eration, modern aircraft has necessitated the need for quick and rapid upgrading of facilities, procedures and infrastructure. The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) mandate for the implementation of PBN procedures both, in enroute and terminal area, has come as a boon towards optimizing airspace utility and efficient management of terminal airspace at the two busiest airports in India – Mumbai and Delhi – which have been the focus of traffic growth.
Benefits PBN procedures exploit onboard navigation capabilities, coupled with operature point to destination with reference
tional procedures to benefit aircraft and
♦ GAGAN would provide precision ap-
to various ground-based nav-aids. The
airspace users through:
proach and landing guidance up to
flight paths therefore are not only fixed
♦ Improved airspace utilization through
Category I to aircraft hitherto not avail-
but operationally inflexible. In PBN, the
able due to terrain conditions preclud-
aircraft derives position information from
ing provision of ILS
a navigation satellite like GPS/GNSS and
operational by 2010.
uses an advanced on-board navigation
Technology
system and a flight management com-
“Aviation industry being technically ori-
puter to fly an efficient and flexible tra-
ented demands of its players to keep pace
jectory to the destination. Thus, PBN pro-
with the ever changing technology, so
cedures take advantage of enhanced air-
as to not only enable them to provide
borne capabilities and satellite technol-
seamless transition of passengers through
ogy for efficient aircraft operations. Area
enhanced airspace capacity; ♦ Improved management of air traffic leading to enhanced air safety; ♦ Enhanced safety to de-conflicting arrival and departure routes with predictable flight paths; ♦ Repeatability of flight path, resulting in minimized tactical radar vectoring, thereby enhancing operational effi-
the airports but also to make airports user friendly thus, inducing confidence amongst air travelers. It also enhances
The Financial Profile of Airports Authority of India – Last 3 years: Particulars
2006-07
2007-08
2008-09
ground and in the air. It assists in de-
Revenue Earnings(Rs. in crores)
3726.23
4289.21
4185.95
signing & developing seamless air routes
Capital Expenditure(Rs. In crores)
2196.90
2549.84
3070.23
taking advantage of Satellite Based Tech-
Profit before tax(Rs. In crores)
1529.33
1739.37
1115.73
859.85
1081.87
687.21
level of safety and security both on the
nology. So devised air routes are bound
Profit after tax(Rs. In crores)
to reduce fuel consumption of aircrafts, thereby enhancing capacity & eliminat-
Navigation (RNAV) and Required Navi-
ing delays, need of modern day aviation,”
gation Performance (RNP) are the two
said Agrawal.
constituents of Performance Based Navi-
Per formance
Based
Navigation
gation.
ciency of the controllers and pilots; ♦ Significant reduction in controller-pilot communication; ♦ Reduced fuel burn due to shortened
(PBN) - A New Initiative with a
Why?
Global Approach
The consistent high growth rate of civil
flight legs as compared to conventional
In conventional navigation, the aircraft
aviation in India in the recent past, as
Standard Instrument Departures (SID),
utilizes ground-based nav-aids for posi-
well as the burgeoning flight sizes of the
leading to significant environmental
tion determination and flies from depar-
airlines with the induction of new gen-
benefits in terms of reduced emissions;
56
DECEMBER - 2009