Avionics News December 2012 - 19

potential to reduce the controlled airspace and open up more RNAV routes through terminal airspace. REGULATORY ISSUES As discussed above, approvals to conduct PBN operations require equipment certification, operational approval and approved training. Equipment certification and operational approval standards are described in documents published by the individual civil aviation authorities. The tables below identify applicable Federal Aviation Administration and European Aviation Safety Agency guidance documents, and other authorities either adopt these documents or have issued their own standards. Operational approval will require development of procedures specific to the aircraft’s performance and equipment capabilities, relative to the airspace and airports where PBN operations will be conducted. For U.S. operations, FAA authorizations are issued for “operations capability,” and specific airports or runways are not identified. FAA authorizations are not required for noncommercial operations, except for RNP-AR (authorization required) procedures. Other states may issue authorizations specific to airports or runways. As noncommercial PBN operations increase, there would appear to be a need for regulatory guidance specific to such operations. Operational approvals are granted by the state of registry of the aircraft, but operations into the airspace and airports of other states may require operational approval from the other state’s civil aviation authority. ICAO stressed there is a need for a globally adopted standard for operational approvals to facilitate international PBN operations, and ICAO has drafted a PBN operations approval manual; developed a Web-based training package for operations approvals; and will undertake to provide a course in operation approval processes, which is expected to be launched in 2013. Training requirements may be met by a combination of ground and flight simulator training for both onboard equipment function and operation, and departures, en route and arrivals operations procedures. This would be followed by line training prior to receiving operations approval.

Current and proposed FAA guidance documents

FAA NEXTGEN AND PBN IMPLEMENTATION The FAA is adding 1,000 PBN procedures annually, and as identified in its NextGen Implementation Plan 2012, conventional navigation aids are being decommissioned. As noted in the plan, during 2011, the FAA continued to publish wide area augmentation system localizer performance with vertical guidance (WAASLPV) approaches, bringing the total nationwide to nearly 2,800. The current FAA PBN inventory has: • 538 RNAV SIDs/STARs and 320 RNP ARs at 293 airports. • 317 RNAV routes – 94 En route (Q), 79 Low Altitude (T) & 2 helicopter (TK). • More than 12,000 RNAV (GPS) – LPV/LP (WAAS), LNAV/VNAV, LNAV. FAA PBN procedures planned in fiscal year 2013 include 217 SIDs/STARs, 74 RNP ARs, 60 Q/T Routes and 580 WAAS approaches. BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES FOR AEA MEMBERS Noncommercial PBN operations will be growing with the adoption of PBN procedures worldwide and the decommissioning of ground-based navigation and approach aids. Operators of business aircraft will be faced with the need to obtain PBN operations approvals, if they want to maintain the capability to access international airports using precision approach procedures. Repair stations and avionics modification organizations should become familiar with the airworthiness and avionics equipment requirements of their civil aviation authority and be ready to market the capability to install or modify customer aircraft to the necessary PBN standard, and also lead the owner/operator through the regulatory approval processes – both from an airworthiness and operations approval perspective. The future is only just around the corner. q
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EASA requirements

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december

2012

Avionics News December 2012

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Avionics News December 2012