The US Federal Aviation Administration demonstrated the capabilities of its Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) in the Asia-Pacific region for the first time earlier this month.
The flight trials were conducted on the FAA's Boeing 727 equipped to perform navigation and landing operations using a global positioning system (GPS) signal. The navigation signal was generated by a differential reference station at the Singapore Aviation Academy. Raw GPS satellite data were processed by the differential reference station and a new navigation signal, with improved accuracy, availability and integrity, was sent back to the 727 to conduct real-time Category I precision approaches at Singapore Changi Airport.
The trials are part of FAA efforts to demonstrate the GPS augmentation system outside the USA. There have been demonstrations in Mexico, Iceland and Italy.
Source: Flight International
