On Friday, Aug. 11, 2017, Aireon hosted a group of ATCA’s Young Aviation Professionals (YAP) at Aireon’s headquarters, in McLean, Va. YAP is an organization that is near and dear to Aireon’s heart, and is dedicated to developing the aviation industry’s newest leaders. YAP focuses on career development and empowerment through providing knowledge and exposure to key industry influencers.
The day kicked off at Aireon’s headquarters, with a lunch-and-learn session where attendees were treated to presentations from Aireon Chief Technology Officer, Vinny Capezzuto, Aireon Software Engineering Manager, Andy Hoag and Leidos Air Traffic Management Systems Architect, Bob Heligman. Presentation highlights included an in-depth review of how Aireon’s space-based Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) technology works, the importance of its adoption and the impact it will make on the aviation industry. The team also dove into the data that is currently being collected by the thirteen in-orbit AireonSM payloads.
Attendees saw how diverse the ADS-B equipped aircraft landscape really is, and were exposed to the “creative side” of how some operators choose their FlightIDs (If the owner of BITEME or FOLLOWME2 is reading this, we can see you!).
“Great presentation and great afternoon overall! Thanks to you and your team for putting it together. Aireon and Iridium have a bright future!”
– Steve Wright, Director of Military and UAS Programs, ATAC Aviation Analysis Experts
After the lunch and learn, the group headed to Iridium’s Satellite Network Operating Center (SNOC) in Leesburg, Virginia, where Aireon’s Hosted Payload Operations Center (HPOC) is also located. YAP members toured the facility and saw where Iridium® satellites and Aireon payloads are managed. Tours were guided by industry veterans who shared many stories, tricks of the trade, the high points of their careers, and even some of the more nerve wracking moments that come with the territory of operating the world’s largest commercial, global satellite network.
Overall, the day was a great success, and Aireon looks forward to working with YAP again in the future!
