Air Transport

Austrian Airlines claims its Boeing 737 fleet is the first in Europe to secure authorisation to perform approaches using the combined concepts of area navigation (RNAV) and required navigation performance (RNP).

RNAV enables aircraft to follow a flightpath independent of ground-based navigation aids, and RNP defines the navigation accuracy required in a particular airspace.

The RNP RNAV concept combines the accuracy standards with specific containment integrity and continuity requirements. Overall, it enables aircraft flightpaths to be predictable and repeatable within a given level of accuracy.

Austrian conducted an RNP RNAV approach – the first in Europe – to Innsbruck’s runway 26 in June.

“This [new approach procedure] enables substantially improved and safer course guidance, especially in valleys and environments with a large number of natural barriers,” says the airline.

The procedure also includes action for a missed approach that does not depend on ground-based navaids.

Authorisation to carry out the procedure has taken four years and involved 150 RNP RNAV approaches to the site, along with simulation time.

DAVID KAMINSKI-MORROW/LONDON