New EGNOS article in Airliner World magazine

European airlines are quickly upgrading their fleets to catch up with the rapid proliferation of the so called LPV approach procedures (Localizer Performance with Vertical guidance), which are now available at 214 airports across Europe as of August 2017. Since the EGNOS Safety of Life service declaration in 2011, an increasing number of procedures, which today account for a total of 371, has been relying on this technology to provide alternative means to ILS CAT-I approaches. Contrary to ILS, LPVs do not rely on any ground infrastructure at the aerodrome, which constitutes a significant advantage to medium size airports that cannot afford the installation or maintenance of these landing systems. LPVs represent also a great backup during ILS disruptions and a cost effective solution for secondary runway ends which are not served by precision approaches.

For these and other reasons, the implementation plans announced by the different European national air navigation service providers (ANSPs) estimate a total of nearly a thousand LPV procedures (APV-I and LPV200) by the end of 2020 (see map ). By then, according to a recent study by ESSP (the EGNOS Service Provider), 78% of all IATA flights in Europe will land at destinations with EGNOS-based procedures.

Beside these voluntary ANSP initiatives, the PBN Implementation in the European Air Traffic Management Network regulation to be released by EC in the coming months, complementing the Pilot Common Project (PCP), will request the publication of LPV procedures to all instrument runway ends not served by a precision approach by (tentatively) 2020, and to those served by precision approaches by 2024.

Given this steep trend in LPV publications, the upcoming regulation and the ILS rationalisation plans, like that already announced by France (30 ILSs removed to date), European operators are now taking into serious consideration this technology that is finally becoming available at their network of destinations.

This interest is reflected in the way airlines are increasingly ordering LPV (SBAS) functionality options for their new deliveries (forward-fits) - by means of Service Bulletins - or are upgrading their existing non-SBAS-capable aircraft by means of Supplemental Type Certificates (retrofits).

Some of the pioneer European commercial airlines making use of LPVs on their daily operations are AirBaltic, Air Transport International, Aurigny Air Services, Hebrideanair, International Jet Management and Swiss International Airlines.

Work is in progress for many other airlines, such as AirNostrum, CityJet, Croatia Airlines, EasyJet, Eastern Airways, Finnair, HOP!, Loganair¸ Skybus, NextJet and Widerøe, who are either waiting for the delivery of their SBAS capable orders, or in the process of certification of their existing fleets, or training their crew as a final step before entering into LPV operations. In addition, many more operators are seriously evaluating an upgrade.

Amongst business operators, whose fleets show higher penetration of EGNOS-ready boxes than commercial airlines, the following are already benefiting from the use of these procedures: Air Alsie, AstonJet, CAT Aviation, Flying Group, GlobeAir, International Jet Management, iXAir, Jet Aviation Business Jets, NetJets Europe, Speedwings Executive Jets, TAG Aviation and VistaJet Ltd. 

The operators’ demand of LPV capabilities has urged aircraft manufacturers to offer solutions for both new and legacy aircraft. While some manufacturers are offering SBAS by default on the flagship models as it is the case for Bombardier CSeries, others offer it through Service Bulletin options (forward-fit) that can be activated prior to the delivery of the aircraft or while in service. This is the case, for instance, of Airbus A350, ATR 42-600 and 72-600, Bombardier CRJ, Twin Otter and Dash-8 families or Embraer E-Jet and ERJ models.

Additionally, operators have the chance to upgrade their fleets via Supplemental Type Certificates that can be installed by MROs. For the latter case, there is a large number of options available covering legacy aircraft like Airbus A300, ATR 42&72, BAE Avro 146, Beechcraft 1900, Boeing 737, Bombardier Dash-8 and CRJ, Fokker 50, L-410 Turbolet or SAAB 340 & 2000 amongst others.

Additionally, operators have the chance to upgrade their fleets via Supplemental Type Certificates that can be installed by MROs. For the latter case, there is a large number of options available covering legacy aircraft like Airbus A300, ATR 42&72, BAE Avro 146, Beechcraft 1900, Boeing 737, Bombardier Dash-8 and CRJ, Fokker 50, L-410 Turbolet or SAAB 340 & 2000 amongst others.

All these SBAS solutions make use of a wide variety of equipment currently available in the market from different manufacturers. Some examples are Rockwell Collins GPS-4000S and GLU-2100, Universal UNS-1Ew/-1Lw/-1Fw, Honeywell KGS200 and NGFMS, Esterline CMA 5024 or Thales Topstar 200. Additionally, all new Garmin products fitted on business or general aviation aircraft are SBAS capable.

Apart from offering lower Decision Height minima (200ft) and therefore better accessibility in conditions that would otherwise disrupt operations, LPVs provide several other benefits when compared to conventional approaches. For instance, since they increase the pilot’s situational awareness and are not impacted by temperature and pressure conditions, LPVs increase safety and reduce the risk of controlled flight into terrain (CFIT) caused by pressure fluctuations or QNH miss-settings. Furthermore, they provide much more stabilised approaches than ILS and elude the possibility of capturing secondary lobes.   

Until very recently (last year), AOC holders had to apply for a specific approval (SPA) to their competent authority for the majority of PBN specifications, including RNP APCH to LPV minima. Luckily, the European Commission introduced in 2016 the necessary changes to Air Crew Regulations so as to introduce PBN privileges to all Instrument Rating licenses, incorporating PBN in pilots’ regular training and checking requirements. Besides, PBN was also incorporated to Air Operations Regulations as standard procedures for authorities and operators.

Over the past few years, both ANSPs and airlines have been able to subsidise part of their costs for implementing LPV procedures and retrofitting their fleets thanks to several European funding initiatives. For instance, the European GNSS Agency (GSA), who made available €12M in total in 2014 and 2015, has recently announced a third Call for Proposals in their EGNOS Annual 2017 Grants Plan by the end of this year. The Call will cover also the development of new STC or SB solutions. If you are from an OEM, DOA, MRO or an airline…, that is an opportunity not to miss.

To find out more about how GSA and ESSP can support you in the implementation of EGNOS write to EGNOS-adoption@essp-sas.eu or visit https://egnos-user-support.essp-sas.eu