GPS-Guided Landings Begin for Airline

[n2doc]

Southwest Airlines switches over to satellite navigation for landing approaches to save money on fuel.

By Irene Klotz | Wed Apr 7, 2010 12:15 AM ET

Enjoyed that smooth landing? Well, your pilot may have had a little help.

This week, Southwest Airlines, which flies more passengers worldwide than any other carrier, began satellite-assisted runway approaches, part of an ongoing effort to upgrade the nation's skyways in a project known as NextGen.

The switchover from ground- to satellite-based landings is costing Southwest $175 million, but it expects to recoup its investment, plus make money, by spending less on fuel.

Using Global Positioning System satellites for navigation, rather than ground-based radio signals, pilots will be making more precise approaches to runways and spending less time waiting for clearances at the nation's increasingly congested airports.

The Federal Aviation Administration, NASA, Homeland Security and other agencies have been working for several years to upgrade the national airspace, rolling out programs and technologies in phases over the past few years.

Pilot projects in Alaska, Louisville, Ky., Philadelphia and over the Gulf of Mexico have enabled air traffic controllers to keep tabs on planes via GPS satellites, rather than radars, which degrade over distance, cannot penetrate mountains and aren't available over open ocean.

http://news.discovery.com/tech/gps-guided-landings-southwest-airlines.html

[pinto]

1. Interesting project(s). Thanks for the post.

:thumbsup:

[av8rdave]

2. Other airlines have actually been doing GPS based approaches for some time now

Just did one the other night.

[pokerfan]

3. I experienced my first instrument landing (that I know of) ten years ago

After the landing the pilot announced that it was an FAA monthly requirement (flight confidence check). Now this was certainly the old radio system (no doubt augmented by radio altimeter and other systems). It was a very smooth landing though the braking was more aggressive than normal (short stopping was also probably part of the test).