Echo Flight adds Landsat 7 satellite terrain imagery to its portable Flight Cheetah multifunction displays

B OULDER, C OLORADO—Echo Flight, developer of the world's first satellite datalink for general aviation, today announced the incorporation of the high-resolution ImageMap USA Landsat image mosaic for the entire conterminous United States for its Flight Cheetah multifunction display. The addition of satellite land imagery again demonstrates Echo Flight's ability to bring to market technologies that will have a substantial impact on safety, yet remain affordable to every cockpit.

The Flight Cheetah MFD will allow pilots to overlay satellite land imagery providing a view of the terrain conditions below. Should an emergency happen in IFR conditions or at night and an airport is not within reach, the ability to separate areas of buildings and trees from fields could be a life-saving feature. The land data provided is for the entire United States between the years 1999-2001 and has a resolution of 30 meters. In addition, the Landsat data has been combined with terrain contour information to simulate a 3-D effect to enable the pilot to see areas that would be hilly as well. Landsat imagery will not be viewable in prohibited areas.

"The addition of Landsat terrain imagery will substantially improve situational awareness and safety to new highs in aviation," said Robert Kalberer, president of Echo Flight.

Echo Flight selected i-cubed of Fort Collins, Colorado, to provide the Landsat 7 satellite mosaic of the United States. "We are excited to partner with Echo Flight in offering this state-of-the-art application of our ImageMap USA Landsat mosaic to the aviation industry," said Russ Cowart, president of i-cubed.

The ImageMap USA data will be available Q1 2002 and will be available on the Echo Flight Flight Cheetah multifunction display as well as its software package for laptop use called EchoMap, which is priced at $1,195.

Echo Flight, Inc., located in Boulder, Colorado, is a developer of affordable satellite data communications to provide weather and messaging for mobile vehicles in the aviation, marine, and transportation markets. Echo Flight operates both as a content provider with Meterolgix (formerly DTN/Kavouras) weather and as a reseller of ORBCOMM services.

Information Integration & Imaging LLC (i-cubed) is the premier provider of innovative digital Earth imagery products and GIS systems engineering solutions for commercial applications. Its products range from nationwide satellite imagery and digital terrain to 3-D models of individual cities. i-cubed can be reached at 800/4SATDAT.