Flight Services Can Automatically Monitor GA Flights, Initiate SAR Efforts Sooner

New updates to the Lockheed Martin Flight Services (LMFS) automation system and Pilot Web Portal will make general aviation safer and more convenient - at no cost to pilots.  The Surveillance-Enhanced Search and Rescue service (SE-SAR) allows LMFS to automatically monitor flights and determine if aircraft stop moving, stop reporting their position, or transmit an emergency signal. As a result, the system is able to initiate search and rescue procedures with more precision and speed than previously possible. SE-SAR is available for use with SpiderTracks GPS position reporting devices registered on the Pilot Web Portal. The service will expand to other position reporting devices and automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast equipped aircraft in the near future.

SE-SAR is the second major safety enhancement recently deployed by LMFS. In October 2012, LMFS deployed the Adverse Condition Alerting Service (ACAS). The ACAS alerts pilots to critical safety conditions that arise after they have been briefed and filed a flight plan.  Enhancements to the LMFS Pilot Web Portal now allow pilots to review and acknowledge the adverse conditions without having to call LMFS.

Other new capabilities on the LMFS Pilot Web Portal include integration of graphics into briefings and the ability to activate flight plans without having to call LMFS. In addition, LMFS has released a set of free interfaces that allow suppliers of popular, mobile flight planning apps to provide access to SE-SAR, ACAS, and other LMFS-unique capabilities directly from their apps.

"Lockheed Martin is committed to improving safety, efficiency, and convenience for the general aviation community," said Jim Derr, director of Lockheed Martin Flight Services. "Look for more features later this year including our Next Generation Briefing capability that includes automatic summarization of text-intensive information and enhanced graphics that help pilots understand their briefings faster."

FMI: www.lmfsweb.afss.com