Performance Based Navigation Procedures Research Articles

Can We Leverage Text Analysis to Inform Policy Priorities Through a Community Engagement Grid?

The implementation of new performance-based navigation procedures at an East Coast airport in 2016 required the airport authority to step up its engagement with airport community residents. This case study leverages natural language processing to explain changes in the sentiments of airport community residents from 2015 to 2021. Natural language processing algorithms made it possible to create a community engagement grid that highlights issues identified in digital prints and social media and allows decision-makers to prioritize them based on awareness and urgency.

Performance-Based Navigation Approach Procedures with Barometric Vertical Guidance: How to Select the Air Temperature for Approach Procedure Design

In performance-based navigation (PBN) procedures with barometric vertical guidance, the effective vertical path angle (VPA) depends on the actual air temperature at the time of approach execution. A very low design temperature could result in an obstacle clearance height (OCH) higher than needed; hence, the airport throughput could be reduced when the cloud ceiling is below the OCH. Conversely, the design of a low temperature higher than is practical could lead to long periods in which the procedure cannot be used. The results of this research show that there is not much difference between the effective VPA for the different low temperatures studied. However, this slight difference, when obstacles penetrating the final approach surface (FAS) exist, usually leads to the approach minima being significantly different from each other. The objective of this study was to analyse the impact of the selected designed low temperatures in PBN procedures with barometric vertical guidance on the OCH/runway throughput and approach periods of use balance. Finally, guidelines on the selection of the minimum designed low temperature are proposed.

Performance-Based Navigation Flight Path Analysis Using Fast-Time Simulation

The growing demand for air transportation has led to an increase in worldwide air traffic inefficiency due to capacity constraints. The impacts associated with this situation can be reduced through operational changes. To better handle the problem, the Single European Sky ATM Research (SESAR) and the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) program suggest Performance-Based Navigation (PBN) as a solution. The Area Navigation (RNAV) and Required Navigation Performance (RNP) approaches belong to the group of PBN procedures. These procedures allow for a more efficient use of airspace by reducing route distances, fuel consumption and perceived aircraft noise. This article quantifies the benefits of PBN systems for two indicator parameters—fuel burn and flight time—and compares PBN systems to conventional instrument navigation procedures. The case studies use five airports in Brazil. The results of this analysis show that the benefits of the PBN approach vary with aircraft type and individual route characteristics.

Assessing the Benefits of Performance-Based Navigation Procedures

Performance-based Navigation (PBN) allows aviation operations to be conducted based on actual operational requirements rather than the requirements of ground-based equipment. Although the general operational benefits of PBN procedures have been recognized by various studies, there is a need to specify the actual benefits in terms of the frequency of event anomalies that could be expected from the use of PBN procedures. The study reviewed some of the available literature and identified some operational improvements as reported by previous authors. The study then proceeded to review archival data from the Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS) database with a view to identifying the link between the use of PBN procedures and reported event anomalies. Overall, there were significantly fewer reported event anomalies when PBN procedures were used than when PBN procedures were not used. It is suggested that air operators and air navigation service providers conduct appropriate risk and safety assessments in their consideration of an increased use of PBN procedures.

Safety assessment of RNP AR approach procedures

The required navigation performance authorisation required (RNP AR) approach, which is one of the performance-based navigation procedures, enables safer and efficient flight operations in busy and challenging mountainous areas. The RNP system increases situational awareness of pilots because of including monitoring and alerting service on board and ensuring lateral track accuracy of up to ± 0.1 NM. In this study, RNP AR approach (RNP AR APCH) procedures which will be a solution to prevent controlled flight into terrain (CFIT) accidents are defined. CFIT accidents mostly occur in the approach and landing phase of flights because of the lack of precision approaches. Moreover, flight operational safety assessment (FOSA) methodology published for only RNP AR APCH procedures is assessed. The FOSA is a significant part of the operational authorisation for RNP AR APCH procedures and also is applied to evaluate particular cases and could be useful method for mitigating the risk of CFIT.

국내 PBN 이행을 위한 대안 항법 적용 방안

한국은 성능기반항행 (PBN; performance-based navigation)으로 전환하기 위한 단계적 PBN 이행계획을 2010년에 수립하고 로드맵에 따른 새로운 비행절차를 개발 중에 있다. PBN 비행절차에는 GNSS (global navigation satellite systems), DME (distance measuring equipment), VOR (VHF omnidirectional range), INS (inertial navigation system) 등의 항행시설 (NAVAID; navigation aid)이 활용되는 것으로 되어있다. 그 중에서 GNSS를 이용한 PBN 업무제공이 중심을 이루고 있는 실정이다. 그러나 위성항법신호의 인위적, 자연적 간섭에 의한 취약성이 발견됨에 따라 세계 각국은 다양한 대안항법(APNT; alternative positioning, navigation and timing) 기술을 연구하고 있다. 본 논문에서는 GNSS 신호가 가용하지 않을 경우 기존의 항행시스템으로 지속적인 PBN 운항이 가능한지를 분석하였으며, 결과적으로 국내 일부 공항은 접근 단계 구역에서 대안항법의 구축이 필요한 것으로 나타났다. Republic of Korea has established its performance-based navigation (PBN) implementation plan in 2010 for ensuring a smooth transition to PBN operations and relevant new flight procedures are being developed in accordance with the roadmap. Various Navigation aids (NAVAIDs) like global navigation satellite systems (GNSS), distance measuring equipment (DME), VHF omnidirectional range (VOR), inertial navigation system (INS) are used to support PBN procedures. Among them, GNSS would play a central role in PBN implementation. However, vulnerability of satellite navigation signals to artificial and natural interferences has been discovered and various alternative positioning, navigation and timing (APNT) technologies are under development in many countries. In this paper, we study whether continuous PBN operations can be achievable without GNSS signals. As a result, it shows that some of the domestic airports require the construction of APNT in the approach area.

Análise dos benefícios da utilização de procedimentos baseados em desempenho e da utilização de aproximações de descida contínua na rota Galeão-Guarulhos

<p class="Textoderesumo">A introdução dos procedimentos PBN (Performance-Based Navigation) representa a busca pela otimização e melhor utilização do espaço aéreo e a sua implantação é considerada fundamental para os programas de modernização da navegação aérea em andamento em vários países, inclusive no Brasil. A implantação desse novo tipo de procedimento intro-duziu mudanças na operação das aeronaves, na inserção de novos procedimentos para controladores e pilotos e na introdução de sistemas de automação para suporte das operações aéreas e no solo. O objetivo desse artigo é analisar os benefícios da realização de Procedimentos de Navegação Baseados em Desempenho (PBN) e da utilização de Aproximações de Descida Contínua (CDA) na rota Galeão-Guarulhos. O estudo aplicou a simulação em tempo acelerado (fast-time) com o (Total Airspace and Airport Modeler) (TAAM) e considerou nove modelos diferentes de aeronaves. Utilizou como parâmetro de desempenho o combustível consumido. Os resultados do estudo mostraram que os benefícios da aplicação dessas técnicas variam conforme o modelo de aeronave.</p>

Human Factors Assessment of Disturbances to Scheduled Performance-based Navigation Arrival Operations

The introduction of Performance-Based Navigation (PBN) specifications to air traffic management has resulted in many benefits during nominal operations, including shorter flight paths, reduced fuel costs, and improved terminal area arrival rates. However, these benefits become less noticeable during off-nominal operations where aircraft are routinely interrupted from staying on PBN procedures due to disturbances such as missed approaches. This human-in-the-loop (HITL) study used multiple types of disturbance events to perturb the arrival schedule. Perturbed schedules were managed with different types of schedule adjustments, including a condition with no adjustments. The study collected data on a host of dependent variables, including human factors measures on controller workload and system performance measures such as schedule nonconformance (nc). Initial analyses showed strong correlations between aggregated controller workload and aggregated nc, as well as benefits of both automatic and manual schedule adjustments for increasing system performance, such as reduced PBN procedure interruptions. The goal of this paper is to further test these initial findings. The results indicated that an increase in schedule nonconformance correlated with an increase in controller workload at specific time intervals, and automated schedule adjustments consistently reduced controller workload associated with nonconformance.

Optimum Arrival Routes for Flight Efficiency

With the development of aircraft equipment, conventional navigation is the shift from performance based navigation (PBN). As is known, conventional navigation is based on ground-based navigation aids; however, PBN is based on aircraft avionics and performance. In this paper, a new method called Point Merge System (PMS) considered as one of PBN procedures will be introduced. PMS has many benefits related to fuel savings and emission reductions by implementing Continuous Descent Approaches (CDAs). A new PMS standard arrival route (STAR) model will be designed in radar simulation and it will be suggested.

Assessing the Benefits of NextGen Performance-Based Navigation

Two key components of the Next Generation Air Transportation System are Performance-Based Navigation (PBN) and the Optimization of Airspace and Procedures in the Metroplex (OAPM). PBN leverages state-of-the-art navigation technologies such as Area Navigation (RNAV) and Required Navigation Performance (RNP). OAPM implements PBN procedures and airspace changes. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is seeking to quantify the benefits of PBN. To support this effort, we investigated the throughput impact of PBN to mitigate numerous metroplex inefficiencies. PBN capabilities included RNAV Standard Instrument Departure (SID) and Standard Terminal Arrival (STAR) procedures. We developed queuing system models of the baseline SIDs or STARs capturing the inefficiencies and the RNAV SIDs or STARs mitigating the inefficiencies. We evaluated the models in simulations. Results show that RNAV SIDs and STARs demonstrated significant throughput increases over baseline SIDs and STARs, particularly at high traffic levels. This paper describes the modeling assumptions, methods, and results.