International Industry Group To Maximize Precision Navigation
Benefits Across U.S.
A research task order from the FAA to maximize performance-based
navigation capabilities across the United States has been awarded
to Boeing, the company announced Tuesday. The FAA initiated a $3.1
million task order for "Greener Skies Initiative 2." The Boeing
team will evaluate current precision navigation procedures and
analyze new procedures to advance the use of flight deck and air
traffic control capabilities in the national airspace system for an
improved air traffic management system.
The Initiative builds on the success of the Greener Skies Over
Seattle project, which demonstrated Alaska Airlines' ability to cut
fuel burn and reduce emissions by 35 percent compared to a
conventional landing using precision navigation called Required
Navigation Performance (RNP).
"The Greener Skies 2 initiative represents another critical
milestone as Boeing helps to drive implementation of NextGen, the
FAA's program to transform the national airspace system," said Neil
Planzer, vice president, Air Traffic Management, Boeing Flight
Services. "This research and development initiative supports
Boeing's strategic focus on maximizing the capabilities of Boeing
aircraft and implement RNP globally."
Required Navigation Performance (RNP) is a GPS-based navigation
technology that enables aircraft to fly precise and predefined
paths to closely spaced parallel runways. The result is more
efficient departure, en-route and approach profiles and a reduction
in fuel usage, emissions and noise. The research will help create
new procedures in flight deck and air traffic control ground-based
systems, which will lead to new reduced separation criteria and
increased safety margins.
The procedures will be tested at Seattle-Tacoma International
Airport and Seattle's Boeing Field for future implementation at
capacity-constrained airports across the United States.
The contract is a task order award under the FAA's Systems
Engineering 2020 (SE-2020) contract. Boeing will lead an industry
consortium consisting of SE-2020 team members Adacel, Airbus,
Cessna and Honeywell. Boeing's Air Traffic Management team draws on
expertise from across Boeing, including Commercial
Airplanes, Flight Services, including Boeing subsidiary Jeppesen,
Boeing Research and Technology and Boeing Defense, Space &
Security.
Boeing, Alaska Airlines, the Port of Seattle and the FAA began
the Greener Skies partnership in 2009. In 2010, the FAA approved
Greener Skies as an official FAA project.