Boeing

New instrument approach procedures, designed by Boeing subsidiary Airspace Safety Analysis Corporation (ASAC), will reduce weather delays for aircraft flying into the Grand Bahamas, Marsh Harbor and Nassau airports. The procedures also will ensure continuous instrument flight rule capabilities to the airports, regardless of the condition of ground-based navigational aids or radar.

The nine original and amended procedures were published earlier this month on behalf of the Civil Aviation Authority of The Commonwealth of the Bahamas.

"ASAC's airspace and procedure design work enables countries such as the Bahamas to provide instrumented approach and departure procedures without the need for costly navigational aids," said Bob Withers, ASAC manager of Airspace Development. "These approach and departure procedures improve air-traffic capacity, reduce delays, and increase fuel and time savings for civil aviation authorities and airlines."

Seven of the new approach procedures are area navigation procedures (RNAV), which use satellite-based global positioning system (GPS) equipment to provide landing guidance to pilots. GPS, considered a key part in the future of air navigation, allows civil aviation authorities to provide navigational services to airspace users without a large investment in ground-based navigational aids, as is the case for the Marsh Harbour International Airport.

Two amended, precision instrument landing system procedures into Grand Bahamas International Airport at Freeport also will provide reduced minimums, allowing for fewer missed approaches because of weather. These enhancements to the Bahamas are seen as great advances in both aviation safety and airport capacity as the 2001 hurricane season begins June 1.

In addition to designing instrument approach procedures, ASAC will provide a variety of airspace design services for The Commonwealth of the Bahamas. Services include more RNAV approach and departure procedures at seven airports, as well as support in commissioning a new radar facility at Nassau International Airport. ASAC also will assist in the relocation of the very high frequency Omni-directional range/distance measuring equipment at Nassau International Airport. This will include the realignment of 14 en route airways.