Automated Data Capture System To Track GA Airplanes

An FBO and flight school located in central Florida says it is installing an automated flight data capture and analysis system that also incorporates a cockpit voice recorder system in its GA airplanes. Sunrise Aviation in Ormond Beach, FL says it has already installed the Wi-Flight system in one of their 40 training aircraft, which it will expand to 3 aircraft during a short evaluation period. Later, Sunrise Aviation expects to install the Wi-Flight system in all of their single-engine aircraft, a fleet of over 30 airplanes based at Ormond Beach.

Ramp At Sunrise Aviation

The Wi-Flight flight data recorder system is a combination cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder that sits atop the airplane glareshield and automatically records, uploads to the Internet, and analyzes the data from each flight. Wi-Flight will email Sunrise Aviation whenever a flight exceeds school set safety parameters including low-level flights, flights in unauthorized airspace, or even hard landings. Wi-flight’s playback features will also allow flight instructors and students to review each flight visually through the use of Google Earth 3-D simulations. The audio features of Wi-Flight will permit playback not only of each radio transmission to air traffic control but will include all crew intercom communication and ambient noise as well. 

Devon Dorato, Chief Pilot at Sunrise Aviation, said "the Wi-Flight flight data recorder will not only add an element of safety to our flight program, but will also enhance our flight training  capabilities."

Pascal Gosselin, President of General Aviation Safety Network and makers of the Wi-Flight system, commented that “We are delighted to have Sunrise Aviation evaluate Wi-Flight for fleet-wide deployment. Wi-Flight's full automated flight capture, upload and analysis were tailored exactly for the type of mixed fleet operations of larger flight schools such as Sunrise."  

The Wi-flight system consists of a mobile smart phone which serves as a wireless flight data recorder. That flight data recorder automatically records GPS position and accepts audio input for the entire flight. When the flight ends, the device uploads the data to the Internet via the nearest Wi-Fi network for analysis by the Wi-Flight servers. Sunrise Aviation already has a wireless Internet system in place and will optimize that system for better uploading on their parking ramp at the Ormond Beach Municipal Airport in Florida.

Flights instructors, students and management will be able to view browser-based Internet playbacks to “view” their flights using Goggle Earth 3-D that features both cockpit and chase plane simulated views. Streaming audio from the radio, intercom and ambient noise will be available with the simulated view. Instructors will be able to view how well the student executed each maneuver. Students can login at home and review each flight at their convenience. All students, but especially those from non-English speaking countries, will be able to listen as often as they like to their own communications with air traffic controllers.

"Sunrise's evaluation of Wi-Flight begins as we have just released a powerful new flight playback and analysis interface," Gosslin said.

FMI: www.flysunriseaviation.com, www.wi-flight.net