LAAS on back burner, but WAAS is heating up | Aviation International News

LAAS on back burner, but WAAS is heating up

The FAA’s decision to relegate the GPS Cat 1 local-area augmentation system (LAAS) to a mere R&D program (AIN, March 2004, page 1)

By Andrew Healey

October 4, 2007

The FAA’s decision to relegate the GPS Cat 1 local-area augmentation system (LAAS) to a mere R&D program (AIN, March 2004, page 1) came as little surprise to either administration officials or industry. However, while ILS stands to remain the precision approach aid of choice for the major airlines for the rest of this decade, LAAS’s big brother, WAAS (wide-area augmentation system), continues to make strides toward implementation across the U.S. and is of much greater potential benefit to the helicopter community–as it is for GA operators and even regional carriers.

Reflecting this impetus, FAA WAAS program manager Dan Hanlon was at the FreeFlight booth at March’s Heli-Expo in Las Vegas, answering questions on the satellite/ ground-station precision-approach technology that is designed to replace conventional approach aids such as VOR and ILS. He had a full house for both his formal briefings.

The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background. The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background. The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background. The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background. The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background.