GAGAN opens for business

Jane's Airport Review Neelam Mathews, New Delhi Section:ATC Last posted:2015-07-21 Images:1 image The Airports Authority of India (AAI) and Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) have officially implemented the GPS Aided Geo Augmented Navigation (GAGAN) navigation system for Indian airspace - but airlines must still be convinced to adopt it. Two satellites (GSAT-8 and GSAT-10) in geostationary earth orbit are broadcasting signals for the Indian Flight Information Region (FIR). A second backup satellite called GSAT-15 will be launched in early 2016, IHS Jane's understands. The system is interoperable with other satellite-based augmentation systems (SBASs) to deliver precise positional data for airspace users: the Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) in the United States; the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS); and the MTSAT Satellite Augmentation System (MSAS) in Japan. Compared with these systems, GAGAN employs "unique algorithms" to deal with adverse ionospheric effects, said V Somasundaram, a member of AAI's Air Navigation Services. The ionosphere algorithm is known as ISRO GIVE Model-Multi-Layer Data Fusion (IGM-MLDF). GAGAN was certified by the Indian regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), for en route operations with Required Navigation Performance (RNP 0.1) in late 2013. Certification of precision approach services (APV 1.0) followed in April 2015. "With the implementation of GAGAN, 65 operational airports and 450 airstrips can be revived," said Somasundaram, "and helicopter operators can [also] derive benefits with fuel and time savings." 1568809GAGAN is certified to achieve a performance level of APV 1.0 over the Indian landmass and RNP 0.1 over the oceanic region within the Indian Flight Information Region (FIR). (AAI) Raytheon built ... Read more in Janes Airports (subscription)