HUGHES AEROSPACE CORPORATION DEVELOPS FIRST RNP APPROACH PROCEDURE AT WORLD’S BUSIEST AIRPORT – CHICAGO O’HARE INTERNATIONAL

Post by Alyce Shingler on October 1, 2014, updated on January 24, 2020

Hughes Aerospace Corporation and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) worked closely with stakeholders to design and implement the first Required Navigation Performance (RNP) Instrument Flight Procedure at Chicago O’Hare International Airport. This cornerstone of Performance-Based Navigation (PBN) technology provides the public with an environmentally friendly approach procedure that is purely satellite based and does not require the installation or maintenance of costly ground navigation equipment

Chicago Chart

Hughes Aerospace led the effort to deliver this technology by designing the procedure as well as performing the Instrument Flight Procedure Validation activities in their own aircraft. Additionally, Hughes Aerospace will maintain the procedure in accordance with its FAA approved maintenance program.

PBN utilizes RNP technology to transform how airplanes navigate the sky. The FAA, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and regulators worldwide are addressing the impact of air traffic growth by implementing PBN capabilities and efficiencies while simultaneously improving safety, reducing aircraft environmental impact and increasing user access.

“We enjoyed the opportunity to work closely with the FAA and various stakeholders to bring this technology to O’Hare, the traveling public and the Air Transport industry,” said Chris Baur, Hughes Aerospace President & CEO.

“With the majority of the operators at O’Hare equipped and certified for RNP AR, we are excited to see this new procedure providing benefits immediately,” said Jeff Witt, Managing Director of Navigation Services at Hughes Aerospace.

Hughes Aerospace Corporation possesses licenses and certifications from several countries throughout the world for Instrument Flight Procedure Design and is endorsed by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) as an Instrument Procedure Design Organization for both Performance-Based Navigation (PBN) and Conventional instrument flight procedures. Additionally, Hughes Aerospace participates with the ICAO Performance-Based Navigation “Go-Team” as a stakeholder in the Global PBN Movement.

For questions about this release, please contact Alyce Shingler at info@hughesaerospace.com

For more information from the FAA on NextGen, visit http://www.faa.gov/nextgen/