Alaska Airlines is expanding its use of required navigation performance (RNP) to the Alaska destinations of Adak and Ketchikan in an effort to reduce flight cancellations and weather-related diversions.
RNP provides computer-plotted landing paths by using a combination of onboard navigation tools and GPS, and today Alaska is rolling-out the procedure in Adak.
Ketchikan RNP operations are scheduled to begin in March as the carrier seeks to rely less on ground-based navigation aids in favour of satellite guidance technology for more reliable landings and reduced fuel consumption.
RNP pioneer Alaska says using the procedure allows it to avoid diversions or delays triggered by poor weather or airport equipment outages on thousands of flights per year.
Alaska used RNP procedures 12,308 times in 2008, trimming operating costs by $17 million and saving 5.7 million litres (1.5 million USgal) of fuel as a result, Alaska vice president of flight operations Gary Beck said during a hearing held by the US Congress in July 2009.
Beck explains that in 2008 RNP helped Alaska avoid 956 cancellations or diversions in Juneau, and overall in 2008 Alaska's use of RNP prevented 1,774 of those events.
Seattle-based Alaska began operating with RNP in 1996 at Juneau as the effort was initially focused on helping the carrier's aircraft land at remote and geographically challenging airports in Alaska.
The airline has since expanded its efforts to include 45% of the airports it serves in Alaska as well as facilities in Portland, Oregon; Palm Springs, California; and the Washington, DC area.
Alaska's entire fleet of 116 Boeing 737 aircraft is RNP-capable.
Source: Air Transport Intelligence news
