Blue Sky Network announced its newly launched ultra-portable D410A flight-following and messaging transceiver will operate on its first flight spanning two continents. Despite its small form factor, the Iridium satellite-powered D410A will capably track the location of a jet traveling from Brazil to the United States on January 6th, 2010, and allow them to communicate with ground staff throughout the trip.

The D410A will allow an Embraer Phenom 100 to stay in touch via regular GPS reports and two-way texting capabilities. Beyond these basic flight tracking features, the D410A is unique in that it charts an aircraft’s location and facilitates web-based message transmission via Blue Sky’s SkyRouter web portal. The public will be able to follow this trip in real time from any computer with an Internet connection at Blue Sky Network’s website, where they will also be able to track the progress of the flight over the next several days. Traditionally, flight tracking and communication devices are cumbersome to move and difficult to install or transfer between aircraft. And with relatively hefty price tags, many aviation fleet managers understandably prefer to use flight trackers on multiple planes or helicopters. The D410A is sized and priced specifically for this situation. At less than six ounces with an affordable price point, the device can be easily carried on to small planes or helicopters, and powers on with the push of a button, eliminating the hassle of complicated deployments while offering superior tracking over the renowned Iridium network.