EUSPA launched a new initiative called "EUSPA Network of pilot projects" to facilitate the implementation of EGNOS-based procedures to non-instrument runways for general aviation and validate the safety assessment guidelines, published earlier in November.
Since its certification for use in civil aviation in 2011, EGNOS has become an important aid in the European aviation sector, increasing both the safety and accessibility of airports. Thanks to the accurate guidance offered by the system, pilots can easily land under challenging weather conditions such as poor visibility and avoid aborted landings (go-arounds).
From an airport perspective, EGNOS LPV approaches allow for instrument landings at lower costs as there is no need to install ground navigation aids. Satellite-based approaches by EGNOS are precise, stable, offer smoother glide paths and very high levels of availability.
As of today, more than 400 airports -mostly medium or large- in Europe rely on EGNOS-based approaches. General Aviation aerodromes usually rely on only VFR operations and have limited ground infrastructure. Even though the General Aviation (GA) community undertakes millions of flights on aircraft equipped with GNSS-receivers, it is not taking full advantage of the technology.
EUSPA worked together with the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and other general aviation stakeholders on the strategy and other materials to support the implementation of EGNOS for general aviation to increase instrument approaches with EGNOS at non-instrument aerodromes. In December 2019, the safety promotion material for the implementation of EGNOS based procedures to general aviation was published followed by the safety assessment guidance material focusing on safety assessment development. One of the biggest challenges of the implementation of EGNOS-based approaches to non-instrument runways for general aviation is the safety assessment. EUSPA launched a new initiative called "EUSPA Network of pilot projects" to facilitate the implementation of EGNOS-based procedures to non-instrument runways for general aviation and validate the safety assessment guidelines.
Click here to read all you need to know about the "EUSPA Network of pilot projects
Why invest in EGNOS?
Implementing EGNOS-based LPV procedures across European General Aviation airports brings numerous opportunities, from increasing flight traffic and boosting the economy of local communities to benefitting flight schools. SBAS approaches can help smaller airports create more connections for General and Business Aviation flights, while GA and BA pilots can rely on their instruments to land even under poor weather conditions such as decreased visibility.;
About EGNOS
The European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service, or EGNOS in short, is European Union regional satellite-based augmentation system (SBAS). SBASs are used to correct the performance of global navigation satellite systems, such as GPS. To do so, EGNOS uses a set of geostationary satellites and a network of ground stations to increase the accuracy of GPS. In the next 3 years, a new, more powerful system called "EGNOS V3" will become available and the user experience will be maximised through the strengthening of Galileo’s signal in addition to GPS’s.