HAI Webinar – Demystifing COPTER IFR
Post by Alyce Shingler on December 4, 2024
San Bernardino International Airport is Embracing Cutting-Edge Satellite-Based Flight Procedures
Post by Alyce Shingler on November 30, 2024
San Bernardino International Airport, along with Hughes Aerospace, has minimized aircraft noise on communities with new satellite-based flight procedures.
One of the key new flight procedures is crucial for commercial aircraft landing from the east on SBD’s Runway 24, offering a more stable flight path.”
— Mark Gibbs, Director of AviationSAN BERNARDINO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, CA, UNITED STATES, September 23, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ — San Bernardino International Airport (SBD) continues to prioritize minimizing aircraft noise impacts on its neighboring communities. In collaboration with Hughes Aerospace, several new satellite-based flight procedures were implemented during March and May 2024. These state-of-the-art navigation procedures are designed to provide safer, consistent, and quieter flight paths for aircraft departing and arriving at SBD in various weather conditions.
Chris Baur, President & CEO of Hughes Aerospace, expressed his enthusiasm for this landmark project. “We are thrilled to introduce these innovative satellite-based procedures at San Bernardino International Airport. These advancements, independent of legacy ground-based navigation aids, offer improved safety and accessibility for both Runways 06 and 24.
It has been a pleasure to work closely with SBD Airport, Airlines, the FAA, along with community stakeholders, and we are excited to see the benefits these advanced designs are realized for everyone.
Mark Gibbs, Director of Aviation at San Bernardino International Airport emphasized the importance of these new procedures, saying, “we are grateful for the care Hughes Aerospace took to develop procedures that not only make our skies safer and more efficient for aviators, but also minimize overflights of our local residents to the greatest extent possible. The new satellite-based technology allows for more precise and stable flight paths, minimizing the need for pilots to adjust engine power settings and reducing aircraft noise.”
One of the key new flight procedures is crucial for commercial aircraft landing from the east on SBD’s Runway 24. This advanced satellite-based technology offers a more stable flight path, reducing the need for pilots to make frequent adjustments, which can contribute to community noise. The procedure is especially beneficial during strong westerly wind conditions, commonly experienced during summer afternoons”.]
For more information on these and other flight procedures at San Bernardino International Airport visit SBD Good Neighbor.com.
About San Bernardino International Airport (SBD):
Located approximately 60 miles east of Los Angeles and within 30 minutes of more than two million people, San Bernardino International Airport serves as a vital transportation hub in Southern California, providing both passenger and cargo services. SBD is dedicated to ensuring the safety, convenience, and satisfaction of its passengers while being a good neighbor to the surrounding communities.
About Hughes Aerospace:
Hughes Aerospace Corporation is globally recognized as the leading Air Navigation Service Provider, dedicated to providing safe, efficient and most the advanced instrument flight procedures. Hughes expertise spans designing, implementing, and maintaining both public and special instrument flight procedures, with endorsements from the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and certifications from other international regulatory bodies. Hughes’ services are crucial for airspace projects across North America, Latin America, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East, making them a key player for airlines, airports, helicopter operations, military and urban air mobility (UAM) sectors. With nearly twenty years of experience, Hughes is the largest certificated non-FAA Service Provider and one of the largest independent ANSP’s in the world. For further information about Hughes Aerospace and their contributions to air navigation innovation, visit Hughes Aerospace’s official website.
ROTORCRAFT COLLECTIVE
Post by Alyce Shingler on
The Rotorcraft Collective: Feeling the Pressure to Fly
Post by Alyce Shingler on October 30, 2024
Episode 28: Improving Flight With The Hughes App (w/ Chris Baur)
Post by Alyce Shingler on May 16, 2024, updated on May 17, 2024
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/push-to-talk-with-bruce-webb-a-helicopter-podcast/id1640747361
Chris Baur of Hughes Aerospace returns to the show to tell us about The Hughes App, a new all-in-one flight aid, complete with maps, charts, camera feeds, weather data, risk assessment functions, and many more flight supplements.
Hughes Aerospace working to improve SWFL airplane traffic with Naples Airport
Post by Alyce Shingler on April 2, 2024
Even as Naples Airport Authority studies the possibility of moving the airport in 20 or so years, it is working on improving flight patterns, how high planes fly over Naples, shared airspace with Marco Island Executive Airport and safety.
Texas-based Hughes Aerospace is in the middle of a feasibility study to develop conceptual designs for plane departures, approaches, missed approach waiting areas and shared airspace. Company executives gave the airport authority board of commissioners an interim report in March that had members hopeful of higher takeoffs, quieter approaches, more efficiency and less noise overall – a big complaint among area residents.
Hiring Hughes Aerospace in December came after a $2 million 2019 Airport Noise Compatibility study referred to as a Part 150 study and the noise abatement measures that came out of it and were submitted to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
“They have developed conceptual designs for new arrival procedures for every runway and all four runway ends that would increase the altitude of aircraft 2(00) to 400 feet over the community compared to what exists today,” Naples Airport Authority Executive Director Chris Rozansky told the board on March 21. Hughes Aerospace also developed conceptual designs for arrivals to runway 23 and for arrivals on runway 14-42, he said.
Hughs Aerospace also developed some concepts for Collier County’s Marco Island Executive Airport that will require Naples Airport Authority to work with Collier to implement the concepts “that are going to help deconflict the airspaces,” Rozansky said. That could lead to an increase in the 2,000-foot hold altitude, he said. Currently, all aircraft must hold at 2,000 feet after taking off before gaining altitude following permission from air traffic control.
“You want to take and integrate all of the airspace around the Southwest Florida area,” said Alyce Shingler, head of Hughes Aerospace day-to-day operations. “So we want to include the Marco Island and RSW and try to make a holistic approach to fixing the problems. In order to do that, you have to work closely with air traffic, the surrounding airports and the community.”
Additionally, Shingler said, “we also want to reduce the noise impacts of Marco Island.”
Marco Island Executive Airport is located just north of the island off Mainsail Drive, about 12 miles south of downtown Naples. The Florida Department of Transportation estimates that the Marco Island Executive Airport has a local total annual economic impact of $258 Million. By comparison, FDOT estimates the Naples Airport has a $781 million annual economic impact.
Keep planes over the water longer
Hughes Aerospace in its interim conceptual report recommends keeping planes over the water longer so they can cross the shoreline higher, “hopefully mitigating the noise impact,” Shingler said.
“The concept is that we’re going to push all the aircraft on the same trajectory at a higher angle so they’re going to cross the shoreline at a higher altitude and if they go missed approach they’re going to go back offshore,” said Hughes Aerospace Chief Executive Officer Chris Baur.
For Marco Island, Bauer wants the airport’s planes to go out over the water on missed approaches instead of over Naples, just like Hughes’ plan for Naples Airport planes.
Opening up the crowded southwest Florida airspace is “a linchpin for increasing that 2,000-foot hold,” Rozansky said.
Airports, communities, FAA, air traffic control to have say
Collier and Marco Island airport officials would have a say in any plans presented to the FAA, as will any community affected, Baur said.
“Anything that we would design would be a collaborative effort between the community, air traffic control, the airport, pilots,” Baur said. But no meetings will be scheduled until air traffic control representatives are consulted, he said.
Hughes officials will be meeting with air traffic controllers in mid-April, Baur said.
Hughes Revolutionizes Helicopter Navigation with the Launch of Groundbreaking COPTER ZK Route Network
Post by Alyce Shingler on February 28, 2024
Hughes has implemented the first Helicopter Performance Based Navigation (PBN) Network in commercial service, comprised of ZK Routes, RNP APCH & Departures.
Hughes, working closely with the FAA and Garmin, have been able to create a safer, more efficient pathway for IFR helicopter operations with the implementation of the first COPTER PBN Network”
— Chris Baur, CEO Hughes AerospaceANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES, February 28, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ — Hughes Revolutionizes Helicopter Navigation with the Launch of Groundbreaking COPTER ZK Route Network
Hughes Aerospace, a leading innovator in aviation navigation technology, is proud to announce the successful development and implementation of ZK routes, the first-of-its-kind low-level IFR airways designed specifically for helicopter operations. In collaboration with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Hughes has spearheaded the creation of these routes to enhance safety and efficiency for helicopter pilots by allowing operations closer to the ground, thus mitigating the risks associated with icing conditions as well as terrain and obstacles.
The ZK routes, part of a COPTER Performance Based Navigation (PBN) network, are a testament to Hughes’ commitment to advancing aviation technology. Through rigorous testing and evaluation conducted with the Hughes own R66 flight test helicopter, Hughes has worked meticulously with the FAA to establish the criteria for these innovative airways. This initiative also included the development of COPTER RNP-APCH LPV Instrument Approaches, and RNP 0.3 Departures, further showcasing Hughes’ dedication to enhancing navigational precision and safety in challenging day/night weather conditions.
Garmin®, a key collaborator, played a crucial role in developing the navigation databases necessary for both the testing and subsequent implementation of these advanced navigation procedures. Together, Hughes and Garmin introduced several technological enhancements, including operator ZK database route selectivity, which allows for greater flexibility and customization for helicopter operators.
Reach Air Medical Services, a leader in medical transportation, has become the first operator to successfully implement an entire IFR network of ZK routes, equipped with RNP-APCH approaches and RNP 0.3 RNAV Departures. This achievement marks a significant milestone in aviation, providing Reach Air Medical Services with unprecedented operational enhancements and reinforcing the importance of technological advancement in ensuring the safety and efficiency of air medical services.
Chris Baur, CEO of Hughes Aerospace & Industry Chairman of the US Helicopter Safety Team, expressed his enthusiasm for the project: “Hughes, working closely with the FAA and Garmin, has been able to create a safer, more efficient pathway for IFR helicopter operations with the implementation of the first COPTER PBN Network. This innovation not only enhances operational capabilities but also sets a new standard for navigation and safety in the vertical flight community.”
“We are very excited to be part of what Hughes Aerospace is doing with their launch of ZK routes. Providing our Garmin Navigation database with ZK routes capability will allow helicopter operators to utilize advanced navigation procedures, simplifying their everyday missions.” –Carl Wolf, Garmin Vice President of Aviation Sales and Marketing
The introduction of ZK routes is a clear indication of Hughes’ leadership in the aviation sector and its unwavering commitment to incubating technology for safer, more efficient flight operations. As the aviation industry continues to evolve, Hughes remains at the forefront, dedicated to developing technologies that improve safety, efficiency, and the overall piloting experience.
For more information about Hughes Aerospace and its innovative solutions, please visit Hughes Aerospace website. To learn more about Reach Air Medical Services, please visit Reach Air Medical Services website.
About Hughes Aerospace
Hughes Aerospace Corporation is recognized globally as a fully credentialed Air Navigation Services Provider, dedicated to delivering the safest and most advanced instrument flight procedures. We serve a diverse clientele, including the FAA, government authorities worldwide, and the aviation industry at large. Hughes expertise spans designing, implementing, and maintaining both public and special instrument flight procedures, with endorsements from the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and other regulatory bodies globally. Hughes’ services are crucial for airspace projects across North America, Latin America, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East, making them a key player for airlines, airports, helicopter operations, and urban air mobility (UAM) sectors. Hughes is the only 14 CFR Part 97 certificated FAA Service Provider. Please visit www.hughesaerospace.com for more information.
About Reach Air Medical Services
REACH Air Medical Services, headquartered in Sacramento, CA, provides critical care air and ground emergency medical services to communities throughout California, Oregon, Nevada, Alaska, Texas, Colorado and Hawaii. REACH employs hundreds of highly trained nurses, paramedics, pilots and aircraft maintenance technicians to provide service to patients using their fleet of medically equipped helicopters, airplanes and ground ambulances. REACH is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport Systems (CAMTS), which is the gold standard for patient care and safety in the medical transport industry. For more information, visit www.REACHAir.com.
REACH is part of Global Medical Response. With nearly 36,000 team members, Global Medical Response delivers compassionate, quality medical care, primarily in the areas of emergency medical and patient relocation services in the United States and around the world. GMR was formed by combining the industry leaders in air, ground, mobile healthcare services, and community, industrial/specialty and wildland fire services. For additional information, visit us on LinkedIn or at www.GlobalMedicalResponse.com.
About Garmin
Garmin products and services have revolutionized flight and become essential to the lives of pilots and aircraft owners and operators around the world. A leading provider of solutions to general aviation, business aviation, rotorcraft, advanced air mobility, government and defense, and commercial air carrier customers, Garmin believes every day is an opportunity to innovate. Recipient of the prestigious Robert J. Collier Trophy for Garmin Autoland, Garmin developed the world’s first certified autonomous system that activates during an emergency to control and land an aircraft without human intervention.
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