Qantas to use new precision landing system with GPS

location based services


The Qantas Group yesterday revealed that they would be introducing a new more efficient landing system that utilises satellite technology onto their planes, claiming that the new system is more accurate and also more environmentally friendly.The GPS Landing System (GLS), developed by Boeing, Honeywell and AirServices Australia, has been tested already by the national carrier.
Captain Christ Manning, Qantas Chief Pilot said that the new system would be a more flexible system and when coupled with curved approach paths, would provide more fuel efficient and environmentally friendly flight paths to the runway.
“The system is supported by Ground-Based Augmentation Systems (GBAS) located at airfields, which provide GPS information to the aircraft via a datalink system and allow for a tracking accuracy typically less than one metre,” said Captain Manning.
The GPS system will allow for runways which were previously unable to accommodate the conventional Instrument Landing Systems (ILS) to be more accurate when citing approach paths.
Captain Manning continues saying, “One GBAS provides for up to 90 approaches within a 23 nautical mile radius, unlike conventional Instrument Landing Systems which require an installation for every runway – for example, the three runways at Sydney Airport require two Instrument Landing Systems for each runway.”
Captain Manning said that the new landing system was the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) approved replacement for the old ILS, and that the new GBAS would be implemented in airfield around the world.
Currently the new landing technology is available on Boeing 737-800 aircraft, with the new Boeing 787s and AirbusA380s to come equipped with the system already.
“Qantas is proud to be an industry leader in the deployment of these advanced capabilities,” concluded Captain Manning.