FAA Approves Iridium for Safety Services

The Iridium satcom system received FAA approval for use as an Aeronautical Mobile Satellite (Route) Service so operators can use Iridium systems for over-ocean critical ATC communications. Iridium’s advantages over other communications systems include much lighter weight, lower power needs and coverage over the Earth’s poles. The FAA approval means that Iridium satcom can be used for Future Air Navigation System (Fans) 1/A communications. While the FAA has approved Iridium for this use, other air navigation service providers will have to remove restrictions on Fans 1A over Iridium (FOI), and the FAA has said that it will help with this process. FOI will also be useful for ADS-C (contract) reduced oceanic separation operations.