First Non-Precision GPS Approach Introduced in the UK

Details of the approach at Shoreham are included in the UK Air Pilot update published on 9 October, and the approach will be available to aircraft and crew meeting the necessary requirements from 20 November. Richard Taylor, Chairman of the CAA's Communications, Navigation and Surveillance for Air Traffic Management (CNS/ATM) Steering Group, said: The introduction of the GPS approach at Shoreham Airport is a significant development in the on-going project to make GNSS non-precision approaches available to UK GA pilots. The CAA would like to congratulate the team at Shoreham involved in developing the approach and the associated safety assurance. John Haffenden, Airport Managing Director at Shoreham Airport, said: The CAAs airspace policy and air traffic standards staff have worked with Shoreham to ensure that these new procedures can be made available, and produced and assisted in all the necessary approvals to make this happen. The CAA has also confirmed the requirements for airfields wishing to introduce similar approaches for general aviation in the UK. The requirements state that an airfield must have: A CAA licence. A runway meeting the physical characteristics required for an instrument runway this covers the runway strip width, its clear and graded area, surface markings, holding points and lighting (if used at night). The runway is not required to have an instrument approach system already in place. An air traffic control service not Flight Information Service or air-ground operator. The requirements for pilots and aircraft are that: Pilots flying the approach must have a current Instrument Rating (IR) or an Instrument Meteorological Conditions Rating (IMCR). The aircraft navigation system installation, based upon GNSS receiver equipment qualified to (E)TSO-C129a (certain classes only) or (E)TSO-C145 or (E)TSO-C146, must be approved for the purpose. Any airfield meeting the requirements and wishing to add a non-precision RNAV (GNSS) approach will also need to work with the CAA on the design of the approach, the development of a safety plan and, if the airfield was not part of the previous trial, a validation flight. Richard Taylor added: Now the first approach has been introduced at Shoreham we hope to see other airfields follow. We would encourage any other airfield meeting the criteria that wishes to add an approach to contact us for assistance and guidance.