Scandinavian Airlines has secured approval from Swedish authorities to conduct satellite-guided curved approaches to Stockholm Arlanda.
The airline says it is the first to obtain clearance to use the approaches in regular operations, using Boeing 737s to Arlanda's Runway 01R.
Flights use satellite-based positioning to conduct an S-shaped approach rather than follow the straight-line path dictated by regular instrument landing systems.
"Noise in the vicinity of the airport and the exposure of sensitive areas is therefore reduced," says the carrier, which has been developing the curved approaches since 2004. "Since then they have been tested in the simulator and evaluated on a limited scale."
Scandinavian Airlines says the Swedish transport regulator, Transport Styrelsen, has granted approval for the operation based on a European Aviation Safety Agency framework.
Source: Flight International
