Flight Management System/Performance Based Navigation

Question 1

Flight management system (FMS)

Answer 1

•System that automates the tasks of managing the aircraft navigation systems
•FMS is an interface between flight crews and flightdeck systems.
•Computer with a large database of
•airport and NAVAID locations and associated data, aircraft performance data
•airways, intersections, DPs, and STARs
•FMS also has the ability to accept and store numerous user-defined WPs and flight routes
•FMS can quickly define a desired route from the aircraft’s current position to any point in the world, perform flight plan computations, and display the total picture of the flight route to the crew.

Question 2

Performance based navigation (PBN)

Answer 2

•An advanced, satellite-enabled form of air navigation that creates precise 3-D flight paths.
•Primarily uses satellite-based navigation and on-board aircraft equipment
•Allows greater precision and accuracy through all phases of flight
•New Note: A Defining characteristic of RNP is the ability of the aircraft nav system to monitor the navigation performance and inform the crew if the requirements are not met during an operation.

Question 3

PBN advantages

Answer 3

•Shorter, more direct flight paths
•Improved airport arrival rates
•Enhanced controller productivity
•Increased safety due to repeatable predictable flight paths
•Fuel savings
•Reduction in aviation’s adverse environmental impact

Question 4

Area navigation (RNAV)

Answer 4

•Method of navigation that permits aircraft operation on any desired flight path
•within the coverage of ground or space−based navigation aids
•within the limits of the avionics onboard the aircraft
•or a combination of these

Question 5

Required navigation performance (RNP)

Answer 5

•Increases the precision of RNAV through computer-based RNAV performance monitoring and alerting aboard the aircraft
•This includes
•Flying precise curved paths

Question 6

RNP level of performance

Answer 6

•RNP also refers to the level of performance required for a specific procedure or a specific block of airspace.
•An RNP of 10 means that a navigation system must be able to calculate its position to within a circle with a radius of 10 nautical miles.
•Currently 3 RNP levels in use within the United States:
•RNP 0.3 Approach
•RNP 1.0 Departure/Terminal
•RNP 2.0 Enroute
•RNP level is actual distance from flight path centerline
•The accuracy requirement defines the 95% Total System Error (TSE) for those dimensions where an accuracy requirement is specified
Within 31 nm of airport, 2 nm from approach point.