For most flight department managers, the thought of navigating the maze of FAA rules to fly required navigation performance (RNP) approach procedures is enough to stop them dead in their tracks. That’s the reason Honeywell has launched Go Direct Services, a turnkey consulting offering designed to help business jet operators take advantage of new RNP SAAAR (special aircraft and aircrew authorization required) procedures the FAA is adding at scores of airports around the U.S.
The benefit of an RNP SAAAR approach is that it can carve out a highly precise, curved path through the sky that usually results in lower landing minimums–sometimes much lower. But getting approval is a costly and complex endeavor requiring submittal of monthly operational reports to the FAA, pilot simulator training and operations manual revisions. Considering that fewer than 100 RNP SAAAR approaches have been published so far, most operators probably won’t go to the trouble of gaining approval until their home airport has an RNP approach. But as more RNP procedures are created, operators who forego such approvals will be at a disadvantage compared with those who are SAAAR compliant.
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