Dassault Falcon has flown seven approaches using Europe's new EGNOS (European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service) satellite navigation system, confirming the accuracy and precision of the new EGNOS signal. A Falcon 900LX equipped with EASy II, the next generation of Dassault's award-winning flight deck system, flew the approaches at Pau Pyrenees airport in France.
The Dassault Falcon 900LX in flight © Dassault FalconPart of Dassault Aviation, Dassault Falcon is a leading aerospace company with a presence in over 70 countries across five continents, responsible for selling and supporting Falcon business jets throughout the world.
The trials
The Dassault Falcon team flew seven Localiser Performance with Vertical guidance (LPV) approaches during the mission, confirming the accuracy and precision of the new EGNOS signal, which, on the runway, was close to 30 cm.
"LPV approaches open up accessibility to airports with challenging weather and terrain, while improving the accuracy of the approach," says Jean-Louis Dumas, the Dassault test pilot who flew the mission. "The mountainous terrain in southwest France where we flew repeated approaches is a perfect example of how the new features in EASy II, like synthetic vision, when combined with improved navigation tools such as EGNOS, drastically enhance a pilot's situational awareness and safety margins."
Opening new doors
"The availability of the EGNOS system is an important step for the European aviation community that will improve accessibility and safety, much like the WAAS system has done for the United States," says John Rosanvallon, President and CEO of Dassault Falcon. "The development of new features in EASy II, including the ability to use the EGNOS system, puts a new and more effective suite of tools at the disposal of Falcon pilots, improving their ability to fly farther, safer and more efficiently."
LPV approach capability will be available to pilots of Falcon 900LX aircraft with the introduction of EASy II in the summer of 2011. To date, there are more than 2300 such approaches available in the United States.