Published on : Tuesday, February 5, 2013
In a new milestone assisted by the Airbus ProSky company Quovadis, Colorado-based Frontier Airlines has been cleared to use highly-efficient RNP-AR 0.3 (Required Navigation Performance – Authorisation Required) operations for public procedures in the United States.
These advanced RNP-AR methods – the approval for which was given by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration – allow aircraft to fly precisely along a predefined route using on-board navigation systems and the GPS-based global navigation satellite system.
The containment area provided by RNP enables an optimised horizontal and vertical trajectory in demanding terrain, helps to reduce diversions resulting from poor weather conditions, lowers fuel burn and improves airport access in challenging terrain.
Quovadis supported Frontier Airlines in completing this authorisation’s requirements, which included specific aircraft qualification, updated flight operation documentation, specific crew and dispatcher training programmes, navigation database validation and management, deployment of an RNP-AR monitoring programme and others.
“The opportunity to collaborate with Frontier Airlines has been invaluable,” said Quovadis COO Don-Jacques Ould-Ferhat. “Assisting them with obtaining FAA RNP-AR 0.3 operational approval will allow them to fly more predictive, efficient and timely routes into more airports throughout the United States.”
As a result of its “green light” from the FAA, Frontier will be able to fly RNP procedures that allow a turn after the final approach point, or a missed approach with RNP values of up to 0.3nm. The carrier will continue working with Quovadis to gain operational approval for RNP-AR below 0.3 Public Operations in the U.S.
The Airbus ProSky subsidiary – which includes the Metron Aviation, Quovadis and ATRiCs companies – is committed to working side-by-side with air navigation service providers, aircraft operators and airport authorities to build a truly collaborative system with greater capacity, better performance and environmental sustainability for all stakeholders.
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