A two-year-long demonstration process involving the Single European Sky ATM Research project (Sesar) has proven the system to be feasible and accurate, after more than 360 trial flights in real-life environments aimed at validating new technologies and operations, according to proponents of the satellite-based navigation system.
The program, known as Augmented Approaches to Land, was co-funded by the Sesar Joint Undertaking and led by NetJets Europe, supported by Honeywell and Dassault Aviation. It involved the European Business Aviation Association, commercial carriers such as Lufthansa and Swiss, and several European air traffic control organizations, as well as Frankfurt and Zurich Airports, among others. It demonstrated the flexibility of satellite-based navigation connected to precision landing systems.
“The Augmented Approaches to Land demonstration project was a fantastic collaboration that shows and prepares for the approach and landing evolutions,” said Jean-Philippe Ramu, NetJets’ lead on the Sesar project. “NetJets Europe is proud to have facilitated such a wide consortium to demonstrate shared improvements.”