why doesn't every airliner have one? or something like it? NPRM - every airliner will have a GPS locator.....of course the real far would be 10000 pages long describing every aspect of it. But really, my wife knows where I am every ten minutes, how is it that nobody knows where a 777 went? UPS can tell you the exact position of every one of its trucks at anytime, this isn't expensive technology anymore. just askin

good question

I think some do. Tracking flights on flightradar24.com, some operators can be tracked in real time (no delay) across the oceans. While others fall off the screen or an estimated position icon is shown when they leave the coast. It's bizarre in today's micro chipped world that some operators haven't kept up.

The ones that have real time tracking across the ocean are using ADS/B-C which becomes mandatory across most oceanic control areas at the end of next year. SPOT is a great idea as long as the crew has a place to plug it in so it is fully charged all the time. Those long range aircraft don't normally park overnight like an RJ does so the crew wont be able to take it to the hotel to recharge it. Not to mention getting it FAA approved for use in a 121 operation.

On a slight tangent this whole fiasco just shows how you are on your own if you go down in 75% of the world.

My wife asked the same question last night while watching the news. She likes being able to see where I am when I fly, why don't they have it. I suppose somebody could use "find my iPhone" to find the flight.

SAR over blue water is kind of wishful thinking. My co-pilot once asked me, while ferrying a Caravan to Africa over the ocean. "What happens if we lose the engine and go down?" "We die" I responded. The chances of a rescue before the elements get you in the ocean as slim to none, that is if you survive the impact/ditching.

Pp