Author_Institution :
Safety Intelligence Syst., Topanga, CA, USA
Abstract :
RAFT is a worldwide, real-time aircraft remote monitoring and recording system that takes an aircraft´s Digital Flight Data Recorder, DFDR, monitoring parameters out of an archival data base and plugs them into a safe, readily available, usable accident prevention system. RAFT combines the DFDR sensor data with the data from the Air Traffic Management/Control (ATRIIC) system along with GPS/GLONASS, Map, Terrain and Weather information to actively anticipate and prevent accidents. It ends the information vacuum created by the aircraft and the ATM/C where, presently, each of them, acting independently, don´t have sensors that directly measure the necessary parameters required to prevent a crash. By the sharing of the digital data, all of the necessary crash prevention parameters become visible and usable to actively anticipate and prevent accidents. Privileged non-safety related data is ciphered at the aircraft to insure air carrier confidentiality. In addition the global telemetry of the DFDR parameters allows aircraft monitored data to be simply and safely stored on the ground. Thus making it readily available for aircraft statistical analysis programs that enhance air carrier efficiency and safety. Also, in the advent of a crash, it provides a timely accurate global estimate of the downed aircraft´s location for search, recovery and hopefully rescue operations. It establishes an aircraft global data super highway that uses high bandwidth satellite and ground Internet communication links to supply the aircraft advisories necessary to enhance air space capacity, operational efficiency, security and substantially reduce accidents
Keywords :
Global Positioning System; air traffic control; avionics; computerised monitoring; ground support systems; real-time systems; recorders; telemetry; ATRIIC; GLONASS; GPS; RAFT; accident prevention system; accidents; advisory telemetry system; air carrier confidentiality; air space capacity; air traffic management/control; aircraft global data super highway; crash prevention parameters; digital flight data recorder monitoring parameters; global telemetry; ground Internet communication links; operational efficiency; real-time aircraft remote monitoring; remote aircraft flight recorder; security; statistical analysis programs; total digital avionics system; Air accidents; Air traffic control; Aircraft; Computer crashes; Condition monitoring; Digital recording; Real time systems; Remote monitoring; Road accidents; Telemetry;