The successful test flight (called RNP - Required Navigation Performance) which landed at Mopa on Monday morning was a very important milestone towards the commissioning of the new airport.
CEO of GMR Goa International Airport Limited (GGIAL) R V Sheshan said, “Today, we have successfully completed the Required Navigation Performance Procedure at the upcoming Mopa airport. RNP approach ensures integrity and accuracy and helps an aircraft to follow specific paths using board equipment."
Sheshan explained further, "This procedure not only offers safety benefits by means of its precision and accuracy, but it also enhances operational efficiency by minimising multiple step-downs, and inaccurate circling approaches."
He said GGIAL was working to make the new project a choice for airlines, passengers and all stakeholders and unlock the true potential of Goa. The airport will offer a plethora of employment and tourism opportunities promoting socio-economic development in Goa, he added.
GMR Goa International Airport Limited (GGIAL) is a subsidiary of GMR Airports Limited (GAL).
Today, it successfully completed RNP procedure for both approaches -- 10 and 28 - of the newly built runway.
An Airbus 320 aircraft from Indigo Airlines equipped with RNP equipment tested and validated RNP for its accuracy and flyability.
RNP is a family of navigation specifications under Performance Based Navigation (PBN) which permit the operation of aircraft along a precise flight path with a high level of accuracy and the ability to determine aircraft position with both precision and integrity.
RNP is a family of navigation specifications under Performance Based Navigation (PBN) which permit the operation of aircraft along a precise flight path with a high level of accuracy and the ability to determine aircraft position with both precision and integrity
The addition of RNP radius to fix arrivals, approaches, and departures increases airspace capacity by shortening the approach and departure paths.
Once the RNP procedure is drawn for a particular runway of an aerodrome, it needs to be tested and validated for its accuracy and flyability through simulator and actual aircraft trials.
During this process, the defined flight path is tested by flying an aircraft equipped with RNP equipment, in accordance with the procedure developed. Upon successful validation and approval, the procedures are published and promulgated for use by all airlines.
Validating such procedures by an aircraft at a greenfield airport needs immense amount of groundwork in terms of planning, preparation, readiness, testing and precision execution.