ENAIRE implements an additional manoeuvre at the A Coruña Airport based on satellite navigation

ENAIRE has implemented an additional manoeuvre at the A Coruña Airport based on satellite air navigation. This is a new approach procedure for the south threshold (designated 03), where Mount Xalo is located, which aims to minimise diversions in cases of fog or adverse weather at the airport. 

The use of satellite navigation was the option chosen by consensus after analysing various options proposed by ENAIRE in the working group created with Aena, AESA (National Aviation Safety Agency), the Civil Aviation General Directorate and airlines.

Once this option was selected, the corresponding validation flights were successfully carried out in order to guarantee the utmost aviation safety and the viability of the design implemented.

The new procedures, included in ENAIRE's aeronautical publication, AIP Spain, have been approved by the Inter-Ministerial Commission of the Ministry of Works and Defence and have AESA's required safety study. They are initially being placed into service during the day and, at a later stage, are also planned to be used at night.

Improvements to the north threshold as well

In addition, ENAIRE, in coordination with Aena, has adopted a series of measures to improve landings at the airport's north threshold (designated 21), the goal being to reduce diversions in the event of low visibility on those occasions when this runway is in use.

In accordance with the actions undertaken in the new design of the procedures for approaching runway 21, ENAIRE has lowered the pilot's decision point for this threshold. This aspect is crucial to letting the pilot establish visual references with the runway at a lower altitude, which means, in some cases and depending on the density of the fog banks on the Ria de O Borgo, avoiding diversions to other airports.

In October 2017, ENAIRE already took the first step to reduce the minimums of the pilot's decision point, where the pilot must choose between landing or going around in a low-visibility situation at the A Coruña Airport. 

The measure is applied in keeping with every safety measure and under the supervision of the National Aviation Safety Agency (AESA).

In addition to lowering the minimums, ENAIRE has also published a new topographic chart that allows airlines to more accurately determine the height of this decision point.

About ENAIRE 

ENAIRE is the company belonging to the Public Works Department that provides air navigation services in Spain. It renders aerodrome control services at 21 airports, including the busiest in terms of air traffic, plus en-route and approach control, from five control centres: Barcelona, Madrid, Gran Canaria, Palma and Seville.

In 2018 ENAIRE handled 2.1 million flights to and from four continents (Europe, America, Asia and Africa), transporting 300 million passengers.

ENAIRE is the fourth most important European air navigation service provider, and, in a clear commitment to the Single Sky initiative, belongs to international partnerships such as SESAR (Single European Sky ATM Research) Joint Undertaking, SESAR Deployment Manager, A6, iTEC, CANSO (Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation) and ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization).