New Flight Trials at Cairns to Demonstrate RNP Benefits

Airservices Australia has commenced RNP (required navigation performance) navigation trials at Cairns International Airport as a precursor to using the capabilities of modern aircraft flight management systems to reduce fuel burn and its resulting noise and emissions over the city.

The Cairns trials involve Qantas B-737-800s, which are already flying RNP procedures at Townsville, Alice Springs, Canberra, and Gold Coast airports.

Under the trial, departures to the south will track east of the central business district, south over Trinity Inlet, and down the Mulgrave River Valley over areas that are mainly mangrove and agricultural farm areas, following accurate paths that should reduce track distances up to ten miles in some cases.

The trials will continue until January 2008 when they are expected to become normal operational procedures for aircraft properly equipped.  03-21-2007.

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