Advanced GNSS Procedures and Operations in Europe: a step forward

Aiming at accelerating the adoption of EGNOS in aviation in Europe, the ACCEPTA project [1] was launched in May 2010 with the main objectives of promoting the avionics upgrade by pioneer airlines and the publication of Localiser Performance with Vertical guidance (LPV) procedures at various European airports. The initiative is expected to have a snowball effect for the rest of European airports and users. It is funded by the 7th Framework Programme (FP7) of the European Commission and managed by the European GNSS Agency (GSA) [2]. Among other activities, ACCEPTA targets the implementation and publication of EGNOS [3]-based LPV procedures at around 40 airports and heliports in 12 different countries and the equipage of over 30 aircraft and rotorcraft with the necessary EGNOS-enabled avionics. The ACCEPTA plans, as they are now, include the publication of new LPV procedures in Austria, Czech Rep., Finland, France, Italy, Mali, Netherlands, Portugal, Slovak Rep., Spain and UK. Some of the aircraft types to be upgraded include CRJ-1000, ATR 72-600, Hawker 750, Fokker 50, BN2B Islander and some Beechcraft, King Air and Cessna models amongst others. As for the rotorcrafts: Bell 412, EC135 and EC 145 models are envisaged for an upgrade. With this ongoing implementing process for SBAS-based LPV approaches already in place, there is a need to stimulate other innovative advanced operations enabled by GNSS systems, incorporating curved segments in the arrivals, based on the Advanced RNP navigation specifications, which are less demanding than RNP AR APCH. These operations are highly demanded by end users, airlines, operators and pilots. The FilGAPP project ("Filling the gap" in GNSS Advanced Procedures and oPerations) will analyze and study Advanced RNP operations, procedures and applications based on satellite navigation systems in line with the future navigation concept being developed in Europe. Special emphasis will be devoted to the analysis of curved arrivals with final transition to LPV approaches enabled by SBAS systems (e. g. WAAS, EGNOS) and several flight trials will be conducted in different scenarios, as a commitment to exploit the results achieved in the project. Besides describing in detail the implementation plans of the pioneer airlines, ANSPs and airports in Europe targeting the use of LPV operations on a daily basis, this paper also discusses the implementation of Advanced GNSS operations in Europe. In particular, it targets Advanced RNP concepts, such as curved arrivals with transition to EGNOS-based final approaches.