Flying more efficient routes
Equipped to fly to within an accuracy of one nautical mile (NM), modern aircraft have the capability to follow very flexible routes, for example reducing noise impact on populated areas and easing bottlenecks. This navigation capability is especially useful in busy terminal airspace, where the increased accuracy allows more approach paths, which can release capacity, reduce holding and cut emissions.
Introducing precision area navigation (P-RNAV) procedures improves the design and organisation of the airspace allowing the aircraft’s on-board navigation system to fly optimised flight paths.
P-RNAV supports more efficient continuous descent approaches and continuous climb departures in place of traditional stepped flight profiles issued by a controller. P-RNAV also supports curved approach paths which can avoid complex interaction between inbound and outbound traffic, heavily populated areas, and can reduce track miles for inbound aircraft.
SESAR partners carried out real-time simulations of P-RNAV implementation, where the new approach paths were introduced to reduce congestion experienced with existing arrival streams. P-RNAV procedures were integrated with conventional routes, resulting in a reduction of airborne holding time enabled by the path-stretching possibilities offered by the new route structure.
P-RNAV procedures can deliver reductions in fuel burn and emissions as they allow increased possibilities for strategic route de-confliction, which enable smooth, low fuel consumption continuous descent and climb operations
The validation site used is representative of many high- density terminal airspace encountered elsewhere in Europe, where the introduction of P-RNAV procedures offer the possibility of reducing fuel consumption and environmental impact as a result of the increased flexibility in airspace design, which allows strategic de-confliction of routes that enable better climb and descent profiles.
The solution is implemented in the following countries: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Latvia, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Turkey, and Ukraine
SJU references: #62/Release 1
Benefits
- Enhanced safety thanks to better precision
- Reduced fuel burn and emissions
- Improved air navigation service provision
Datapack
OSED 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - Annex