Abstract: An aircraft monitoring system adapted for mounting in an aircraft and at a location independent of the aircraft for providing information related to aircraft location and/or the current state of the operation of the aircraft. The monitoring system includes an aircraft-tracking device and a server computer adapted for communicating with an aircraft owner/operator. The device includes a signal receiving antenna for receiving signals from a satellite positioning system and a decoder connected to the antenna for decoding the location position coordinates (GPS or GLONASS). Further, the aircraft-tracking device includes a microprocessor connected to the decoder and a two-way satellite communication transceiver. The transceiver is connected to a two-way radio communication antenna. The radio communication antenna receives and sends two-way satellite communications between a satellite communication system. The satellite communication system communicates with a ground-based satellite communication service.