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New FAA Regulation Requires Confirmation of RAIM Availability
October 5, 2009DW International Offers Prediction Service
On July 1, a provision in U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Advisory Circular AC90-100A came into effect requiring receiver autonomous integrity monitoring (RAIM) availability to be confirmed where GNSS is the sole navigation aid for area navigation (RNAV) procedures on low-altitude "T routes" and high-altitude (above 18,000 feet) "Q routes" that shorten the geographical distance compared to previous routing. RAIM ensures that the GPS receiver can validate its position calculations.
The new FAA provision mirrors similar guidance in Europe (EASA AMC 20-4 and JAA TGL10) and covers RNAV applications detailed within the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO’s) Performance-Based Navigation (PBN) Manual, Doc 9613.
Various online tools offer basic RAIM prediction solutions in the United States and in Europe. DW International (DWI), a UK-based navigation consultancy and software development company, supplies a GPS RAIM Prediction Service (GRPS) direct to end-users through existing flight-planning suites.
The solution is fully automated so that flight planners whose navigation data providers have partnered with DWI obtain the RAIM Prediction as they plan the route.
In all cases, GRPS has been included within the existing suite; thus, flight planners don’t have to spend time learning how to use a new interface or re-entering parameters through a separate RAIM service. The service allows pilots to plan around periods of reduced GNSS availability by taking all route details from the flight plan and calculating RAIM availability for all route types, standard instrument departures (SIDs), standard terminal arrival routes (STARs0, en-route, terminal, and approach on a leg-by-leg basis, including destination and alternate airports.
While the FAA mandate applies to the continental United States, DWI’s solution provides global coverage and so can provide operators with required RAIM Prediction wherever in the world it is required. “Our goal is total global coverage for all applications in all phases of flight,” states John Wilde, director of DWI. While the tool covers required applications, it also goes beyond the requirements of AC90-100A and covers remote and oceanic applications (RNP 4, RNAV 10, and MNPS), where, arguably, GNSS navigation is more crucial.
DWI currently supplies the service to major flight planning companies across the United States and with more on the way. The company continues to develop the tool along with its partners and the FAA and regulatory bodies around the world to allow for RNP AR sub 0.3 NM applications in accordance with FAA AC90-101A; to further integrate its RAIM Prediction Service with other tools such as its GPS Monitoring System; and to create enhanced functionality such as sophisticated worldwide graphical output. DWI also plans for the same tool to provide coverage for upcoming constellations including Galileo.
DWI director John Wilde was named as one of GPS World’s “50 Leaders to Watch” in the May 2007 issue.
Related Links :
FAA Approves First U.S. Ground-Based Augmentation System
The System: Glitches and Vulnerabilities
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