Satcom Direct, a premier satellite communications company, has augmented its bundled aviation communications service, FlightDeck Freedom, or “FDF,” by adding new features such as new aircraft availability, flight tracking and compatibility with flight planning systems.

 

In 2007, Satcom Direct launched FDF service, which is a datalink service that provides aircraft operators access to a menu of flight information content that includes pre-departure clearances, or “PDC,” digital ATIS (News - Alert), or “DATIS,” text and graphical weather, flight plans, flight tracking and text messaging - provided by company’s partners Universal Weather, Skyplan and Air Routing International. 

 

According to Jim Jensen, founder and owner of Satcom Direct, FDF is a revolution in bundled aviation communications, thereby facilitating in the management of a complete range of satcom options - all in a single package.

 

Utilizing SITA VHF, Inmarsat (News - Alert) and Iridium data networks, the FDF is already providing support for Honeywell AFIS, Rockwell Collins RIU/CMU-4000, Teledyne Controls Telelink, and Universal Avionics Unilink.

 

With the addition of new features, the FDF service now supports Primus Epic-equipped aircraft, making it compatible with most datalink avionics used now-a-days on business aircraft, company officials said.

 

Additionally, the FDF is now compatible with multiple flight planning systems, such as Air Routing International, FltPlan.com, Jeppesen and Universal Weather.

 

The integration of FDF service with company’s new SD Flight Tracker, a flight tracking system, provides customers with the capability to track aircraft globally as well as monitor aircraft and datalink systems.

 

Satcom Direct’s FDF service also supports flight deck communications and transmits flight-critical data to the flight crew, such as PDCs, DATIS, oceanic clearances, current airport weather and graphical weather and flight plan routes.

 

With this, even dispatchers and maintenance personnel can monitor the aircraft through automated takeoff and landing reports, e-mail messages to and from the aircraft, and can also see aircraft position at any time with the help of SD Flight Tracker system.

 

Moreover, flight crews can also have direct access to cabin and satellite network monitoring and performance tools while en route leveraging new FDF service, Satcom Direct said.

 

“FDF gives our customers options, such as freedom of trip planner, compatibility with their entire fleet, and fixed datalink costs regardless of the network used,” Jensen said.  “Our new additions allow our customers to bundle FDF and flight planning from Air Routing or Jeppesen in one convenient, cost-effective package and makes FDF the only datalink service compatible with FltPlan.com.”