨ Provides another trained set of eyes in event of in-air anomaly resolution

¨ Earlier access to CVR/FDR information in investigation

¨ Independent data point in system failure analysis

Implementation Plan

A proposal is being submitted to the Federal Aviation Administration outlining a low risk approach to expedite implementing this essential communications capability for emergency real-time monitoring of cockpit audio and flight data. The proposed plan is focused on close collaboration between the Federal Aviation Administration, NORAD, NTSB, other Government emergency response authorities, the pilots, the airlines, and the Iridium Team. The purpose of this effort is to maximize the amount of essential operational input from the users and to expedite the implementation of this important capability to support FAA and NORAD.

The proposal outlines three distinct phases:

· Systems requirements definition and critical design review – a quick collaboration definition of system design and test program

· Proof of Concept (POC) demonstration – validate technical and operational performance of the system

· System implementation plan for Initial Operations Deployment (IOD) – joint development of “fleet” system implementation plan and cost to implement

The proof of concept demonstration can begin immediately. The initial operations deployment planning phase is expected to take 150 days to complete. Fleet deployment would begin shortly thereafter. Specific operational deployment hardware and communications pricing will be developed as part of the IOD planning phase as the requirements are defined. However, it is estimated that the system in a full deployment phase will cost less than $50,000 per aircraft for the hardware. Ensuring safe and secure air travel is not only critical to public safety but is important to the long-term success of the US aviation industry and economy. A communications system such as the Iridium Aviation Security Communications System is essential to fulfilling this mission.

Improved Aviation Security and Effectiveness Can Happen Now!

· The off-the-shelf capability to provide real-time access to cockpit voice and flight data recorder information currently exists;

· The Iridium global communications network is commercially available and is supporting commercial, DoD and Government customers;

· Aircraft communications hardware is FAA certified and commercially available;

· The system requires minor modification and can be quickly implemented on commercial aircraft;

· Iridium’s ability to maintain uninterrupted, continuous communications with aircraft make it more reliable than traditional airborne radio systems; and

· Recommend the FAA sponsor this Proof of Concept and Initial Operations Deployment proposal to validate capability for implementation on commercial airliners.