FAA ISSUES HUGHES AEROSPACE CORPORATION AUTHORIZATION AS A THIRD-PARTY SERVICE PROVIDER FOR PUBLIC RNP AR INSTRUMENT FLIGHT PROCEDURES
Hughes Aerospace worked closely with the FAA for the past two years to achieve FAA Third-Party Service Provider certification for Required Navigation Performance (RNP) Authorization Required (AR) Instrument Flight Procedures. This rigorous process was performed in accordance with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Advisory Circular 90-110. The FAA has been recognized globally for leadership involving Performance Based Navigation (PBN) and the successful implementation of NextGen, which is transforming how airplanes navigate the sky. The agency is addressing the impact of air traffic growth by increasing the National Airspace System (NAS) capabilities and efficiency while simultaneously improving safety, reducing aircraft environmental impact and increasing user access. The FAA implements PBN routes and instrument flight procedures that leverage emerging technologies and aircraft navigation capabilities, while embracing the need for certified Third-Party development, validation and maintenance of these valued instrument flight procedures under strict FAA surveillance and oversight.
Today, airlines such as American, Alaska, Delta, JetBlue, Southwest, United and US Airways as well as business jet operators such as NetJets are experiencing the benefits of RNP AR instrument flight procedures and anticipate more opportunities to leverage this technology in the future. “We look forward to working with the FAA and other stakeholders to provide increased opportunities for NextGen implementation involving PBN and specifically RNP AR” said Hughes Aerospace President & CEO Chris Baur.
As part of the process to be authorized as a FAA Third-Party Service Provider, Hughes Aerospace has designed, validated and will maintain a public RNP AR instrument flight procedure at Chicago O’Hare International Airport that is scheduled to be published in the third quarter of 2014. “This project achieved success with a collaborative effort involving all stakeholders, including the FAA, Airport Management, Air Traffic Control facilities and Air Carrier operators” said Jeff Witt, Managing Director of Navigation Services at Hughes Aerospace.
In 2012, Hughes Aerospace was issued a FAA Letter of Authorization to perform Flight Validation activities in accordance with FAA Order 8900.1 and Advisory Circular 90-113. This authorization includes Ground and Airborne Obstacle Assessment, Simulator Evaluation and Flight Validation of PBN instrument flight procedures for both fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters. Hughes Aerospace operates its own Flight Validation aircraft with advanced avionics to provide safe, expedient and reliable service to our customers.
Hughes Aerospace possesses additional 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 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/
For more information about Hughes Aerospace Corporation, visit http://www.hughesaerospace.com/
About Hughes Aerospace
Houston based Hughes Aerospace Corporation is comprised of industry subject-matter experts providing solutions for a Communications, Navigation and Surveillance (CNS) systems-based approach for Regulators, Operators, Facilities and Air Traffic Management organizations throughout the global aerospace supply chain.
Hughes Aerospace is authorized by the FAA as Third-Party Instrument Flight Procedure Service Provider and is also authorized to conduct Instrument Flight Procedure Validation activities. Hughes Aerospace is endorsed by ICAO as an Instrument Procedure Design Organization. Hughes Aerospace has participated in landmark Performance-Based Navigation (PBN) projects throughout North America, Latin America, Asia, Europe and the Middle East.
Hughes Aerospace offers complete solutions that are unique and tailored to our customer’s specifications. Our emphasis is on PBN technologies and their inter-relationship with Air Traffic Control Engineering, Safety Management Systems and Flight Operations. Hughes Aerospace is unique in supporting Air Carrier, Business/Commercial Operators, Vertical Flight and Unmanned Aerial Systems with world-class PBN solutions.