Most people are familiar with the “black box”, the near indestructible sealed recording device that assists investigators in determining the cause(s) of an aircraft accident. What isn’t as well known is that not only are black boxes not the complete solution, by their very nature they are designed to indicate problems AFTER they have already occurred – much too late to help the pilots and passengers. In cases such as the Air France Flight 447 disaster earlier this year, the airplane’s black boxes sank to the ocean floor and have never been recovered; despite a massive search the cause of that terrible tragedy remains somewhat of a mystery. It’s obvious that a real-time counterpart to traditional black boxes is needed and Star Navigation has answered the call.

Star Navigation’s In Flight Monitoring Service first introduced in 2005, was a quantum leap ahead in aerospace safety and monitoring technology. It performed all the functions of black boxes while providing current information to pilots and ground controllers, giving the ability to note any anomalies and to nip problems in the bud. The improved STAR-ISMS™ In Flight Safety Monitoring System provides both real-time and after-landing reports, intelligent flight data transmission, plus more detailed live flight data alerts through the efficient use of leading edge satellite-based technology.

One of the main features of the new STAR-ISMS™ is its built in GPS tracking software built-in GPS tracking software that enables more accurate tracking of an equipped airplane to the last known latitude, and longitude. It also boasts improved accuracy and the ability to instantly provide an aircraft’s exact altitude, heading and airspeed.

The essential avionics and diagnostic information collected by the STAR-ISMS™ is transmitted at operator defined intervals or triggered events, via satellite, to ground-based installations in real time regardless of weather conditions. As well, Star’s on-board hardware and software will independently analyze all selected incoming sensor & systems data and compare it with normal parameters – any deviation is noted and an alert is sent out if necessary. In the event of multiple failures, the automated “Mayday” feature commences an immediate “data dump”, sending as much information as bandwidth will allow. It can be said that STAR-ISMS™ opens a “virtual window” into the in-flight operation of a commercial aircraft.

The utility of the improved STAR-ISMS™ doesn’t end once a plane has landed. All monitored in-flight data is recorded and stored for later review, and detailed reports are automatically generated, providing operators with useful information that can be used to streamline procedures and institute economies on future flights. These detailed reports are created mere minutes after an aircraft lands. One especially noteworthy feature of the STAR-ISMS™ is that the information it notes and records can be used by airline ground crews to plan maintenance scheduling, monitor aging equipment, even predict the possibility of hardcore failure due to material stress and fatigue. In effect, the STAR-ISMS™ acts as an “early warning system” for a host of potentially catastrophic equipment failures while reducing the frequency of expensive and time-consuming unscheduled maintenance and passenger delays.

Star Navigation has never been content to rest on its laurels and the Company continues to develop future applications for this valuable technology. With that in mind, the STAR-ISMS™ has been designed to be fully upgradable so that operators can improve their safety and monitoring capabilities while boosting operational efficiencies.

While the next-generation safety and monitoring technology featured in the STAR-ISMS™ In Flight Safety Monitoring System is not meant to replace airline black boxes, its use alongside them adds an extra level of safety that can be counted on to save time, money, and most importantly lives.

The STAR-ISMS™ In Flight Safety Monitoring System uses proprietary, patented Canadian technology and Star owns the exclusive world-wide license to this technology. Certified by Transport Canada and the Federal Aviation Administration, STAR-ISMS™ has been extensively tested and fully developed during normal commercial aviation settings and is now ready for deployment on the world’s aviation fleets!