Accelerating large-scale implementation of EGNOS Approach Procedures in France

The EGNOS Day organized recently in Toulouse allowed ground and flight demonstrations of the space based EGNOS system, over representative elements of regional aircraft (ATR-72 600), helicopters (H175) and transport category aircraft (A350 XWB). The in-flight demonstrations were supported by EGNOS approaches now deployed by DSNA over the 4 runway ends of Toulouse-Blagnac airport.

Maurice Georges, Chief Executive Officer of DSNA, the French Air Navigation Service Provider, said: “Since our first European EGNOS approach publication in 2011, we have now provided EGNOS based approaches to airspace users over close to 100 of France instruments runway ends”.

Apart from flight demonstrations, presentations and round tables allowed the space and aviation press to learn more about EGNOS benefits. DSNA had the opportunity to share with the audience its ILS Category I to Performance Based Navigation (PBN) transition plan, supported thanks to EGNOS performance and safety level. This plan is a model of the opportunities offered when pan-European services may be designed and offered to airspace users. Pierre-Yves Huerre, Head of Planning and Strategy of DSNA, explained: ”We use the free of charge EGNOS signals to reduce our internal costs and thus supports a wider DSNA program aiming to reduce the landing tax over French airports. We are also thankful for the European GNSS Agency (GSA) contribution to this program, by sponsoring part of the avionics transition costs for interested airspace users, which now involves French regional airlines. We expect to continue delivering incremental benefits back to airspace users throughout our modernization program and SESAR deployment.” This program will also contribute to improve the FAB Europe Central (FABEC) performance.

DSNA is committed continuing deploying EGNOS over all instrument approach runway ends in France, by end of 2017, within its PBN deployment plan.