The International Communications Union (ITU) is to develop standards to facilitate the transmission of flight data in real time in the wake of the mysterious disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 in March, this year.
This also followed a call by Ahmad Shabery Cheek, Malaysian Minister for Communications and Multimedia.
Under the plan, ITU and the Government of Malaysia will organise an Expert Dialogue on Real-time Monitoring of Flight Data, including the Black Box – the need for international Standards in the Age of Cloud Computing and Big Data from May 26-27, 2014, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, according to the UN specialised agency for the global ICT industry.
The event, to be hosted by the Malaysian government, will provide a complex investigation into the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 which departed Kuala Lumpur, March 8, 2014.The difficulties surrounding the search for the aircraft has highlighted the need to improve the identification and tracking of commercial aircraft in flight, according to experts.
Information and Communication Technology (ICT) have been identified as a potent tool that can aid the safe and efficient operations of flights. Modern technology solutions could aid in monitoring the location of aircraft, thereby improving the efficiency with which authorities launch rescue efforts in emergency situations, according to ITU
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the families affected by the deeply troubling disappearance of flight MH370,” Hamadoun I. Touré, ITU Secretary-General said. “As the multi-nation search for the missing aircraft continues, we must undertake immediate steps at the international level to increase efficiency in the tracking of aircraft. This event will serve to accelerate on-going efforts to achieve consensus on real-time tracking solutions for the aviation industry.”
Also commenting, Ahmad Shabery Cheek, Malaysian Minister for Communications and Multimedia adds that, “Malaysia wishes to contribute towards this international effort to find solutions to track commercial aircraft in real-time and we are confident that this will ultimately result in a concrete outcome. We are still searching for MH370 more than seven weeks after the disappearance of the aircraft. This work may not help us locate our aircraft or its black boxes; but we hope that with these measures, no other country, people or family will ever have to go through what we are now enduring.”
Invitees to the event will include representatives from ICT solution providers, airlines, international organisations, satellite and avionics companies, terrestrial solution providers and governments.
Home