Azul Enlists GE's Expertise to Prepare for Efficient RNP-AR Operations in Brazil
Brazilian aviation leaders and GE continue collaboration to streamline Brazilian airspace.
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GE is supporting Azul Linhas Aéreas Brasileiras' (Azul) in obtaining regulatory authorization to fly Required Navigation Performance - Authorization Required (RNP AR) flight procedures in its fleet of Embraer 190/195 aircraft. Upon approval, the airline will become one of the first in Brazil permitted to fly RNP AR, improving airport accessibility and reducing operational costs through reduced fuel burn and flight delays.
"This is the first step in enabling network-wide RNP benefits for the airline," said Giovanni Spitale, general manager of GE's Performance-based Navigation (PBN) Services. "Azul will be able to grow their operations efficiently to meet increasing demands."
GE also will support procedure design development that integrates Azul's fleet with the existing RNP AR procedures at Santos Dumont in Rio de Janeiro, designed by Brazil's air navigation service provider DECEA. The procedures enable properly-equipped aircraft to make a continuous decent approach (CDA), while reducing CO2 emissions and noise, which is of great importance for the residents near Santos Dumont airport.
"The integration of RNP AR into our fleet of GPS-equipped Embraer aircraft will give us horizontal and vertical guidance to each runway, while improving our economic and ecological operations," said Flávio Costa, Chief Operating Officer of Azul Airlines. "Azul also will be able to utilize the fuel efficient flight paths for daily operations at Santos Dumont airport."
In May, GE's PBN experts supported DECEA on the design, validation and deployment of the initial procedures at Santos Dumont. Brazil's aviation regulator ANAC validated and approved the procedures for operational use.
Brazil's air traffic is expected to increase from four million to eight million passengers per month by 2014; a year in which the country will host the World Cup. In addition, Rio de Janeiro is to host the 2016 Olympics. Spitale adds: "These events will bring hundreds of thousands of spectators to the region. By implementing RNP AR paths, Brazil's air traffic management system will be able to accommodate the increased air traffic while improving flight delays and fuel efficiency."
RNP AR is the highest-performing type of PBN procedure. PBN technology allows aircraft to fly precisely-defined flight paths without relying on ground-based radio-navigation signals. RNP procedures can be designed to shorten the distance an aircraft has to fly en-route, and to reduce fuel burn, exhaust emissions and noise pollution in communities near airports. Because of RNP's precision and reliability, the technology can help air traffic controllers reduce flight delays and alleviate air traffic congestion.
