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The benefits that space technology bring to European citizens and how these benefits can be maximized was one of the key topics discussed at the European Navigation Conference (ENC) in Lausanne, Switzerland, on 10 May.

Users were very much the centre of attention at the opening Navigation Science and Strategy session at this year’s European Navigation Conference (ENC). In his opening speech, GSA Executive Director Carlo des Dorides stressed the importance of service delivery. He noted that, as of the first of July this year, the GSA will take the lead in the operations and service provision of Galileo.  “This is an important time for Galileo and the GSA, following the Declaration of Initial Services in December, and the award of the Galileo Service Operator contract,” he said. Looking to the future, des Dorides highlighted that two important strategic pillars are underpinning the work of the Agency: the new European Space Strategy, announced by the Commission at the end of last year, and the GSA’s 2017 GNSS Market Report.

Also read: GSA Signs Galileo Service Operator Contract

5th GSA GNSS Market Report

The latest edition of the GSA’s GNSS Market Report was officially launched during the ENC! According to des Dorides, over the past five years the report has become an internationally recognised document downloaded by many thousands of GNSS users. The GSA GNSS Market Report is coupled with the GSA’s GNSS User Technology Report, which the GSA published for the first time last year. From now on, the GSA will publish their GNSS Market Report and the Technology Report on alternate years.

Download now: 5th GSA GNSS Market Report 2017

As there will be more GNSS devices in the world than people by 2020, des Dorides said that growth for applications and services will be even more impressive. “European GNSS is ready to face the major technology trends that lie ahead,” he said.

Miguel Mantiega Bautista, GNSS Evolutions Programme Manager at the European Space Agency (ESA), concurred. He said that companies are starting to believe in the business and, as a result, navigation will soon be at the centre of a huge number of business development models. To capitalise on this, GNSS must be able to rapidly adapt to market trends and be committed to providing consumers with value-added services. “GNSS has to adapt or it will become irrelevant,” he said.

“We are very lucky to be arriving at this point at a time when the system is reaching maturity,” Bautista noted, adding that the ESA, the European Commission, Member States and the European GNSS Agency (GSA), were undertaking a huge joint effort to set the path for the next generation of GNSS systems.

Paving the way for Galileo and EGNOS

To ensure Europe is positioned to answer the opportunities and challenges that come with these major technological trends, last year the European Commission launched the European Space Strategy. Des Dorides highlighted five key elements of the Strategy, the first of which is to maximize the benefits of space for society. According to des Dorides, this will require strong action on market uptake. He noted that this is particularly important because, with EGNOS and Galileo, Europe is building the infrastructure highway on which applications and services will transit. “It is through these applications and services that Europe is expecting to receive a return on its investment,” he said.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

Implementing EGNOS-enabled Localizer Performance with Vertical guidance (LPV) approaches at small and medium size aerodromes across Europe will bring big benefits for general aviation and other aircraft users. However, each runway approach requires an individual design and gaining regulatory approval can be complex. Now the GSA co-funded project GAGA is using its work to implement LPV approaches at three UK aerodromes to provide a template that could accelerate the implementation  process for general aviation aerodromes in the UK and other Member States.

The GSA co-funded project ‘GNSS Approaches for General Aviation’ (GAGA) was presented at the AERO 2017 trade show in Friedrichshafen, Germany as part of a series of GSA-organised ‘mini conferences’. Martin Robinson, CEO of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) in the UK, presented the GAGA project, which is fostering  the  design,  development  and  implementation  of  EGNOS-based  operations, including  approach  procedures, at  three small aerodromes.
Specifically, the project is designing and implementing LPV approaches for three UK aerodromes: Gloucester, Haverford West in Wales and Stapleford just north of London.

CAA involved

Initially the team plans what is required to implement the procedure, develops the safety case, collects relevant data and examines any airfield-specific issues for the approaches. This is then sent to the actual approach designers and the designed approach is flight validated before the paperwork is delivered to the regulatory authority: the UK’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

“One of the unique aspects of GAGA is that we involve the CAA in the process from the start to finish,” says Robinson. “This means there are no surprises, no show-stoppers and any issues are addressed early. This makes for a much more efficient process.”

The CAA has nominated case officers for each aerodrome and the GAGA team has worked closely with them at every stage of the design and implementation of the LPV procedures. In particular, this close cooperation with the CAA has helped the regulator to understand better how implementing such approaches can be undertaken within the spirit of the current regulatory structure – in particular the CAA regulation CAP 1122. This describes the application of instrument approach procedures to aerodromes without an instrumented runway and/or approach control.

This should enable a wider deployment of EGNOS-enabled approaches not only  at UK aerodromes but at other non-instrument aerodromes  in Europe  whilst providing continuing assurance in terms of safety and adhering to current policy through the adoption of a risk-based approach.

“This is the future already,” says Robinson. “We will be producing a guidance document developed from our experience in the projects – a kind of ‘how you can do it’ guide – that can be used by stakeholders in other Member States to work with their regulators to achieve successful LPV implementation.”

EGNOS service

“EGNOS and LPVs really provide a great service for the general aviation community,” says Robinson. “Cost for larger airports such as Heathrow and Gatwick is huge, and smaller aerodromes like Stapleford are ideal alternatives.”

And having LPV capability is good news for business aviation operators and air ambulances, as this means that they can now operate from the aerodromes even in low visibility.

Martin Robinson cites other business opportunities that arise following LPV implementation. “Instrument flight training can be done in situ at the airfield, which improves safety training,” he explains. “For example, at Gloucester trainee pilots will be able to experience flying approaches to city airports in a real aircraft under real conditions rather than in a simulator. Training is a very good side business for smaller airports.”

“And with LPV at both Gloucester and Stapleford suddenly it becomes economically viable to operate a daily business service between the two airfields that is cost comparable with the train,” he continues.

“The major advantage for the Haverford West aerodrome is that business jets now have a guaranteed approach in all weathers,” Robinson concludes. “The field is close to a major oil and gas facility and many US business jets use the field. US pilots understand SBAS-based procedures like EGNOS and are used to flying these types of approaches.”

More information:

EGNOS 

EGNOS for Aviation

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

Implementing EGNOS-enabled Localizer Performance with Vertical guidance (LPV) approaches at small and medium size aerodromes across Europe will bring big benefits for general aviation and other aircraft users. However, each runway approach requires an individual design and gaining regulatory approval can be complex. Now the GSA co-funded project GAGA is using its work to implement LPV approaches at three UK aerodromes to provide a template that could accelerate the implementation  process for general aviation aerodromes in the UK and other Member States.

The GSA co-funded project ‘GNSS Approaches for General Aviation’ (GAGA) was presented at the AERO 2017 trade show in Friedrichshafen, Germany as part of a series of GSA-organised ‘mini conferences’. Martin Robinson, CEO of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) in the UK, presented the GAGA project, which is fostering  the  design,  development  and  implementation  of  EGNOS-based  operations, including  approach  procedures, at  three small aerodromes.
Specifically, the project is designing and implementing LPV approaches for three UK aerodromes: Gloucester, Haverford West in Wales and Stapleford just north of London.

CAA involved

Initially the team plans what is required to implement the procedure, develops the safety case, collects relevant data and examines any airfield-specific issues for the approaches. This is then sent to the actual approach designers and the designed approach is flight validated before the paperwork is delivered to the regulatory authority: the UK’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

“One of the unique aspects of GAGA is that we involve the CAA in the process from the start to finish,” says Robinson. “This means there are no surprises, no show-stoppers and any issues are addressed early. This makes for a much more efficient process.”

The CAA has nominated case officers for each aerodrome and the GAGA team has worked closely with them at every stage of the design and implementation of the LPV procedures. In particular, this close cooperation with the CAA has helped the regulator to understand better how implementing such approaches can be undertaken within the spirit of the current regulatory structure – in particular the CAA regulation CAP 1122. This describes the application of instrument approach procedures to aerodromes without an instrumented runway and/or approach control.

This should enable a wider deployment of EGNOS-enabled approaches not only  at UK aerodromes but at other non-instrument aerodromes  in Europe  whilst providing continuing assurance in terms of safety and adhering to current policy through the adoption of a risk-based approach.

“This is the future already,” says Robinson. “We will be producing a guidance document developed from our experience in the projects – a kind of ‘how you can do it’ guide – that can be used by stakeholders in other Member States to work with their regulators to achieve successful LPV implementation.”

EGNOS service

“EGNOS and LPVs really provide a great service for the general aviation community,” says Robinson. “Cost for larger airports such as Heathrow and Gatwick is huge, and smaller aerodromes like Stapleford are ideal alternatives.”

And having LPV capability is good news for business aviation operators and air ambulances, as this means that they can now operate from the aerodromes even in low visibility.

Martin Robinson cites other business opportunities that arise following LPV implementation. “Instrument flight training can be done in situ at the airfield, which improves safety training,” he explains. “For example, at Gloucester trainee pilots will be able to experience flying approaches to city airports in a real aircraft under real conditions rather than in a simulator. Training is a very good side business for smaller airports.”

“And with LPV at both Gloucester and Stapleford suddenly it becomes economically viable to operate a daily business service between the two airfields that is cost comparable with the train,” he continues.

“The major advantage for the Haverford West aerodrome is that business jets now have a guaranteed approach in all weathers,” Robinson concludes. “The field is close to a major oil and gas facility and many US business jets use the field. US pilots understand SBAS-based procedures like EGNOS and are used to flying these types of approaches.”

More information:

EGNOS 

EGNOS for Aviation

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).