Page 30 - AAA JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2014 Online Magazine

FEATURE NAVIGATION SYSTEMS

aviation, pilots have relied upon paper
maps to help find their way. Apple’s tablet
has been approved as an alternative to
these paper charts.
“SriLankan has taken the lead in Asia to
revolutionise the flight deck, realising the
vision of paperless flying and becoming
Asia’s first airline to fly with iPad Electronic
Fly Bags,” says SriLankan’s Chairman,
Nishantha Wickremasinghe.
SriLankan will be the first customer
airline to commence ‘digital flying’ using
the Fokker iPad class 2 installation, on the
Airbus A340, A330 and A320.
iPad EFB usage will also result
in reduced weight on board and
paper clutter in the cockpit; cut usage
of fuel due to more accurate take-
off and landing, weight and balance
calculations; improved safety with on-
board performance calculations; ability
to increase payload with ‘real time’ GE’s PBN Services is working flight path for all airlines serving Jiuzhai
performance calculations; improved with aircraft operators and air traffic Huanglong airport, the third highest
route decisions; and in the whole management providers in China, South airport in China, located at 11,311 feet in
process, save aircraft engine lifetime. and Central America, the United States, the Min Shan mountain range. GE claims
“Effectively, the process will make Australia, New Zealand, Canada and that the RNP paths, implemented in 2011,
flying much easier, more efficient, Europe to implement PBN solutions. has improved airport access and payload
accurate and greatly help the airline’s According to GE Aviation, the for operators, while providing an optimized
bottom line, as millions of rupees company is deploying the world’s first lateral and vertical guidance to the runway.
will be saved,” says SriLankan’s Chief network of ICAO RNP authorisation GE has calculated that airlines would
Executive Officer, Kapila Chandrasena. required flight paths designed by a save US$65.6 million and 39,000 tons
third-party in Malaysia. The program of fuel a year if RNP approaches were
iPad Flight Bags includes GE-designed ICAO 9905 standardized at just 46 regional airports in
Pilots no longer need to lug 84 kilograms compliant RNP AR approach paths at 15 the United States. RNP is already in place
of paper manuals from aircraft to aircraft Malaysian airports. The new flight paths at 16 Australian airports and Qantas flies
and from airport to airport and flip through will improve operating efficiencies for around 120 RNP procedures a day.
pages, as the process is now streamlined AirAsia by reducing track miles and fuel U.S.-based airframe maker Boeing is
to easy electronic searching. burn while also providing aircraft with also helping in shaping the evolving PBN
Recently, FAA allowed American Airlines precise lateral and vertical arrival and standards through close and on-going
to use its iPad Electronic Flight Bags in the missed approach guidance. involvement with the FAA and ICAO. Boeing
cockpit during all phases of flight. In collaboration with the Malaysia is also working with the Air Traffic Alliance
The online technology publication Department of Civil Aviation Authority with a goal of developing a strategy that
ZDNet reported last year that the U.S. Air (DCA), the regulator ANSP, GE is designing a large number of industry participants
Force expects to save up to $50 million and deploying the network of procedures to can support to establish a clear, focused
over the next 10 years from savings in utilize the performance characteristics of direction for the future.
fuel, paper and time because of iPads AirAsia’s A320 fleet. All Boeing commercial airplanes
that are being distributed to flight crews As GE says, work has been completed manufactured since the 1980s include
throughout the Air Force. at the first two airports - Kuching RNAV capabilities. Boeing says it began
On their part, several airframe International and Penang International. implementing RNP on airplanes in 1994.
makers and engine manufacturers are A preliminary review of Penang airport Now, every Boeing commercial airplane is
now working with airlines, regulators, air showed potential flight track miles savings included RNP capability.
navigation service providers (ANSP) and of up to 8 miles for runway 04 and up to 13 For the states, now the priority and
airport authorities to deploy RNP programs miles for runway 22. challenge is to extend PBN across the
that solve specific airspace issues. GE also deployed a common RNP global ATM system.
30 ASIAN AIRLINES & AIRPORTS JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2014 WWW.ASIANAIRLINES-AIRPORTS.COM