SWISS REGIONAL airline Crossair and Swisscontrol plan a two-phase evaluation of global-positioning-system (GPS) landing systems, beginning in late 1995. The programme, to be completed by early 1996, could result in approval of one of the first GPS precision-approaches in Europe.
In the first phase, two Crossair Saab 2000s will be equipped with GPS navigation and landing systems (GNLS) from Interstate Electronics (IEC). An Airport Systems International/IEC Model 8000 local-area differential GPS (DGPS) ground-station will be installed at Lugano, Switzerland.
Airport Systems says that the equipment will be used to create document the approach, verify aircraft interfaces and check operational procedures.
On successful completion of the first phase, Crossair plans to equip its Saab 2000 fleet with the IEC 9001 GNLS and IEC 9002 flight-management system, while the Swiss Federal Office of Civil Aviation "...will consider the certification" of the DGPS ground-station for Category I approaches, the company says.
Source: Flight International
