Required Navigation Performance (RNP) - A Navigation Update

Abstract

In the recent years, air traffic has increased globally. The rate of growth of air traffic has been estimated to be 8% per annum. In India, the international and domestic aircraft movements have posted an increase of 12.1 and 11% respectively, over the previous year’s figures. This growth in air traffic manifests into operational problems like congestion and bottle necks in air traffic affecting the economy of aircraft operations. Recent increase in fuel costs also added to the need for achieving economy in aircraft operations. The aircraft operators felt a need to drive the costs down. In order to sustain the air traffic growth and also to ensure safe, regular and economic flow of air traffic, ICAO, the concerned contracting states of ICAO in Asia and other related organizations like the IATA, SITA etc., joined together and decided to introduce a route structure with more air routes which are parallel and closer. This Revised ATS (Air Traffic Service) Route structure - Europe, Middle East, Asia Route Structure South of Himalayas (EMARSSH) was introduced on the 28th November 2002. However, the inherent drawbacks in navigation along such closely defined air routes had to be tackled. With safety foremost in mind, it is essential to be able to define the requirements for accurate navigation and to use the best tool available to qualify aircraft for today’s demanding operations. This was achieved by suitably defining the Required Navigation Performance (RNP) to be complied by the aircraft.