FAA to Publish Nearly 100 RNAV/RNP Procedures in 2007

The FAA is planning to publish more than 92 RNAV/RNP (area navigation/required navigation performance procedures in 2007.

This includes more than 25 new public RNP SAAAR (special aircrew and aircraft authorization required) procedures and RNP parallel approach transitions called RPATs.

These revelations were presented to the recent FAA New Technologies Workshop by Jeff Williams who manages the FAA's Air Traffic Organization (ATO) RNAV/RNP Group.  (View the FTO video interview with Jeff Williams.)

More than 50 SIDs (standard instrument departures) and STARs (standard terminal arrival routes); five GPS-based RNAV procedures for helicopters; and a to-be-determined number of domestic RNAV en-route procedures, known as Q-routes, are also on the FAA's agenda.   (Their schedule is available at http://avnweb.jccbi.gov/schedule/production.)

RNP SAAAR approaches enable lower minima where precise guidance is required, including the missed approach portion, and are characterized by their reduced lateral and vertical obstacle clearance requirements, and curved paths.

RNP SAAAR Approval Consultants

Williams noted that the RNP SAAAR approval outlined in Advisory Circular 90-101 is complex and a successful application largely depends on its quality.  Since the FAA has limited resources to assist new entrants in the approval process, it has decided to ask outside consultants to assist in approval process, by screening and preparing application packages in accordance with the AC, Mr. Williams said.

The FAA wants to have this vehicle, called an OTA (other transaction agreement), in place during FY2007 to do end-to-end procedure production, including their development, quality assurance testing, flight checking and maintenance.

The agency is also currently working with Boeing, Airbus, Embraer, and is in the process of scheduling Bombardier, Cessna, Gulfstream and others, to develop specific RNP SAAAR guidance for their customers, which it believes can significantly reduce the time and effort needed to process these applications.

Helicopter RNP Procedures

The Performance-Based Operations Aviation Rulemaking Committee (PARC) Vertical Flight Working Group (VFWG) is currently drafting an FAA order (8260.42B) regarding the construction of Helicopter RNAV instrument procedures.

Williams said the FAA is supporting the implementation of helicopter performance based navigation utilizing the New York city SNI (simultaneous non-interfering) project, which initially includes five special helicopter RNAV PinS (point-in-space) instrument approaches to three public heliports in Manhattan that are designed to increase airport capacity at LaGuardia, JFK, and Newark, by de-conflicting helicopter IFR arrivals and departures.

The procedure packages are being reviewed by Aviation System Standards, Williams said.  01-29-2007.

Click here to become a registered Flt Tech Online subscriber and receive headlines delivered to your e-mail each week

Click here to go back to the headlines