Blue Sky Network Steps up to Better Serve Department of Interior Contractors Flying in Alaska

Responding to new DOI requirements, Blue Sky Network’s new plan customized to meet the flying schedules and financial needs of Alaskan pilots

LA JOLLA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Blue Sky Network, a leading, global provider of satellite tracking and communication solutions for land, sea, and aviation, announced last week that it was creating a new service, software, and hardware plan designed specifically for pilots flying for the Department of Interior (DOI) in Alaska. As of May 1, 2011, the DOI requires that all aircraft flying any DOI personnel or cargo be equipped with Iridium satellite tracking solutions. The DOI requires Iridium as they are the only satellite provider proven to deliver consistent coverage throughout Alaska.

“When we heard about this new requirement, we realized that a specialized service plan was in order as many of the pilots affected are independents or owner/operators. We wanted to make sure they did not have to settle.”

As a Tier One partner of Iridium, US based Blue Sky Network (BSN) has created a flexible and custom plan for people flying as DOI contractors in Alaska. Because most Alaskan pilots only fly for a few months out of the year, BSN created the "Alaskan DOI Response Plan" for service. With this plan, pilots choose six months when they want service to be active and BSN will suspend and hold their place until they’re ready to reactivate.

“We have been providing Iridium satellite tracking solutions to pilots and companies in Alaska for nearly 10 years,” says Blue Sky Network CEO Jon Gilbert. “When we heard about this new requirement, we realized that a specialized service plan was in order as many of the pilots affected are independents or owner/operators. We wanted to make sure they did not have to settle.”

The Blue Sky Network plan is offering flyers a complete hardware, software, and service solution that will help them conform to the new DOI contract, which requires the following:

• reporting data must be sent at a minimum interval of two minutes
• communication must be sent by the pilot, prior to take-off, that tracking is operational
• the solution must be powered by the aircraft’s electrical system
• the solution must be compatible with the US Government’s Webtracker platform

The Alaska DOI Response Plan includes SkyRouter—Blue Sky Network’s pioneering tracking portal. SkyRouter not only enables viewing and transmission of near-real-time tracking data, but it also can help pilots and aircraft owners realize additional business benefits by tracking everything from landing speeds to altitudes to hours of operation.

For more information on Blue Sky Network’s DOI plan, visit: www.blueskynetwork.com/alaska.

About Blue Sky Network

Blue Sky Network is a leading global provider of voice and data services via the Iridium satellite network. Our aviation, marine and vehicle products for GPS tracking, real time flight tracking and fleet management provide reliable fleet tracking and communication services. Blue Sky Network’s solutions serve the Aviation, Oil and Gas, Government, Forestry, Mining, Supply Chain Management and Intermodal Transportation markets. Founded in 2001, Blue Sky Network is headquartered in La Jolla, California with customers and distributors worldwide. For more information about our company and solutions, visit the Blue Sky Network website at www.blueskynetwork.com.