WAAS Airport Costs?

thank you, gentlemen. I must admit I am only training to be an IFR
pilot, so I am not really up to snuff.

actually, my goal is to convince the local authorities to turn one
airport into a "general aviation" heaven. interestingly enough, the
local authorities here have more interest in developing the airport
than do the actual operators. The operators are not focused on GA, but
on big airplane airports instead. (PS: I will also ask for hangar
space creation, and some other niceties.)

now, our airport already has IFR procedures (GPS, localizer, VOR), but
no ILS. I was hoping to talk the decision-makers into a not-too-high
cost solution that takes advantage of the GPS/WAAS capabilities that
virtually all GPS's now seem to have built-in, so that we can institute
better IFR approaches with more accuracy and lower decision heights.

who are the vendors of LAAS? (I presume any WAAS capable GPS can also
take advantage of LAAS---right?) what are the cost factors of LAAS?

/iaw

who are the vendors of LAAS? (I presume any WAAS capable GPS can also
take advantage of LAAS---right?) what are the cost factors of LAAS?


LAAS is nowhere near certification. LAAS approaches are not available.
You'll need a ground station broadcasting GPS correction signals in the
vicinity of the airports. But I wonder what you would need it for if you
get something almost as good as an ILS with WAAS.

--
Thomas Borchert (EDDH)

wrote:
thank you, gentlemen. I must admit I am only training to be an IFR
pilot, so I am not really up to snuff.

actually, my goal is to convince the local authorities to turn one
airport into a "general aviation" heaven. interestingly enough, the
local authorities here have more interest in developing the airport
than do the actual operators. The operators are not focused on GA, but
on big airplane airports instead. (PS: I will also ask for hangar
space creation, and some other niceties.)

now, our airport already has IFR procedures (GPS, localizer, VOR), but
no ILS. I was hoping to talk the decision-makers into a not-too-high
cost solution that takes advantage of the GPS/WAAS capabilities that
virtually all GPS's now seem to have built-in, so that we can institute
better IFR approaches with more accuracy and lower decision heights.

who are the vendors of LAAS? (I presume any WAAS capable GPS can also
take advantage of LAAS---right?) what are the cost factors of LAAS?

Oh, so you already have a localizer approach. It's very likely that when your
WAAS approach is commissioned, the minimums will not be as good as the localizer
minimums.

AFAIK there are currently no publicly available LAAs approaches. Here's some
info on LAAS, including estimated costs, but I have no idea how old that
information is. http://gps.faa.gov/FAQ/index.htm I wouldn't hold my breath
waiting for LAAS.

With the limited information you've provided, my gut feel is you'll get more
bang for your efforts by concentrating on the FBO and hangar infrastructure.
WAAS/LAAS (at least today) are not going to give you very much capability that
you don't already have with the existing array of approaches.

DGB

http://www.avweb.com/newswire/10_18a.../187168-1.html

This will link you to an article that describe LAAS as being delayed for
quite a while. Don't hold your breath.

Bob Gardner

wrote in message
ups.com...

thank you, gentlemen. I must admit I am only training to be an IFR
pilot, so I am not really up to snuff.

actually, my goal is to convince the local authorities to turn one
airport into a "general aviation" heaven. interestingly enough, the
local authorities here have more interest in developing the airport
than do the actual operators. The operators are not focused on GA, but
on big airplane airports instead. (PS: I will also ask for hangar
space creation, and some other niceties.)

now, our airport already has IFR procedures (GPS, localizer, VOR), but
no ILS. I was hoping to talk the decision-makers into a not-too-high
cost solution that takes advantage of the GPS/WAAS capabilities that
virtually all GPS's now seem to have built-in, so that we can institute
better IFR approaches with more accuracy and lower decision heights.

who are the vendors of LAAS? (I presume any WAAS capable GPS can also
take advantage of LAAS---right?) what are the cost factors of LAAS?

/iaw

An important part of the precision approach environment is the airport
surface itself: an adequate runway clear zone and adequate approach
lighting. Just because you can get a WAAS signal does not mean a
particular runway is going to be appropriate for a 200 ft minimum.

Dave

wrote:
I have the ear of some local government development people, who are
contemplating upgrading some airports. Money is tight, so an ILS is
probably not under consideration. So, I want to recommend to them
checking into a WAAS installation. Does anyone know what the prices of
such equipment for an airport are, which companies are selling them,
and how much it costs to get the FAA to then create a WAAS IFR
approach?

Sincerely,

/iaw

Dave S wrote:

An important part of the precision approach environment is the airport
surface itself: an adequate runway clear zone and adequate approach
lighting. Just because you can get a WAAS signal does not mean a
particular runway is going to be appropriate for a 200 ft minimum.

For whatever it's worth, the runway markings, taxiway spacing, and obstacle
clearance areas are what make for a 200-foot Decision Altitude (DA).
Approach lights (ALS) are for visibility credit. With everything else
satisfied but no ALS the DA will still be 200 feet, with a visibility of
3/4. Add ALS to that environment and it becomes 200 and 1/2.

Now this I find interesting.

I understand obstacle clearance, but had no idea that runway markings
and taxiway spacing affects DA.

I can understand runway markings (although I thought they were
standard for precision approaches) but taxiway spacing?

Porque?




On Wed, 16 Feb 2005 05:06:50 -0800, wrote:



Dave S wrote:

An important part of the precision approach environment is the airport
surface itself: an adequate runway clear zone and adequate approach
lighting. Just because you can get a WAAS signal does not mean a
particular runway is going to be appropriate for a 200 ft minimum.

For whatever it's worth, the runway markings, taxiway spacing, and obstacle
clearance areas are what make for a 200-foot Decision Altitude (DA).
Approach lights (ALS) are for visibility credit. With everything else
satisfied but no ALS the DA will still be 200 feet, with a visibility of
3/4. Add ALS to that environment and it becomes 200 and 1/2.

An important part of the precision approach environment is the airport
surface itself: an adequate runway clear zone and adequate approach
lighting. Just because you can get a WAAS signal does not mean a
particular runway is going to be appropriate for a 200 ft minimum.

For whatever it's worth, the runway markings, taxiway spacing, and obstacle
clearance areas are what make for a 200-foot Decision Altitude (DA).
Approach lights (ALS) are for visibility credit. With everything else
satisfied but no ALS the DA will still be 200 feet, with a visibility of
3/4. Add ALS to that environment and it becomes 200 and 1/2.

For now, the lowest possible DA for WAAS approaches (LPV minima) is 250 feet.
Getting down to 200 feet (GLS minima) will require major system changes,
probably including a second civil GPS frequency, and will not happen before
2013 at the earliest.

this does not look like great news for WAAS or LAAS. where is WAAS
actually functioning right now? (is there a map of applicable areas?)
or is it "so much for the heavily advertised WAAS features of the
GNS480"?

:-(

/iaw


Bob Gardner wrote:
http://www.avweb.com/newswire/10_18a.../187168-1.html

This will link you to an article that describe LAAS as being delayed
for
quite a while. Don't hold your breath.

Bob Gardner

wrote in news:1108602143.346760.33310
@l41g2000cwc.googlegroups.com:

this does not look like great news for WAAS or LAAS. where is WAAS
actually functioning right now? (is there a map of applicable areas?)
or is it "so much for the heavily advertised WAAS features of the
GNS480"?

Approaches that use WAAS have been commissioned all over the US. IFR-
certified units that use WAAS are still rather rare, IME. WAAS doesn't
work with non-WAAS GPS units, so the aircraft has to be fitted with new
equipment, and it just isn't economically viable for most pilots.

But there is no need for a precision GPS approach at most airports. A
standard GPS approach works most of the time.

--
Regards,

Stan

"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." B. Franklin