Australia will take part in trials for a new aircraft tracking system designed to monitor planes more frequently.
The trial comes almost a year after Malaysia Airlines’ flight MH370 lost contact with ground control during a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing.
Since, crews have searched for the Boeing 77-200ER, which was carrying 227 passengers and 12 crew members.
The new system is designed to track aircraft more frequently and prevent another plane disappearance.
According to Australia’s Deputy Prime Minister Warren Truss, the new system will track planes flying over remote oceanic areas every 15 minutes. This is more frequent than the current 30 to 40 minute intervals.
Trials will be done alongside Indonesia and Malaysia Air Traffic Control providers and major airlines.
Mr Truss said the tragedy highlighted the importance of aircraft monitoring and expects the new system will give passengers more confidence in the aviation sector.
“This initiative adapts existing technology used by more than 90 per cent of long haul passenger aircraft and would see air traffic control respond more rapidly should an aircraft experience difficulty or an unexpected deviation from its flight plan.”
Warren Truss, Deputy Prime Minister
Trials will commence on long haul flights operating in airspace managed by Airservices. This covers around 11 percent of the world’s surface, ABC News reported.
The trial comes almost a year after M H370 went missing.
Airservices Australia’s Sir Angus Houston said the new system isn’t the final solution, but the first step towards improved aircraft tracking.
“Major airlines are also supporting this important safety initiative and have recognised the value in working collaboratively as part of a regional approach that will, ultimately, contribute to global action.”
Sir Angus Houston, Airservices Australia chairman
Malaysia Airlines’ MH370 disappeared on 8 March last year, with last contact made while it was flying over the South China Sea.
It disappeared from radar screens at 1.21am, however, Malaysian military radar tracked the plane and found it deviated off path, crossing the Malay Peninsula and over the Andaman Sea.
Current searches for the plane are taking place on the sea floor around 1,600 kilometres from Perth.
