Latitude SkyNode/Sentinel Tracking System Sanctioned by NAA for Global Circumnavigation Attempt
August 7, 2008Early this morning, N1US, an AgustaWestland A109 Grand Helicopter piloted by Scott Kasprowicz and Steve Sheik, lifted off from New York City on a flight around the world. The intrepid flight crew plans to complete the flight in a record-setting 14 days, substantially reducing the current record time for global circumnavigation by rotorcraft of 17 days, 6 hours, 14 minutes set in 1996. Earlier this year, the N1US broke the New York to Los Angeles transcontinental rotorcraft speed record with an all-inclusive flight time of 15 hours, 9 minutes, and 10 seconds. N1US is equipped with Latitude Technologies’ SkyNode® S200-021 satellite voice and tracking system to provide real-time tracking and reporting of position and status of the helicopter throughout the around-the-world flight.
As part of preparing N1US for the flight, Latitude Technologies President, Mark Insley, announced today that Latitude has received notice that the SkyNode S200-021 and the LWS Sentinel data management system have been sanctioned for the flight by the National Aeronautic Association (NAA), the exclusive authority for all US aviation record-setting activity. The SkyNode S200-021 and LWS Sentinel will be used for authenticating the AFF (automatic flight following) data that will be transmitted during the flight from N1US to NAA as well as to the N1US ground logistics team. In making the announcement, Mr. Insley commented, “We are very pleased at this recognition by NAA of the tracking accuracy and performance reliability of the SkyNode S200-021 and the Sentinel data management platform.” Insley also took the occasion to applaud the tremendous effort of the Grand Adventure Coordination Center (GACC) team in supporting this record-setting flight. “The flight-planning and ground logistics for this flight are complex and demand great precision.
Latitude is proud to be once again playing a role in helping N1US set an international aviation record.” Insley concluded with a heartfelt bon voyage, “On behalf of everyone at Latitude, I want to wish Scott and Steve a speedy and safe flight, and we look forward to welcoming them home in record-breaking time.”
About Latitude Technologies
Latitude Technologies Corporation, headquartered in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, is a leading global supplier of satellite telephone/tracking/messaging avionics. Our SkyNode® products are the smallest, lightest, most versatile, and most economical-to-operate aeronautical communication devices in the world. Latitude equipment communicates to both air and ground-based information systems, including our LWS Sentinel™ web-based mapping and data management platform. Customers trust Latitude to always deliver and maintain reliable communications solutions.
For more information about this historic flight or about LWS Sentinel and the SkyNode S200 family of voice and 2-way data communication devices, please contact:
Latitude Technologies Corporation
Tel: 888-966-5599, ext. 1
Email: info@latitudetech.com