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Alpine Helicopters is upgrading its helicopter fleet with Skytrac Systems’ ISAT-200A Iridium satcom system with push-to-talk capability. The 39-helicopter fleet includes 15 Bell 212s, 14 Bell 407s, seven Bell 206Ls, one Bell 412, and two Airbus AS350s used for forestry, mining, heli-skiing, and firefighting missions.
The Skytrac system enables communication via the Iridium satellite network as well as flight following and transmission of flight data. Push-to-talk functionality helps flight and ground crew communicate where VHF radio coverage is unavailable. Alpine Helicopters tested this capability in British Columbia and Alberta, Canada, and is exploring expanding its use for forestry and firefighting operations.
“As an operator always looking to improve safety and efficiency, we’re excited to roll out the ISAT-200A across our fleet,” said director of operations Scott Hayward. “We wanted a scalable, reliable solution backed by local expertise, and Skytrac’s support throughout installation and troubleshooting has been invaluable.”