ENAIRE has put new approach procedures into service at Palma Airport, based on satellite navigation

The new approach method improves operations at airports

ENAIRE, the company of the Fomento Group that manages air navigation in Spain, has initiated new approach procedures at Palma Airport, based on satellite navigation.

Thanks to this measure the range of available approaches has increased, including new options that allow operating without terrestrial radio navigation. This is in improvement in the airlines' activity.

As part of its Strategic Plan (2020 Flight Plan), ENAIRE increases the efficiency of operations with the implementation of new approaches, as well as accessibility to the various runway heads, whilst also improving the airport's security.

As these procedures do not depend on terrestrial radio navigation, they are a cost-efficient alternative compared with conventional approaches, which are based on land systems. To carry out these procedures based on the use of satellite navigation, the aircraft need to be duly equipped and their crew must be trained.

Two types of new manoeuvres

The project implemented at Palma Airport involves two types of new manoeuvres. On the one hand, the 06L runway will include a series of approach manoeuvres based on the EGNOS European augmentation system.

On the other hand, new procedures based on satellite navigation with and without the required use of the EGNOS European augmentation system will be provided in the approach to parallel runaways 24R and 24L.

The launching of these new procedures aimed at managing more efficiently the high-density control terminal areas complies with the Common Pilot Project (CPP) European regulation, the purpose of which is to support the execution of the European Commission's Air Traffic Management Master Plan.

In addition, the implementation of these new operations are financed using funds provided by the European agency INEA; these funds are aimed at ensuring the CPP European regulation is fulfilled.

The recent launch of the new procedures in Palma are added to the deployments already carried out in the airports of Santander, Almería, Valencia and Fuerteventura. In addition, Málaga-Costa del Sol Airport has a satellite-based augmentation system called GBAS for carrying out precise operations in low-visibility conditions.

These new approach procedures based on satellite navigation will help continue to move forward in meeting the requirements of the Performance-Based Navigation (PBN) Implementation Plan, laid out in ENAIRE's '2020 Flight Plan'. To allow airlines to land and take off using this new method, ENAIRE has elaborated the necessary safety studies, which were approved by the Spanish Aviation Safety Agency (AESA).

As a result, ENAIRE can provide users of Palma Airport approaches based on satellite navigation from the pre-existing entry points. This is all possible without having to set up additional land infrastructure, which represents financial savings and operational benefits as a result.

About ENAIRE

The public corporate entity ENAIRE is a company designated by the Ministry of Public Works to manage the fourth largest airspace in Europe in terms of traffic through 5 control centres, 22 control towers and a network of air traffic infrastructure and equipment. The air traffic managed by ENAIRE transports over 250 million passengers in 2 million flights per year.