Historical Background
Shortly after the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, a special Multidisciplinary Meeting on Global Flight Tracking (MMGFT) was convened at the ICAO Headquarters in Montréal, Canada, to propose recommendations for future actions. One of the main decisions taken was the need for operators to pursue global tracking of airline flights at a faster pace.
The Global Aeronautical Distress and Safety System (GADSS) concept of operations was initiated at this meeting. The GADSS concept describes in an evolutionary manner the execution of actions in short, medium, and long terms with each action resulting in benefits. The first steps in implementing the GADSS can be taken in the short term by implementing the Aircraft Tracking solutions as proposed by the Industry-led Aircraft Tracking Task Force (ATTF) for commercial air transport and by addressing the areas of improvement identified in the GADSS Document.
During the second High-Level Safety Conference (HLSC) in February 2015, the delegates supported the GADSS concepts of operations and called upon the ICAO to lead the conduct of a Normal Aircraft Tracking Implementation Initiative (NATII) using existing technologies. A NATII Steering Committee, with global participation, was formed, and the Asia Pacific Region was selected as a representative area of operations for the initiative.
With the cooperation of
numerous industry, regulatory, and other interested stakeholders who formed the
GADSS Advisory Group, the different elements of the original GADSS concept were
further refined, developed, and implemented. The full system now in place is
explained Here.
Aircraft Tracking News!
| Date | Event |
2 - 5 February 2015
| The Second ICAO High-Level Safety Conference (HLSC 2015)
[Presentation] [Working Papers]
|
| 12 June 2015 | Global Aeronautical Distress & Safety System (GADSS) concept of operations by the Adhoc Working Group on Aircraft Tracking [Report] |
| 1 September 2015 | Normal Tracking Implementation Initiative (NATII) update
[Report] [Australian Enhanced Flight Tracking Evaluation] |
| March 2016 | ICAO Council adoption of GADSS-related provisions for aircraft tracking and location of an aeroplane in distress.
|
2017
| Additional complementary
Standards related to the practical implementation of aircraft tracking adopted.
|
2018
| Aircraft tracking amendment
to Annex 6, Part I becomes applicable.
OPS Control Directory
established providing operational contact details for Operators and ANSPs.
|
2019
| Initial development of the
functional specifications for the Location of an Aircraft in Distress
Repository (LADR).
|
2020
| LADR proof of concept
workshop using prototype system.
|
2021
| Operator provisions
relating to GADSS adopted into PANS-OPS, covering the need for the establishment of
monitoring and training for operators.
|
2022
| Eurocontrol identified as
the developer and host of the ICAO LADR
Benin identified as the
developer and host of a Satellite LADR system
|
2023
| LADR Phase I development
completed for pre-operational testing.
|
2024
| LADR was launched on 25 June 2024. |
