News: AOPA Pushing For GPS Only Navigation

The U.S. Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) wants the FAA to approve the use of approach-certified GPS receivers as a sole source of navigation.

The FAA currently requires pilots flying in instrument conditions with an IFR approach-certified GPS receiver to have a backup means of navigation in case GPS signals are lost or become unreliable.

But AOPA believes this precaution is no longer needed. “With the significant changes in technology over the past three years, the FAA's regulations need to be updated to allow pilots to fully utilize the advances,” said Melissa Rudinger, AOPA's vice president of regulatory affairs. “They also need to take a look at new standards they've established and decide whether older regulations should change.”

Ms. Rudinger put AOPA's GPS argument this way: “[W]ith improvements in the GPS satellite signal and stated assurances from the [ U.S.] Department of Transportation that GPS satellite coverage will continue, the requirement for redundancy serves more as a requirement and less to ensure the safety of flight in the event a GPS satellite is providing incorrect information.”

According to AOPA, the FAA has already shown its confidence in GPS by approving more than 4,000 WAAS (wide area augmentation system) and stand-alone GPS approaches providing access to more than 2,000 airports.

AOPA suggested that a NOTAM (notice to airmen) be issued when the GPS system is compromised instead of requiring a backup.

Source Non-Mobile: http://www.flttechonline.com/Current/...

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