ATC
FAA moves forward on RNP implementation
In late summer, Jeff Williams, manager of the FAA’s newly established required navigation performance (RNP) program office, briefed a government/industry s

In late summer, Jeff Williams, manager of the FAA’s newly established required navigation performance (RNP) program office, briefed a government/industry specialist group on the agency’s implementation for a nationwide public RNP plan. Commencing next year, the plan foresees an initial two-phase, five-year program, with its first phase aimed at gathering together as many participants as possible, with general aviation especially being targeted.

RNP defines the ability of an aircraft’s navigation equipment to achieve a specified level of lateral accuracy for 95 percent of the time. For example, RNP-10–typical of oceanic operations–should keep the aircraft within ±10 nm of its required track.