AAI successfully conducts flight trials using GAGAN based LPV approach procedure

New Delhi [India], April 28 (ANI): The Airports Authority of India (AAI) on Thursday successfully conducted the light trial using the GPS Aided GEO Augmented Navigation (GAGAN)-based Localizer Performance with Vertical Guidance (LPV) Approach Procedures at Rajasthan’s Kishangarh Airport.

“The successful trial is a great achievement and major milestone in the field of Air Navigation Services (ANS) in the history of the Indian Civil Aviation Sector. India is the first country in Asia Pacific Region to achieve such a landmark,” the AAI said in a press release.

As per the AAI, the LPV permits aircraft guided approaches that are operationally nearly equivalent to Cat-IILS, without the need for ground-based navigational infrastructure. The service relies on the availability of GPS and GAGAN Geo Stationary Satellites (GSAT-8, GSAT-10 and GSAT-15), launched by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).

“GAGAN is an Indian Satellite-Based Augmentation System (SBAS) jointly developed by AAI and ISRO. It is the first such system developed for India and neighbouring countries in the equatorial region. GAGAN System was certified by Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) in 2015 for Approach with Vertical Guidance (APV 1) and en-route (RNP 0.1) operations,” the release read.

There are only four Space-Based augmentation systems available in the world namely India (GAGAN), the United States (Wide Area Augmentation System- WAAS) Europe (European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service- EGNOS) and Japan (MTSAT Satellite Augmentation System- MSAS).

GAGAN is the first such system developed for India and neighbouring countries in the equatorial region.

Indigo Airlines using its ATR aircraft has flown an Instrument Approach Procedure (IAP) with LPV minima of 250ft, using GAGAN Service, the release informed.

“The tests, at Kishangarh Airport, were performed as part of initial GAGAN LPV flight trials along with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) team on- board. After the final approval by DGCA, the procedure will be available for the usage of commercial flights,” it read.

AAI, in coordination with Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS), has implemented the GAGAN Message Service (GMS) through which alert messages to fishermen, formers, and disaster-affected people will be sent on the occurrence of natural disasters, calamities, such as flood, earthquake etc.

The additional capabilities of GAGAN are also being explored to utilize it in non-aviation fields such as Railways, Surveying, Agriculture, Power sector, Mining etc. (ANI)