Inmarsat Available to Purchase

A Conference and Exhibition to mark the 10th anniversary of Inmarsat has coincided this year with the beginning of voice and data services on a commercial scale to the aeronautical community. Many interesting aviation subjects were featured including future scenarios, the potential width of applications, international co‐operation and future air traffic control. From IATA, the point was made that in the next decade the airline industry will be making a great leap forward in comprehensive global communications. It is envisaged that there will be about 50% more aircraft in airline service by the year 2000. The problem of crowded skies and airports is most acute in North America, Europe and the Asia/Pacific region and satellite communications will play an important part in helping to solve this problem in the future. The limitations of HF and to some extent VHF communications, are well known and these will be relieved by the use of satellites and IATA looks forward to international co‐operation to fully develop navigation, air traffic control and other communications facilities.