Benefits for Greek Regional Airports Through Innovative Approach Technology using an LPV to GLS Converter

Abstract

Required Navigation Performance procedures are a cost effective and accurate solution for aircraft instrument approaches, especially when combined with a final approach segment utilizing satellite based augmentation. However, transport category aircraft are currently not equipped with the satellite based augmentation for precision guidance. An existing converter technology can provide this final ap-proach segment to aircraft equipped with the GPS landing system. Then, as an added bonus, an automatic landing at pilots discretion is possible after the presented approach. Here, we study Thessaloniki and Corfu airports, both accommodating a large number of transport category aircraft, with many ground infrastructure constraints. Both were recently equipped by the Hellenic air navigation service provider with RNP approaches. We successfully flight tested the satellite based augmentation to GPS landing system converter and show that both airports could benefit from a permanent installation of such a system by having fewer diversions.