To ease the regulatory overhead of RNP AR, the FAA created a consulting program. The RNP AR consultants are specially trained teams of individuals that specialize in specific areas of RNP. There are five authorized consultants today and you can look us up at an FAA website and look for the Authorized RNP AR Consultant link on the bottom of the page. This FAA website is supported by Washington, DC group AFS-470 whom oversees the RNP AR authorization process and is the center point for RNP development in the USA.
The five different RNP consultant companies all have different specialties. Some create aircraft, some create approaches. GoDirect doesn’t create RNP AR approaches (okay, we’ve dabbled in that craft but it’s not our core competency) but we work with end customers to receive their letter of authorization from the FAA (or whichever regulatory agency oversees their operations around the world) and are a provider of RNP AR navigation database approach validation, which is required for each navigation database that includes RNP AR approaches. Why the extra work? RNP AR will direct an aircraft closer to terrain, obstacles, or conflicting airspace than any other approach method. That closeness to terra-ferma requires an extra quality step to make sure your landing goes as planned.
Along with LOA applications and databases, the GoDirect team can assist an operator with the required RNP approach monitoring program. Behind the scenes, we provide training information to the training suppliers and assist the aircraft manufacturers in the aircraft approval process.
Besides RNP AR, we’ve developed LOA authorization assistance for FANS-1/A and are working with the new requirements being developed. It may be FANS-2/B or maybe not 2/B (okay, I just couldn’t resist that pun) but we intend to help our customers take advantage of the latest aircraft innovations that require special approval from the regulators.
If you’d like to hear more about RNP AR or are interested in assistance with your aircraft LOA process you may contact us by email RNP@Honeywell.com or call Honeywell’s Aerospace Technical Operations folks at 1-(800) 601-3099 (USA/Canada) else 1-(602) 365-3099.