The focus on efficient, green operations at European airports has led to the development of more flexible arrival and departure routes which take advantage of the satellite-based navigation capability on board modern aircraft. This solution refers to the use of curved procedures enabled by advanced required navigation performance (RNP) with a transition to ILS/GLS. This allows aircraft to follow new approach paths, for example to avoid noise emissions over populated areas, reduce track miles, and add new flight paths, while also achieving ILS landing guidance to low-minima of 200 ft and below.
Modern flight management systems have the ability to fly a repeatable curved trajectory, known as radius-to-fix (RF), which some airports are adding to their arrival and departure procedures. SESAR has worked on the introduction of these turns by supporting the design of new procedures that connect the route structure to the final approach path. Final approach guidance may be provided by existing ILS, but for GBAS-equipped airports they may also be provided by new ground-based augmentation system (GBAS) landing systems (GLS), using constellations such as Galileo. Flight trials were carried out to validate new arrival procedures based on the use of different glide path angles for two arriving aircraft aiming at different touchdown zones on the runway to reduce the risk of wake encounter.
The exercise sets out to confirm the operational feasibility of the procedure, including its impact on the situational awareness of controllers and pilots. This solution is available for industrialisation and is implemented in Cyprus, Denmark, Ireland, Israel, Montenegro, Norway, Serbia , Switzerland
SJU references: #09/Release 5
Benefits
- Improved fuel efficiency
- Increased runway throughput (GBAS)
- Enhanced safety
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