VOLUME 50 Winter 2014 The SatNav News is produced by the http://gps.faa.gov Navigation Programs AJM-32 branch of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). This newsletter provides informa- NextGen Ain’t Peanuts at Snoopy’s Airport tion on the Global Positioning System (GPS), the Wide Area Augmentation January 2014 — What do the names The satellite-based approach System (WAAS) and the Ground Based Woodstock, Lucy and Pigpen bring “provides a great backup (to the Augmentation System (GBAS). to mind? For pilots flying into Charles ILS) and is another means for us M. Schulz — Sonoma County Airport, to get our passengers into airports those are the waypoints that guide we otherwise could not,” said Steve Inside ... them along the NextGen approach Castellano, a Horizon Air pilot to runway 32. The airport, named who focuses on air traffic control 1 NextGen Ain’t Peanuts at Snoopy’s Airport Source: sonomacountyairport.org for the famed Peanuts cartoonist issues. Horizon Air, whose entire who lived nearby, sports Snoopy aircraft fleet is equipped to fly LPV 2 ExpressJet WAAS Project dressed as a World War I flying ace approaches, uses the NextGen Advances on its logo. approach into Charles M. Schulz on a regular basis in all sorts of 2 WAAS Dual Frequency Operations Segment 1 Nestled in the heart of Northern weather conditions. California Wine Country, the airport 2 WAAS and ADS-B is surrounded by tall mountains. Pilots of the small, general When the fog rolls in from the Pacific aviation aircraft that frequently fly 3 GBAS Update Ocean, as it often does mornings and into Charles M. Schulz are also 4 What’s New on the Web evenings, it shrouds the view of the benefiting from the LPV approach. runway. While this kind of weather Jim McCord, a general aviation 4 Satellite Navigation is perfect for growing grapes, it’s pilot and member of the FAA Safety Approach Procedures not an ideal situation when landing Team, said the NextGen approach Update aircraft. Fortunately, the FAA has makes it much easier to keep track taken a cue from Linus van Pelt and of the aircraft’s exact position. This provided the airport with a safety is especially important as the terrain blanket; the NextGen procedure within a few miles of the airport enables pilots of equipped aircraft rises as high as 4,600 feet above the to land even when the approach to airport’s elevation. the runway is covered in fog. McCord prefers the NextGen Pilots need a clear view of the runway procedure to the ILS approach to land. When fog obscures the view, also because it is simpler to fly. they have to rely on instruments in As a certificated flight instructor, the cockpit, which pick up a signal McCord trains student pilots to Tell Us Your WAAS from navigation equipment on the fly the NextGen procedure, which Story ground at the airport. At Charles M. is easily programmed into the Schulz, there is only one Instrument aircraft’s navigation system. We’re collecting testimonials Landing System (ILS). about the benefits of Wide Area The FAA is in the process of adding Augmentation System (WAAS) But the NextGen approach relies an LPV approach to the second navigation from users. If you on GPS and uses a technology that of the two runways at Charles M. are a pilot, passenger, airport boosts the accuracy of GPS satellite Schulz. This is especially important manager, airline employee, or are involved in aviation in signals so pilots know, within a few as the main runway, and the only any capacity - whether you feet, their exact position in space. runway with an ILS, will be closed fly fixed-wing or vertical flight Flying the procedure, known as for construction for several months aircraft - we want to hear from Localizer Performance with Vertical next year and the ILS will be out of you! Please send your stories Guidance (LPV), pilots descend to service. and contact information to an altitude of 455 feet using their - Reprint from the FAA NextGen Mary Ann Davis at onboard instruments before they Performance Snapshots (NPS) [email protected] website at http://www.faa.gov/ have to see the runway to land at nextgen/snapshots/ Charles M. Schulz. stories/?slide=30 Federal Aviation Administration 800 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, DC 20591 2 1 will also include the transition of Contractor Depot Logistics Support (CDLS) to the FAA during year 3 of the DFO Segment 1 contract. DFO Segment 1 is planned to take place over 5 years with a potential for two option years. DFO Segment 2 will commence at the completion of DFO Segment 1 and will introduce the ExpressJet WAAS Project domestic and international flight WAAS Dual Frequency User (DFU) Advances demonstrations of GNSS WAAS Service. Establishing a WAAS Dual A Government Industry Partnership navigation between city pairs in Frequency User Service is contingent (GIP) between the Federal Aviation the US, Canada, and Mexico using upon achieving a Final Operations Administration (FAA) and ExpressJet Canadian Regional Jet (CRJ) aircraft Capability (FOC) of the GPS L5 of Atlanta, Georgia will move forward (CRJ-700s/900s) equipped with WAAS modernized satellites. WAAS DFU with the approval on November 18, avionics. The project also intends to: service is expected to launch circa 2023. 2013 of a Bombardier CRJ-700/900 • Expand current WAAS - Ed Sigler, FAA AJM-321/NAVTAC Service Bulletin for Wide Area equipage to include large CRJ Augmentation System / Localizer fleet WAAS and ADS-B Performance with Vertical guidance • Assist in the certification of We often receive questions regarding (WAAS/LPV) procedures. LPV approaches at airports in the relationship between Wide Area Mexico serviced by ExpressJet Augmentation System (WAAS) and ExpressJet is the world’s largest Airlines Automatic Dependent Surveillance- regional airline with 9,000 aviation • Perform flight demonstrations of Broadcast (ADS-B). What they have professionals, an average of 2,200 international Q routes in common is the important role they daily flights and an all-jet fleet of • Determine environmental and each play in the FAA’s NextGen plans. more than 400 aircraft. ExpressJet safety issues and solutions in Both provide important benefits and operates as American Eagle, Delta international cooperative efforts provide a foundation for the future Connection, and United Express to • Identify issues of WAAS National Airspace System. The serve more than 188 airports in the integration into the NAS differences reside in the specific role U.S., Bahamas, Canada and Mexico. and NextGen, and WAAS that each plays and the services they The first goal of the FAA/ExpressJet interoperability issues in an provide. WAAS is a navigation system project was to facilitate the approval international theater which provides a user more accurate and installation of a Bombardier CRJ- - Scott Speed, Kevin Wood and Dave Kerr, FAA and reliable positioning than GPS 700/900 Service Bulletin for WAAS/ AJM-321/NAVTAC alone. ADS-B is a surveillance system LPV. ExpressJet will begin upgrading that uses inputs from navigation the four (4) CRJ-900s in December WAAS Dual Frequency systems, such as GPS and WAAS to 2013 and expects completion by Operations Segment 1 determine an aircraft’s position then January 2014. Once the planes are The WAAS Program Office has been broadcasts that position so that other equipped with Rockwell/Collins working over the last quarter to finalize aircraft and Air Traffic Control (ATC) WAAS avionics, ExpressJet will the Dual Frequency Operations (DFO) know this position of these aircraft conduct flight operations and data Segment 1 Screening Information as well. collection activities on the operational Request (SIR). The SIR was released benefits from WAAS equipped in the beginning of January. The One may ask, do I need GPS or WAAS commercial aircraft operating in the award date is expected to be within for ADS-B since ADS-B does require U.S. National Airspace System (NAS), FY14. DFO Segment 1 will include a precise positioning source. GPS Canada, and Mexico airspace for the upgrade of the existing WAAS supports the basic requirements Localizer Performance with Vertical Reference Receiver (G-II) with the associated with ADS-B. WAAS is not guidance (LPV) approaches and en G-III. This receiver will support the required for the ADS-B mandate, but route flight operations. reception and processing of the you still may want it. To gain the full new GPS L5 signal. In addition, the capability of ADS-B, a system that is The FAA/ExpressJet Project provides WAAS terrestrial communications more precise than GPS is needed. a great opportunity for WAAS to network will be upgraded to support WAAS meets the most demanding become part of the navigation the processing and transmission of ADS-B requirements. services available to the ExpressJet additional data over the network. - Mary Ann Davis, FAA AJM-321/NAVTAC fleet. This contract will also support the For more questions and answers about WAAS, please sustainment of the WAAS GEO visit our WAAS FAQs web page. Additional questions The scope of the FAA/ExpressJet constellation by integrating up to can also be submitted through the link on the FAQs project includes conducting U.S. two new GEO satellites. Segment main page. Federal Aviation Administration 800 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, DC 20591 3 GBAS Update Category I (CAT I) Ground Based Augmentation System (GBAS) has been operational for public use at Newark Liberty International airport (EWR) since September 2012 and George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) in Houston, Texas beginning in April 2013. The Houston and Newark GBAS installations are part of a Government Industry Project (GIP) with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), United Airlines, Honeywell Aerospace and the respective airport authorities for Newark and Houston.