ATC
Laas and Jpals:new landing systems on the horizon
GPS-based Laas and Jpals landing system developments are moving ahead for civil and military operations.

GPS-based Laas and Jpals landing system developments are moving ahead for civil and military operations. Laas, the local-area augmentation system (or, in ICAO-ese, GBAS, for ground-based augmentation system), is intended eventually to replace civil ILS Cat III, while Jpals (joint precision approach and landing system) will provide all-weather autoland guidance for the Navy’s aircraft and UAVs.

Honeywell has been developing Laas for several years and has installed prototype Cat I systems in the U.S., Europe and Australia. A system purchased by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is due to be installed on Newark Liberty International’s Runway 29 in the fourth quarter of this year. The system, called SmartPath by Honeywell, is expected to receive FAA certification this summer.