Global satellite operator Inmarsat has selected an application that allows airlines to capture and transmit aircraft data in real-time as the first to be certified for its SB-S platform.

Inmarsat’s SB-S platform is a global aviation broadband solution launched last month. The application has been developed by FLYHT.

The selection is based on a certification granted to FLYHT’s Automated Flight Information Reporting System (AFIRS) by Inmarsat’s newly launched Aviation Certified Application Provider (CAP) programme, which includes a catalogue of connected safety and operations applications.

The certification was granted following a demonstration of AFIRS’s ability to stream large amounts of flight data in real-time from an aircraft to the ground using SB-S.

With the combination of AFIRS and SB-S, airlines will be able to capture and transmit aircraft data in real time, reduce turnaround times and receive essential information to support critical decision making for aircraft diversions.

It will also provide the airlines with an alternative way to access and use flight data traditionally recorded by physical devices aboard the aircraft in the form of Flight Data Recorders (FDR) and Quick Access Recorders (QAR).

“The official certification of FLYHT’s software, as the first application on the SB-S platform, signals a new era of cooperation between Inmarsat and FLYHT.”

By sending FDR and QAR to the ground in real time, operators can store data in a secure facility and location (Black Box in the Cloud), where it can be accessed instantly in case of an incident.

FLYHT will provide its UpTime Cloud user interface to Inmarsat as part of the arrangement.

The interface will provide airline operators with greater situational awareness of their planes through an Aircraft Situational Display.

Inmarsat Aviation Safety and Operational Services vice-president John Broughton said: “The official certification of FLYHT’s software, as the first application on the SB-S platform, signals a new era of cooperation between Inmarsat and FLYHT.

“Aircraft flying with SB-S will now be able to take full advantage of AFIRS’s services, enabling new capabilities such as Black Box in the Cloud. Partnerships like this are another example of how Inmarsat will be using the SB-S platform to deliver additional value to our aviation customers.”

The SB-S platform is currently being used by Hawaiian Airlines and is undergoing in-flight evaluations with United Airlines and Shenzhen Airlines.

Airbus has also selected the platform as a Light Cockpit Satcom (LCS) solution for use in its A320 and A330 families of aircraft.