Mike W. Bryant
Northern News Services

NNSL (July 30/99) - Tom Faess, part-owner of Air Thelon Ltd, says that a recent accident involving one of his company's planes could have been a lot more serious had there not been an iridium phone present at the scene.

"After a recent aircraft incident in the Barrens, the presence and use of the iridium phone in a remote area was duly able to provide an emergency response that otherwise would have taken hours or possibly days without one," Faess said.

"It was able to soothe the passengers in the incident knowing that they had direct communication with civilization at their fingertips."

The Air Thelon plane was on a remote lake on the Barrens last week, chartering three wilderness photographers and a Great Canadian Ecotours guide when it struck a reefy peninsula jutting out from the lake while on its takeoff run.

After the accident, one of the passengers used his iridium phone to call Air Thelon base to organize a rescue.

"Because of the quick response, the passengers were so relaxed that shortly after the accident, they were laughing and in good spirits while the absence of the phone could have resulted in a panic situation," Faess said.

"With accidents in remote areas, the risk of shock can be greatly accented with the psychological condition of not having communication with the outside world and not knowing you'll be rescued.

"It is far superior than the required emergency locator transmitters currently in planes. Because of the success of the iridium phone, we at Air Thelon and Great Canadian Ecotours are mandating that all of our planes and guides will be carrying them in the future."

Pierre LePage, an iridium phone sales representative with Danmax Communications Ltd, says that iridium phones are the wave of the future.

"It's the first hand-held global phone," LePage said. "It has total ocean and global coverage.

"It operates by utilizing 66 low-orbit satellites that revolve on a polar orbit. Before it was a 27-pound briefcase that you had to aim at a satellite. Portability is the main feature. It fits right inside your parka.

"It's a recommendable devise to have when you're out on the field."