Applications and Benefits of RNP Approaches in the United States National Airspace System

Some of the busiest airports in t he NAS set the pace for the entire system. These busy a irports experience frequent delays, cancellations and other in efficiencies, and many of these effects tend to propagate regionally or nationally. At many airports, opportunities exist to mitigate the se effects, by improving parallel runwa y operations, converging runway operations, adjacent airport operations, and single runway access. Through the application of low Required Navigation Performance ( RNP ) values and approach and missed -approach paths th at are not straight in and straight out, these opportunities for improvement are enabled. Because these RNP approach features apply to certain oper ators and not to others, their application is limited to those locations where aircraft capabilities exist an d where benefits can be realized. These procedures are being developed as Special Aircraft and Aircrew Authorization Required (SAAAR) as a core Operational Evolution Plan ( OEP ) activity. Our paper will describe the applications of RNP SAAAR at these busy airports, and at a handful of airports where safety/risk mitigation needs can be addressed as well. Our paper will describe a benefits -driven prioritization scheme for implementation of public RNP SAAAR procedures, with details on certain sites and projec ts. The analysis and modeling for this work was performed by MITRE/CAASD and coordinated through a designated Working Group chaired by Dr. Hassan Shahidi under the Performance -Based Operations Aviation Rulemaking Committee (PARC) .