ATC
FMS limitations leave some operators unable to use LPVs
Although WAAS LPV (lateral precision with vertical guidance) approaches have been popping up at airports around the U.S.

Although WAAS LPV (lateral precision with vertical guidance) approaches have been popping up at airports around the U.S. at an impressive rate, only a handful of business jets are approved to fly the procedures. That’s because most flight management systems don’t yet support the new type of approach and some airplanes might not be approved to do so without costly upgrades.

At last count the FAA had published 1,051 LPV approach procedures, but operators of many older business jets can’t upgrade their airplanes to take advantage of them. Because only Universal Avionics has so far gained certification for a WAAS-certified FMS, even many airplanes rolling out of the factory aren’t certified to fly the procedures, which provide ILS-like vertical and lateral precision without the need for costly navaids installed on the airport.