International Training:Area Navigation Pre-flight

PRNAV BRNAV RNAV 10 RNP4 RNAV1 RNP1

Topics

1. Authorizations & Documents

2. Required Equipment

3. Review Contingencies

Objectives

Know the requirements for operating in each airspaceKnow pre-flight duties for area navigation

DocumentsEquipment

MEL

Airspace RequirementsPre-flight or before entering the planned various airspaces verify:

The Aircraft and Crew are authorizedRequired Equipment is operational

During operations in the airspace procedure or ATS route ensure:

You are meeting the navigation performance requirements

The first thing you need to know is whether the aircraft and flight crew are qualified to operate in the airspace, on a procedure or along an ATS route. Controllers assume that the flight crew and aircraft are suitably qualified for PBN operations. We will only cover the Pre-flight requirements in this module. Operations is covered in module three.

Aramco Operations SpecificationsB034 PRNAV & BRNAVB037 B038 RNAV 10B035 RNAV2B036 RNP4B039 MNPSB046 RVSMB063 RNAV1 RNP1

OP’s spec authorizations for area navigation are under these paragraphs of part B.

BRNAV/PRNAV Authorization

PRNAV BRNAV Ops spec approval. PRNAV approval automatically includes BRNAV approval.

RNAV 10 Authorizations

The RNAV (RNP) 10 authorizations are for each area of operation.

RVSM & MNPS Authorizations

These ops specs allow RVSM and MNPS operations. These are not covered in this area navigation training.

RNAV/RNP Authorizations

Here are various levels of PBN approvals.

Authorized Areas

B050 lists the areas where the approvals are valid.

Approach Authorizations

Finally, here are the approach authorizations in paragraph C052.

Documents

Ensure these authorization documents are on-board.

Required Equipment

Now that we know what operations are authorized, we need to ensure that we know what equipment we need for the flight.

Europe Mandatory Equipment

TCAS II with version 7 or later8.33 frequency radiosBRNAVFM immunityMode S

To fly in Europe, there are some basic equipment requirements.

RNP 1Depart

ureRNAV 1Arrival RNP APCH

App

RNAV 2Enroute

RNP 4Oceanic

Navigation Specifications Change During Flight

Recall that during the flight, you are constantly transiting different airspace. To know what equipment is required, you need to know both the available navigation specifications and the navigation specifications you can use.

Always Check the Details

Be careful, navigation specifications with the same designator may vary between States as they depend on the State’s NAVAID infrastructure.

• The Nav Spec is based on that country’s available infrastructure (navaids)

• What equipment you need to fly an RNAV 1 route, for example may vary

• Some PRNAV SID’s and STAR’s list the equipment on the plate

Required RNAV System FunctionsBRNAV

Continuous display of the aircraft’s position relative to the desired track to be displayed to the pilot flying on a navigation display situated in the pilot’s primary field of view

information depicting aircraft position shall be displayed in the non-flying pilot’s primary field of view

Display of distance and bearing to the active (To) waypointDisplay of ground speed or time to the active (To) waypointThe ability to store a minimum of four waypointsAppropriate failure indication of the aircraft systems, including failure of the navigation sensors

PRNAV

These system functions are the minimum required to conduct operations. Note only one RNAV system is normally required for both BRNAV and PRNAV.

Single installed system comprised of one or more sensors*

An RNAV computer

Control display unit, and a navigation display(s)

heading situation indicator (HSI), or course deviation indicator (CDI)

The system is monitored by the flightcrew

In the event of a system failure the aircraft retains the capability to navigate relative to ground based navigation aids

*Certain PRNAV procedures require 2 RNAV systems

Plan B

Unlike dual systems required for oceanic airspace, if you had an FMC failure during RNAV 5/BRNAV/PRNAV you still can proceed in the airspace or procedure. But, it that one system fails, you will not have any RNAV information available. You need to be prepared for radar vectors or switching to raw data navigation means immediately.

Required RNAV System Functions

Certain (Rare) airports require dual RNAV systemsThe plates indicate when two systems are required

Because of the lack of required redundancy for most P-RNAV arrivals, dual RNAV systems are required for certain specific terminal P-RNAV procedures, e.g., procedures below the applicable minimum safe altitude/minimum obstacle clearance altitude, or where radar performance is inadequate.

RNAV 1 (2) Accuracy Requirements

RNAV 2 Routes: A flight technical error (FTE) of 1.0 NM is acceptable for RNAV 2 operations. RNAV 2 will be used for en route unless otherwise specified

RNAV 1 DPs and STARs: An FTE of 0.5 NM is acceptable for RNAV 1 operations. RNAV 1 will appear on all RNAV SID and STAR charts

The requirements for RNAV 1 and 2 are identical, while some operating procedures are different. You just need an RNAV system capable of 95% accuracy to the required limits. Notice you are only allowed to deviate off the magenta line by half of the limit in RNAV 1 and RNAV 2 operations.

Recall you can see your FTE on the Progress Page 2

RNAV 5 Equipment Requirements

Notice the equipment requirements for RNAV 5 are slightly different than for BRNAV.

RNAV system capable of RNAV 5IRS only (2 hour limit)GPS updatingDME/DME updatingVOR/DME updating

VOR or VOR/DME using conventional means

N767A Flight Management System

The FMS on N767A meets the RNAV requirements for all of the area navigation specifications that we are authorized to fly. We just have to make sure it’s operational and the required sensors (navaids) are available.

RNAV 10 Operations

Recall that Oceanic operations require both FMS’s operational or it’s off to the blue spruce routes.

Flight management Systems

Required Equipment is Operational

You need to check for any inoperative equipment.

Identify Inoperative Equipment

Deferred Maintenance Items Non Routine Work Log

First find any inoperative equipment.

Check the MEL

Next check the Minimum Equipment List (MEL). The MEL lists airspace or procedural limitations for inoperative equipment. Note we cannot conduct PRNAV operations with a failed FMC.

MEL Notations

Be careful, sometimes the airspace type is not identified. It is up to you to check.

En-route limitations

The MEL also identifies airspace limitations while en-route.

Navaid InfrastructureIf required by a procedure, a check will need to be made to confirm that updating will use a specific navigation aid(s), or to confirm exclusion of a specific navigation aid

Check NOTAMs to verify the health of critical DMEs for navigation relying on DME. You should assess their capability to navigate (potentially to an alternate destination) in case of failure of critical DME while airborne

During the pre-flight phase, you should ensure sufficient means are available to navigate and land at the destination or at an alternate aerodrome in the case of loss of RNP APCH airborne capability

Perform your normal preflight items. Check the availability of the navigation infrastructure, required for the intended operation, including any non-RNAV contingencies, for the period of intended operation. Do not use a procedure if doubt exists as to the validity of the procedure in the navigation database.

GPS Availability – Flight Plan

Predicted outages of GPS capabilities are in the flight plan.

International Agencies

European UnionJoint Aviation AuthorityEurocontrolEuropean Aviation Safety AgencyEuropean Civil Aviation ConferenceSchengen

When filing flight plans internationally, there are sometimes lot’s of agencies to deal with. For instance these are the agencies involved when flying in Europe. The ICAO flight plan is necessary for international flight.

Old ICAO Flight Plan

To be assigned PBN routes, the FAA developed an ICAO flight plan. This flight plan format has now been modified. The new flight plan still must be updated to reflect any applicable inoperative equipment. BRNAV only equipment capabilities will include S and R. S is for standard RNAV equipment (VHF Nav/Com). Also note the phraseology required when you are unable to meet the area navigation requirements.

Flight Plan Remarks

Notice the remarks section is where the different RNAV authorizations are defined.

2012 ICAO Flight Plan

As of November 15th 2012, the ICAO flight plan is updated with PBN capabilities in fields 18 and 10.

ICAO Flight Plan 2012 Fields 18 & 10

Here’s a closer look at fields 18, 10a and 10b. Notice the PRNAV identifier is now gone and the letter R stands for PBN instead of RNP. To see a short training module on the new flight plan go to https://trainingzone.eurocontrol.int/fpl2012.htm .

Normal Operating ProceduresWhen a navigation database is installed, the database should be checked to ensure that it is current before the flight

Perform your standard pre-flight as you always do. The onboard navigation database must be appropriate for the region of intended operation and must include the navigation aids, waypoints, and coded terminal airspace procedures for the departure, arrival and alternate airfields.

Other NAVAIDs (e.g., VOR, DME, and ADF) should be selected to allow immediate crosschecking or reversion in the event of loss of RNAV capability

Verify the aircraft’s present position is entered correctly

Check the active flight plan by comparing the charts, SID or other applicable documents, with the map display and CDU

confirmation of the waypoint sequencereasonableness of track angles and distancesany altitude or speed constraintswhere possible, which waypoints are fly-by and which are fly-over

Legs Map

Oceanic/Remote Operations

For oceanic and remote operations such as MNPS, remember to accurately set the clocks to UTC.

RVSM Operations

A ground cross-check of the altimeters must show less than 75 feet difference.

Review Contingencies

Finally review any special contingency procedures for the intended airspace that your flight will take you in.

Oceanic Conti ngencies

Unable RNP

Lose an FMC

Lost CommDisplays blank

Guidance

FAA AC 90-96A provides guidance for PRNAV and BRNAV. AC 90-100A provides guidance for RNAV 1 and 2. Now let’s finish with a couple of questions.

What is required to fly in RNAV 10 airspace?

Both Airworthiness and Operational Approvals

The required equipment operational

Maintain within 10 nm of the route centerline

All of the above

Select the best answer

The sensors required for PRNAV operations is always the same.

True

False

Select the correct answer

Airspace and procedural limitations for inoperative equipment can sometimes be found in the MEL.

True

False

Select the correct answer

On to the next module