Dassault has flown the first approaches using Europe's EGNOS safety-of-life service that was formally launched in early March.

The French airframer flew satellite-guided precision approaches into Pau Pyrénées airport in south-west France on a Falcon 900LX large-cabin business jet equipped with the EASy 11 cockpit.

EGNOS is the European counterpart to the wide area augmentation system already available in the USA. It is designed to improve the accuracy and integrity of the US GPS satellite navigation system to within 1m (3ft) horizontally and 2m vertically.

Pilots will be offered more direct en route flightpaths, greater runway capability and reduced separation standards without increased risk, says Dassault.

Source: Flight International