aircraft

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) plans to recommend new aircraft tracking measures to the United Nation’s International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) in September, following the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370.

ICAO said that a standard could be in place in two to three years.

IATA director general Tony Tyler was quoted by Reuters as saying that the individual airlines could implement the measures sooner than that.

"It is the sort of issue where before regulations actually start to bite, airlines will already have made arrangements, they aren’t going to wait," Tyler said.

"Looking further ahead, our ultimate goal is to predict the potential for accidents and ensure they don’t happen."

ICAO and IATA are working to carry out a survey of vendors to identify the options.

IATA said that the Aircraft Tracking Task Force (ATTF) will develop certain performance-based recommendations to enhance global aircraft tracking, providing airlines with various options to consider.

"Aviation stakeholders are united in their desire to ensure that we never face another situation where an aircraft simply disappears."

In the coming months, ATTF will carry out an assessment of available products and services used for tracking commercial aircraft, as well as defining a minimum set of requirements that a system should have.

The task force comprises representatives from IATA, ICAO, Airlines for America, Association of Asia Pacific Airlines, Civil Air Navigation Services Organization, Flight Safety Foundation, International Coordinating Council of Aerospace Industries Associations, International Federation of Air Line Pilots Associations.

ATTF also includes representatives from Boeing Commercial Airplanes, Airbus, Bombardier Aerospace, and Embraer Commercial Aviation.

IATA Safety and Flight Operations senior vice-president Kevin Hiatt said: "Aviation stakeholders are united in their desire to ensure that we never face another situation where an aircraft simply disappears.

"While states work through ICAO to develop and implement performance-based global standards as a mid-to-long-term solution, the industry is committed to moving forward with recommendations that airlines can implement now."

Image: ICAO and IATA are currently working to carry out a survey of vendors to identify the aircraft tracking options. Photo: courtesy of Suzanne T.

Defence Technology