IFR with a VFR GPS

Bush, as bad as he is, would create major havoc with the U.S. air
carriers if he shut down the system.


The air carriers are not really major users of GPS, AFAIK.

--
Thomas Borchert (EDDH)

In article ,
Thomas Borchert wrote:

The air carriers are not really major users of GPS, AFAIK.

This will change as more and more airliners become capable of at
least RNP-4. Not many nav systems are capable of RNP-4 over
the ocean.

--
Bob Noel
no one likes an educated mule

Thomas Borchert wrote:

Bush, as bad as he is, would create major havoc with the U.S. air
carriers if he shut down the system.



The air carriers are not really major users of GPS, AFAIK.


Not so. Although the US air carrier fleet has less than 50% GPS
equippage, virutally all international flights are with GPS-equipped
aircraft.

And, some carriers, like ALaska, have GPS and the other goodies for
advanced RNP, performance-based instrument approach procedures. By
year's end KPSP will be added to the short list of new RNP SAAAR RNAV
IAPs (KDCA and KSUN already being published).

Starting next year the U.S. should see an additional 25 RNP SAAAR RNAV
IAPs each year.

Originally Posted by

Thomas Borchert wrote:

Bush, as bad as he is, would create major havoc with the U.S. air
carriers if he shut down the system.



The air carriers are not really major users of GPS, AFAIK.


Not so. Although the US air carrier fleet has less than 50% GPS
equippage, virutally all international flights are with GPS-equipped
aircraft.

And, some carriers, like ALaska, have GPS and the other goodies for
advanced RNP, performance-based instrument approach procedures. By
year's end KPSP will be added to the short list of new RNP SAAAR RNAV
IAPs (KDCA and KSUN already being published).

Starting next year the U.S. should see an additional 25 RNP SAAAR RNAV
IAPs each year.

indeed - in addition, the capstone project (ADS-B) in Alaska (used prominently by commercial ops) requires GPS data to operate. NAT MNPS ops also specifies that a certified GPS can satisfy part of the minimum required equipment to navigate the north atlantic (at a much much lower cost than traditional inertial nav). while many of the older 737's that do the same 5 airport milkrun every day may still have conventional VHF nav equipment, new commercial aircraft and those navigating certain areas already depend on GPS for their daily ops.

IIRC, the number of US and Canadian LPV approaches is supposed to increase this year to over 500, a number of airports will benefit from much lower minimums with no additional ground-based nav equipment. i'm guessing that feeder airlines will increasingly equip themselves with lateral and vertical guidance GPS to reduce cancellations and improve service (and profitability).

francois

: indeed - in addition, the capstone project (ADS-B) in Alaska (used
: prominently by commercial ops) requires GPS data to operate.

I recall after moving to Juneau in 1992 that the local news was touting AK
airlines as being the first to test the GPS approaches. Didn't understand really what
that meant at the time, but given the weather there and the huge percentage of missed
approaches, I can understand why it made financial sense to blaze trail. It is truly
about the worst kind of terrain and weather available.

First time I flew it was two years ago. I expected to be coming in from the
west as always, but nothing looked right back in the passenger compartment when we
finally broke out at about 400' AGL/MSL.... including what seemed like a 30 degree
bank! Anyway, impressive when one's not expecting it.

-Cory

--

************************************************** ***********************
* Cory Papenfuss *
* Electrical Engineering candidate Ph.D. graduate student *
* Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University *
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