Required navigation performance (RNP) procedures and their bottom-line operational cost benefits have been proven for exotic locations worldwide, and most modern airliners are being delivered with the equipment needed to fly them - but the outlook for a broader rollout of the practice remains unclear.
"While innovators like Qantas, Southwest and Alaska Airlines have dived in and are ready to rock and roll from an operational standpoint, you can't get a ton of benefit yet because the government side hasn't built the infrastructure," says Andy McDowell, director of airspace and airports for performance-based navigation procedures provider Jeppesen, a subsidiary of Boeing.
That leaves PBN coming to fruition "in pockets around the world", says McDowell. Those pockets tend to be in places such as China, Australia, Canada and South America, where use of PBN removes the need for ground-based navigation infrastructure.
RNP uses an aircraft's GPS and inertial navigation system to stay within a procedurally defined narrow passageway in the air.
Although it is a subset of the broader palette of PBN offerings, RNP has become the primary focus for operators globally because "it provides the most benefits", says GE Aviation technical fellow Steve Fulton.
Coupled with crew training, it brings a "tremendous return", he adds - not only precise guidance to lower minima at airports where traditional ground-based navigation aids are ineffective, but also reduced fuel burn, track miles and noise over communities.
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©AirTeamImagesLan Airlines has hired GE Aviation to build RNP procedures |
Procedure providers Jeppesen and GE have been working for foreign governments for several years, developing public navigation procedures for airlines to better access some of the most terrain-challenged (and scenic) airports in the world - actions that are sure to provide a boon to the local economies, in addition to increasing airline safety.
For the Chinese government, GE is finalising a slate of RNP-only arrival, approach, and departure procedures - covering five different Airbus and Boeing types - for Jiuzhai airport, the third-highest elevation airport in the country. "China has transitioned from piecemeal [RNP] to holistic," says Fulton.
GE began working with the Chinese government in 2004, at Lhasa airport. Since then, GE has developed RNP procedures for a total of eight airports and five airlines, some of which have now been in revenue operation for six years. Challenges at Jiuzhai included its altitude - 11,300ft (3,450m) - and the fact that it is on top of a mountain ("It looks like an aircraft carrier," says Fulton) and features gusty winds, sudden obscuration, and clouds and fog. "Pilots that fly in there are exceptional airmen," says Fulton.
"In fulfilment of this contract, we created all the elements necessary to take it from robust design, obstacle clearance and aircraft performance all the way through deployment, making map data available and providing support for the airlines to get the procedures flown by the pilots."
PROMISING CANDIDATE
Brazil is a promising candidate for new work, with the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics on the horizon. "Brazil is quite earnest in their expectations to do no less [than South Africa did for the 2010 World Cup]", says Fulton.
"What we are seeing is a definite increase in interest in RNP and I expect we will see it deployed across the country." GE has signed a contract with Brazilian carrier Gol to gain RNP operational approval.
"It's the first solid evidence," says Fulton. "There's a lot more going on that we're not ready to talk about."
What he would say was that a project to build RNP procedures for Machu Picchu airport in Peru for Lan Airlines three years ago paid off, as the airline then hired the company to do the same for more of its airports in Lima, to be followed later by more in Peru, Chile and Ecuador.
Procedure developer Jeppesen has deployed procedures for mountain-ringed airports in China such as Lin Zhi, but is also working in Indonesia to persuade carriers such as Lion Air of the value of creating RNP procedures at Manado airport.
Last year, Jeppesen completed "a huge project" in Panama City for Copa Airlines. It included a redesign of publicly available standard arrival and departures routes, as well as new approaches, says McDowell.
"This gives the aircraft a completely defined path all the way to the runway end so Copa can then begin optimising the full path of the aircraft to the ground," he says. "We've gotten the blessing of the government; the procedures are fully defined and we're training the air traffic controller population utilising the procedures."
McDowell says Copa, which accounts for 50% of the airport's operations, could gain the "biggest benefit" with its all-Boeing 737 fleet.
Jeppesen has also designed a procedure that may allow airlines to fly simultaneous independent approaches to two closely spaced parallel runways at the airport, pending regulatory approval that hinges on ongoing wake turbulence studies and other factors.
NO ACTION AFOOT
All the action on the world stage begs the question: what is happening with the RNP roll-out in the USA? Not much, says McDowell. Although Jeppesen, like GE, has Federal Aviation Administration approval to develop the procedures and special crew training for airlines, he says there is "no action" afoot.
"The business model with the FAA says outside parties have to pay a third-party provider to have the procedures developed," says McDowell. "Problem is, no-one wants to pay the money for a procedure that anyone else could use."
He says there has been a "push" from the industry to get the FAA to pay for the procedures, "but so far the FAA's not biting".
The FAA to date has published 59 RNP authorisation required (RNP AR) approach procedures. "Production of additional RNP procedures will focus on those with the most significant benefit," says the agency.
A new "nav lean" project due to go live in 1 June will reportedly cut the time it takes to develop and approve PBN procedures by 40%, boosting production.
Fulton sees a similar stalemate however. "It's unclear in the US how RNP fits into the FAA strategy," he says.
"It's a little bit confusing as to which direction the agency is going."
Airports are increasingly looking at RNP as a tool to bring in airlines as well as to address community noise and emissions issues, he says. "I think you'll see more airports asking 'What can RNP do for us?' It's an entirely new tool they can bring into the conversation, to have the aircraft follow very tightly prescribed tracks that are tailored to provide minimum impacts to the community."
However, Fulton adds, legislative language that would have allowed airports to use passenger facilities charges to develop the procedures themselves was recently shot down in the US Congress.
Source: Flight International
