Air Transport

Airbus twinjets to be certificated for high-accuracy RNAV let-downs in poor weather

Air New Zealand (ANZ) is set to become the first airline to gain certification for its Airbus A320s to carry out near-precision approach procedures to required navigation performance (RNP) standards using area navigation (RNAV) systems.

ANZ says it has been working with Airbus on gaining the A320 RNP RNAV certification from the New Zealand Civil Aviation Authority, but it has also contracted US-based navigation specialist Naverus to design approach procedures at Queenstown, which currently has only VOR procedures, to enable its equipped domestic fleet to carry out curved RNP approaches such as those designed for Juneau, Alaska.

At present, aircraft inbound to Queenstown cannot descend below 3,500ft (1,070m) unless visual meteorological conditions prevail, says Morgan. With RNP RNAV and approval for the Naverus-designed approach procedure, the A320s will have a minimum descent height of 300ft.

Morgan says the nine-strong Airbus fleet was delivered with all the hardware required as standard to enable certification for these flight management system (FMS)-flown approaches, and needed only a software update to be prepared for clearance.

Among the airline’s Boeing 737s, only the six aircraft already fitted with dual FMS will be certificated, and these will also have to have dual Honeywell-supplied global navigation satellite system units installed to make them RNP RNAV capable.

DAVID LEARMOUNT/LONDON

ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY BRENDAN SOBIE