The civil aviation ministry on Thursday came a step closer to implement its much-touted performance based navigation (PBN) system in order to reduce the time an aircraft has to hover and wait before getting to land at a busy destination airport.
The directorate general of civil aviation (DGCA) has put up the civil aviation requirements (CAR) for the new navigation system on its website to allow people to air their views. This is one of the major steps before the policy initiative can be implemented in the country.
Performance-based navigation allows aircraft to take advantage of installed on-board technology and break free pilots from the traditional and somewhat rigid, ground-based navigation system. Upon transiting to performance-based navigation, an aircraft will be able to fly flexible, point-to-point routes reliably and accurately. PBN also helps aircraft with lesser fuel usage and higher levels of safety.
In April this year, FE reported the ministry was looking at reducing the distance between aircraft waiting in queue to land at a busy airport from eight nautical miles to three to five nautical miles, depending on how busy the airport is at the time.
According to sources, the ministry is also working on reducing the lateral displacement of aircraft, which would help increase air space capacity and ease traffic growth.
?We have already reduced the vertical separation to 1,000 ft at a flight level of 29,000 ft and above,? the source said.
The implementation of PBN is being done with the cooperation of the Airports Authority of India (AAI), the DGCA and the ministry of civil aviation?all working together.
While the AAI has formulated the procedures for RNAV arrival and departures for Delhi, Mumbai and Ahmedabad airports, the DGCA has laid down the minimum requirements for the aircraft and its crew to partake in the PBN. The requirements are based on the PBN manual published by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).
The DGCA is also carrying out the requisite training for pilots and crew of the various airlines in order to certify them for the PBN system.
On their part, the airlines have to update their flight management systems (FMS) data and procedures apart from training of flight crew.
The DGCA has set August 13 as the last date to receive comments on the procedures and minimum requirements of equipment and airworthiness after which it should take another two months before the system is implemented.