With so much riding on the safety and performance of their helicopters, today’s operators aren’t satisfied with just knowing the real-time location of the aircraft. Guardian Mobility has a manageable and scalable answer to this need.
“They want a lot more information about their helicopter’s in-flight performance, operational health, and any incidents that occur in flight,” said Stephane Momy, Guardian Mobility’s chief operating officer. “They also need to obtain this data using small, lightweight technology, and analyze it using easy-to-understand tools.”
To fulfill this need, Guardian Mobility has released the compact G4ME in-flight tracking and reporting module. About the size of a thin paperback novel and weighing less than a pound, the G4ME provides global, real-time tracking, aircraft status and two-way messaging in an all-in-one device.
The G4ME’s built-in sensors detect various parameters such as rapid descent and hard landing. The unit also accepts inputs from systems such as a Loadcell and Bambi Bucket to detect the amount of water in the bucket. It will also record when the water drop begins and ends, and the amount of water dropped, among other items.
The in-flight data collected by the G4ME is transmitted via satellite to ground using the newest Iridium 9603N modem. This modem is compatible with the current and next-generation satellites, one that ensures a reliable world-wide connection for now and for a long time to come.
G4ME text messages sent to ground can keep flight operators apprised of their aircraft’s location, altitude, air speed, and overall condition–and are viewable in real time on any smartphone or tablet.
The G4ME supports two-way messaging between the ground and the aircraft. An available app allows flight operators to contact flight crews by text, using their own smartphone or tablet. Text messages are a safe and reliable method to notify the flight crew of conditions they need to know about. Conversely, the flight crew may send status updates. The flight crew can also select a MARK/ALERT button on their G4ME cockpit display, to send immediate positional information to the ground.
Helicopter operators wanting access to more in-flight data can select Guardian Mobility’s G7 flight data monitoring (FDM) box, which connects directly to the aircraft’s avionics and other buses, or the Flightcell DZMx that combines satellite, cellular and tracking into a small in-cockpit unit with a programmable LCD display.
“Whatever your requirements, acquiring and tracking in-flight data is a lot less expensive than you might think,” said Momy. “Even the smallest of operators should ask Guardian Mobility how we can make it work for you.”
