Satellite Navigation - GBAS - News

Ground Based Augmentation System (GBAS) - News

May 29, 2014 - Sydney Airport Commissions GBAS for Category I Service

The Ground Based Augmentation System (GBAS) at Sydney International Airport has been approved to provide precision approach and landing guidance to Category (CAT) I minima. Australia published Aeronautical Information Package (AIP) Supplement (SUP) H11/14 on May 29, 2014 that notes this approval.

More on Air Services Australia's plans for GBAS

May 5, 2014 - GBAS is Now Available for Use at Malaga-Costa del Sol Airport in Spain

Ground Based Augmentation System (GBAS) satellite navigation technology is now in operation at Malaga-Costa del Sol Airport in Spain. A ceremonial flight with Air Berlin was organized by navigation service provider Aeropuertos Españoles y Navegación Aérea (AENA) Air Navigation Directorate on May 5 to mark the start of the system's use for unrestricted commercial flight operations.

For more on this story, see the related article.

Joint press release from the Ministerio de Fomento and AENA.

November 21, 2013 - SESAR Tests ILS-for-GBAS Swap in Europe

In September, SESAR partnered with Honeywell, Airbus, Thales, DFS and Eurocontrol to carry out flight tests with a Dassault Falcon 900EX business jet using GBAS CAT II/III ground equipment (GASTD) at both Frankfurt and Toulouse. Full article

April 22, 2013 - Bush Intercontinental Airport Marks Arrival of Groundbreaking Technology to Increase Flight Capacity

Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) became fully operational with the first precision approach flown by a United Airlines aircraft using Honeywell's SmartPath Ground Based Augmentation System (GBAS) on Monday, April 22. IAH is one of two airports in the country participating in a pilot program, in partnership with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), United Airlines and Honeywell to demonstrate the use of GBAS. Full article

November 8, 2012 - United Cleared for Newark GBAS

The Ground Based Augmentation System (GBAS) at Newark Liberty International Airport has been given the green light, clearing the way for United Airlines to start regular passenger flights using its specially equipped Boeing 737-800 and 737-900 fleet. Full article

September 28, 2012 - First U.S. Ground Based Augmentation System (GBAS) Operational at Newark Airport

A milestone in the development of the Ground Based Augmentation System (GBAS) was reached on September 28, 2012 with the operational approval of the GBAS installed at Newark Liberty International Airport. Full article(PDF)

February 13, 2012 - Satellite-Based Precision Landing System Now Operational

On 9th of February, the first fully operational GNSS Landing System (GLS) approach to CAT I decision height was made by an AirBerlin flight to Bremen airport in Germany; this marks the beginning of the operational use of satellite navigation (GNSS) for all phases of flight, including the most critical approach and automatic landing phases.

GLS is a precision approach operation using the ICAO-standard GBAS (Ground Based Augmentation System) components. It is the result of over 15 years of collaboration between multiple international partners. It is an alternative to the current precision approach standard, the instrument-based landing system (ILS). Full article

February 10, 2012 - Airberlin Starts Using Satellite-Based Precision Landing System for Regular Flight Operations

Following the German Federal Office for Air Traffic Control's accreditation of the ground station for the new satellite-based approach and landing system GBAS (Ground Based Augmentation System) as a primary landing system, airberlin will be the first airline in Europe to use satellite-based landings on regular flights at Bremen Airport. Full article

February 9, 2012 - Satellite-Based Landing System Certified - GBAS Debut at Bremen Airport

The satellite-based precision approach system GBAS (Ground Based Augmentation System) has received the German type certification as a primary landing system by the Federal Supervisory Authority for Air Navigation Services (BAF) and may be used independently of the instrument landing system (ILS) which has been is use for decades for instrument flights. Full article

Stay Informed

Subscribe to this page and be alerted when new News is posted. Click the Subscribe link under the menu bar above to sign up.

For more news, please be sure to check out the latest version of the SatNav News available online.

The Ground Based Augmentation System (GBAS) program is managed by the FAA Aviation NextGen and Operations Planning Service Unit (ANG-C32) at the FAA William J. Hughes Technical Center. More information can be found at http://laas.tc.faa.gov/

Satellite Navigation - GBAS - Memphis Implementation

Ground Based Augmentation System - Implementation

The most up-to-date GBAS implementation information will be posted in the very near future.

Operational Performance Evaluation

The Performance Analysis Office is responsible for reporting on the overall operational performance of the NAS to the Air Traffic Organization's senior management and external organizations, and with anticipating near-term challenges. Core responsibilities include quarterly reports on ATO operational metrics to the COO and the Officer's group, projecting delays at major airports based on anticipated construction and airline schedule changes, and leading the FAA's metric harmonization process.

Core Operational Performance Products and Capabilities

International Performance and Benchmarking

The FAA works internationally to promote safety and to improve the operational efficiency of the global system. This is accomplished through work at ICAO, through CANSO and through bilateral agreements established between the US and other governments or Air Traffic Service providers.

The office provides support to ICAO groups tasked with improving the performance reporting capabilities to member states. This effort is largely done through the ICAO Air Navigation Bureau and the Planning and Implementation Regional Groups (PIRGS). ICAO guidance on performance is contained in ICAO document 9883 as well as the most recent publications of Global Air Navigation Plan.

The office provides support to the CANSO Operational Performance Work Group which is part of the CANSO Operations Standing Committee. The work items produced include technical documents and workshop materials whose purpose is to improve the ability of ANSPs to use operational metrics to improve management of air traffic services. The guidance documents and workshops provide worked examples designed to ease implementation and reduce the cost of building capabilities for members. (CANSO document of recommended operational metrics)

In February of 2013, the United States and the European Union signed a special Annex under a Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) to collaborate on Air Traffic Management performance measurement. This MOC continues existing work with EUROCONTROL that has been producing joint performance benchmarking since 2009.

In addition to producing these reports, FAA and the European Commission develop common position papers for ICAO on operational performance, and research performance measures that take advantage of data provided from ATC modernization technology.

In September of 2013, the FAA and the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore signed a MOC to collaborate on Air Traffic Management. The key elements of the MOC are to promote modernization and improve operational performance. Under the MOC, ATO Performance Analysis is working jointly with the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) to develop and benchmark performance measures for surface operations and flight efficiency.

Obstruction Evaluation Group

Point of Contact in Alaska:
FAA / Obstacle Evaluation Group, Anchorage Office
Mailstop: AJV-15
222 West 7th Avenue, Box 14
Anchorage, AK 99513-7587

Email: Robert van Haastert
Phone: (907) 271-5863
Fax: (907) 271-2850

Obstruction Evaluation / Airport Airspace Analysis (OE/AAA) - Home Page

Determinations - View / Search Determinations

Sign-up for Email Announcements of Public Notices(PDF)

FAA Advisory Circular for Obstruction Marking and Lighting, AC 70/7460-1k(PDF, 3 MB)

FAA Advisory Circular for Obstruction Marking Specifications, AC 150/5345-53(PDF)

FAA Advisory Circular for Obstruction Lighting Certified Equipment & Manufacturers Lists(PDF)

Alaska Constructed Antenna Towers

Report Obstruction Light Outages CONUS and HI Anytime 24/7 at 1-877-487-6867

Report Obstruction Light Outages Alaska Anytime 24/7 at 1-800-478-3576

Questions?

Juneau Flight Service Station

Home Page

Flight Planning for IFRICAO Flights

• Leaving Alaska for the Lower 48 involves crossing Canadian airspace. Filing an international (ICAO) flight plan is required for IFR flights. You will be asked by flight service to provide just a few extra pieces of information for an international flight plan.
• Be prepared to give border crossing times. This means how many minutes after departure will you be crossing into Canadian airspace and how many minutes after departure will you be re-entering U.S. airspace. Your border crossing points must also be provided unless flying an airway. You may use lat/longs or intersections or navaids. These points should be within 50 miles of the border for entering and exiting Canadian airspace and also a point should be specified in US airspace close to the border.
• IFR flight plans, to the Lower 48, with a departure point, a destination and simply a direct routing of are not acceptable. If departing off of Juneau you will also be asked by Juneau tower to file a departure procedure.
• If you are planning a stop in Canada be sure to make your customs arrangements and advise flight service when filing that you have done this.
• Finally, to expedite your flight plan file at least 30 minutes prior to your proposed departure. During the busy summer months this helps everyone from flight service, to tower, to Anchorage Center to fit you in and helps you to avoid a ground delay for flight planning.

Additional information:

ICAO Flight Plans - FAA Air Traffic Publications Reference.

International Flight Information Manual (IFIM) - FAAIFIM website.

Top of Page

Questions or Comments Welcome

FAI FSS - Downloadable Publications

Air Traffic Publications

• Includes:
• Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM)
• International Flight Information Manual (IFIM)
• Aeronautical Information Publication (AIP)
• Pilot Controller Glossary
• Notice to Airmen Publication (NTAP) (CLASS II)
• Contractions (JO 7340.2)
• Others

Aviation Handbooks & Manuals

• Includes:
• Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM)
• Aviation Instructor's Handbook
• Instrument Flying Handbook
• International Flight Information Manual (IFIM)
• Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge
• Safety Risk Management
• Student Pilot's Guide
• Others

• Advisory Circulars (Home Page)
• Aviation Weather Handbook (FAA-H-8083-28)

FAI FSS - Flight Plan Filing

• Flight Plan Overview
• International Flight Plan Form(PDF)
• International Flight Plan Instructions
• Master Flight Plan Program & Form

Program Management Organization

The FAA decided to create the PMO after taking a comprehensive look at whether the agency was positioned strategically for success as we implement some of the most ambitious transformations ever in our national airspace with NextGen. The internal study, known as Foundation for Success, examined how our internal structures and processes could be improved to support NextGen. We determined that better collaboration across lines of business would help us advance our initiatives more seamlessly and effectively. Congress endorsed the creation of the PMO on Sept. 19, 2011.

What We Do

The PMO assembles in one organization the majority of programs that specialize in program management. This allows operational groups to focus on the key daily mission of safely separating air traffic and maintaining our airspace system. And it allows the program organization to focus on managing for better outcomes by developing improvements to our airspace and making sure these solutions are on time, cost effective and within scope.

Address
FAA National Headquarters
800 Independence Ave., SW
Orville Wright Bldg. (FOB10A)
Suite 1000 East
Washington, DC 20591

Phone: (202) 267-8626

FAI FSS - Inflight Overview

Any services that are done on preflight can also be done on inflight, however it is always best to keep as much workload as possible on the preflight side. Requests for standard weather briefings or filing flight plans are prime examples of tasks that are best accomplished on preflight. The Alaska Supplement, in the "Procedures" section states, "Flight Plans may be submitted to the nearest Flight Service Station either in person or by telephone. Aircraft radio may be used if no other means are available." So if at all possible, get your pilot briefing and file your flight plan(s) in person or over the telephone, but if this is not possible, then do not hesitate to do it over the radio. It is understood in Alaska, with our limited telephone service, that there will be times when this is necessary.

On every contact the inflight specialist is required to ensure that you have received all the adverse conditions for your route, and ifyour destination is in our flight plan area, the NOTAMs for your destination. Not that we have to give them to you on every contact, but we have to ensure you have them. That can turn into a question and answer session because in order for us to do that we have to know your present position, altitude, route of flight and destination. That's because the requirement is not just to ask, "Hey did you get everything?" we have to check your route say, "AIRMETs are in effect along your route for Mountain Obscuration and Turbulence, do you already have those AIRMETs?" Then lets say there is a runway closed at your destination, we have to let you know about that, and of course if there is a Temporary Flight Restriction anywhere near the route, we have to ask if you have that. It does not matter whether or not you ask for any of this, it's required on every contact.

Some savvy pilots have discovered a magic phrase to eliminate most of that. On initial call up they state, "We have all the adverse conditions and NOTAMs for the route." We love to hear that, it sure makes our job easier, but don't say that unless it's true. Even if you make such a statement, we will still advise you if there have been changes recently enough that you most likely could not have already received the updated information.

You should also be aware that weather advisories and adverse conditions do not mean the same thing. Adverse conditions include additional items beyond just weather advisories, so be sure to say you have all the adverse conditions, not just weather advisories, if you are trying to eliminate the 20 question thing.

Weather advisories are forecast hazardous weather conditions which are issued in the form of: Alert Weather Watches (AWWs), Convective SIGMETs (WSTs), SIGMETs (WSs), AIRMETs (WAs) and Center Weather Advisories (CWAs).

Adverse conditions are harder to define but definitely include all weather advisories plus other items as well. It includes any meteorological or aeronautical condition reported or forecast that might influence the pilot to alter the proposed flight. This can include almost anything such as; fronts, thunderstorm activity, IFR conditions, icing, turbulence, airport closures, runway closures, air traffic delays, temporary flight restrictions (TFRs), etc.