Contents

1. Letter to the Editor
2. Aeronautical Mobile Satellite (Route) Services Update
3. Latitude Technologies Provides Satcoms for Fixed-Wing Aircraft and Helicopters
4. L2 Completes Certification of ICG Iridium Satcom for Major Carrier
5. Avidyne Adds European Approvals for Iridium Satcom Solutions
6. Visit HTML Link
7. Download PDF Version

Letter to the Editor

Here is the latest news from Iridium for the aeronautical satcom marketplace. I hope you will find these announcements timely and newsworthy for your readers. If you would like to follow up on any of these stories, please contact me, Liz DeCastro (liz.decastro@iridium.com), or Jina Gaines (jgaines@rhodescomm.com), and we'll be happy to set up an interview, send additional information or supply press-quality photos.

As you can see from the stories below, Iridium continues to gain traction across all sectors of the aeronautical satcom market, including commercial carriers, general aviation and helicopters. Our success is largely driven by innovative solutions our Service Partners are developing and bringing to market. Buoyed by strong end-of-year financial results, we are continuing work on the planned combination with GHL Acquisition Corp. (AMEX: GHQ), and we are on schedule for the development of our Iridium NEXT replacement constellation.

Sincerely,
Liz DeCastro Director,
Corporate Communications
Iridium Satellite LLC

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Aeronautical Mobile Satellite (Route) Services Update

The Radio-Technical Commission for Aeronautics (RTCA) Special Committee 215 (SC-215) has finalized key documents to facilitate evaluation and approval of Iridiumbased critical safety communications for air carriers on transoceanic flights. The RTCA has already published DO-262, Revision A, Minimum Operational Performance Standards (MOPS) for Avionics Supporting Next-Generation Satellite Systems (NGSS) which includes system-specific standards for Iridium Aeronautical Mobile Satellite (Route) Services (AMS®S). Moreover, SC-215 submitted a second standards document, the Iridium Satellite System-Specific Attachment to DO-270, Minimum Aviation System Performance Standards (MASPS) for the AMS®S as Used in Aeronautical Data Links, to the RTCA Program Management Committee (PMC) for adoption at its April meeting. The publication of these two documents is expected to lead to a corresponding Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Technical Standard Order (TSO) with guidance for Iridium avionics.

"Iridium is the only mobile satellite service that provides reliable coverage over the Polar routes used by aircraft on international flights," said Don Thoma, executive vice president, Marketing, Iridium. "The RTCA approvals represent an important step toward deployment of approved Iridium equipment for AMS®S safety services in these high-traffic critical air lanes."

RTCA, Inc. (www.rtca.org) is a private, not-for-profit corporation that develops consensusbased recommendations regarding communications, navigation, surveillance and air traffic management (CNS/ATM) system issues. RTCA functions as a federal advisory committee. The FAA uses its recommendations as the basis for policy, program and regulatory decisions, and the private sector as the basis for development, investment and other business decisions.

The RTCA established SC-215 in 2007 to develop system-specific materials for Iridium Satellite in accordance with the DO-262 MOPS and DO-270 MASPS. The RTCA work followed the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) approval of Iridium-specific materials demonstrating compliance with the revised AMS®S Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) adopted by the ICAO in late 2007.

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Latitude Technologies Provides Satcoms for Fixed-Wing Aircraft and Helicopters

Ornge, a leading Canadian medical transport company, has selected Latitude Technologies to provide Iridium services as well as telephone and flight-tracking equipment for Ornge's fleet of Pilatus PC-12 aircraft. Latitude Technologies will outfit the aircraft with its SkyNode S200-021 dual-channel Iridium transceivers. Each aircraft will have multiple command terminals located in the medical cabin as well as on the flight deck. The system will provide flight tracking, text messaging and telematics data capture and transmission. Latitude already supports Ornge's leased fleet of 11 Sikorsky S76A helicopters and four King Air 200 turboprops with SkyNode S200 equipment and LWS Sentinel™ data management devices. Ornge operates in Canada from more than 20 bases across the province of Ontario and completes approximately 18,000 admissions annually.

TEMSCO Helicopters, an Alaska-based helicopter operator, has also announced plans to refit its entire fleet of more than 50 small- and large-payload helicopters with Latitude's SkyNode S200-021 Iridium satcom equipment for voice and flightfollowing services. Latitude is supplying a full communication package that includes satellite airtime and secure network interface with Latitude's LWS Sentinel™ location and telematics data management system. TEMSCO Helicopters is based in Ketchikan, Alaska, and operates year round from five bases in Alaska and one in Texas.

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L2 Completes Certification of ICG Iridium Satcom for Major Carrier

L2 Consulting Services, Inc., announced that it has successfully certified an International Communications Group (ICG) NxtLink series ICS-220A Iridium satcom system on a B737NG aircraft for a major U.S. carrier. The system allows voice and Aircraft Communication Addressing and Reporting System (ACARS) operations beyond line-of-sight VHF coverage. The Supplemental Type Certificate was certified for both the NxtLink ICS-120A single-channel and ICS-220A dual-channel transceiver. The ICS-220A is a comprehensive communication system that provides the flight crew with a dedicated datalink channel to support ACARS, Future Air Navigation Systems (FANS) messaging, Controller Pilot Data Link Communications (CPDLC) and an exclusive global voice channel. L2 currently holds existing Iridium certifications on B737, B757, B767 and B747 aircraft.

In related news, ICG has received Parts Manufacturer Authority (PMA) for the NxtLink ICS-120A and ICS-220A. The approval also covers the Configuration Identity Module (CIM) associated with both devices. PMA manufacturers are licensed by the FAA to produce replacement parts for aircraft to be used in place of original sourced or issued parts. PMA manufacturers must meet FAA requirements for the way the part is designed, tested, approved, manufactured, documented and sold.

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Avidyne Adds European Approvals for Iridium Satcom Solutions

Avidyne Corporation, a provider of integrated flight deck and safety systems for general aviation aircraft, has received approval from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) for installation of the MLX770 Iridium datalink transceiver into pressurized aircraft in Europe. EASA had previously approved the MLX770 for installation in unpressurized metal and composite aircraft in Europe. With the new EASA approvals, Avidyne can now install the MLX770 systems on virtually any Part 23 aircraft. The FAA has also issued a Supplemental Type Certificate approval with an Approved Model List covering over 700 aircraft models.

The MLX770 offers comprehensive worldwide datalink weather services to the general aviation markets, and is initially designed to interface with Avidyne's EX500 and Entegra systems. Avidyne is also working with third-party integrators to develop interface compatibility for future installations in Part 25 twin turbo-prop and turbo-fan jets.

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