SmartPath Provides Efficient Solution to Expand Airport Capacity, Reduce Air Traffic Noise, and Minimize Flight Delays Due to Weather
Shanghai, April 29, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- With Honeywell Aerospace’s (New York Stock Exchange Ticker:HON) SmartPath Precision Landing System, the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) and Air Traffic Management Bureau have completed the first flight demonstration of a next-generation Global Positioning System (GPS)-based precision landing system. This demonstration proves that a GPS-based precision landing system—also known as a Ground-Based Augmentation System (GBAS)—will enhance aircraft operational safety and efficiency, particularly during approaches in adverse weather conditions. Precision landing provides more accurate approach and touchdown by using precise lateral and vertical position information of the aircraft.
Honeywell SmartPath Supports China's First Precision Landing System Flight Demonstration
SmartPath is the world’s only precision landing system certified by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). This cost-effective system can expand airport capacity, reduce air traffic noise, minimize flight delays due to weather, and lower operating costs for both aircraft operators and air navigation service providers.
Brian Davis, vice president of aviation, airlines, and airport operations, Asia Pacific, Honeywell Aerospace, said: “Driven by both domestic and outbound tourism, China’s air traffic has grown rapidly over the past few years. The introduction of Honeywell’s SmartPath system at Shanghai Pudong International Airport marks a new milestone in China’s air traffic management modernization. As one of the fastest-growing economies in the world, adopting this new technology helps China reduce flight delays, lower carbon emissions, and improve airport operational efficiency.”
Effectively Addressing Rapidly Evolving Air Traffic Control Challenges
According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), by 2016, China’s annual domestic air passenger traffic will reach 415 million, second only to the United States. The surge in passenger volume has made air traffic management modernization a critical issue for China’s major aviation hubs.
With growing passenger demand, SmartPath is becoming an essential investment—as it helps airports meet increasing air traffic needs, improve efficiency, and better serve airlines and passengers. For example, when combined with Performance-Based Navigation (PBN) flight procedures, SmartPath can significantly enhance flight efficiency. A single reduction of four minutes in flight time for a twin-engine jetliner can save approximately 82 kg of fuel and reduce 104 kg of carbon emissions. Earlier this year, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang emphasized the national priority of “winning the tough battle against energy conservation, emission reduction, and environmental governance.” This solution undoubtedly supports these goals.
Broad Industry Support for the Precision Landing System
As the world’s only precision landing system certified by regulatory authorities in the United States, Australia, Germany, Spain, and Switzerland, Honeywell’s SmartPath overcomes the technical limitations of traditional Instrument Landing Systems (ILS) for precision landings. Using the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), SmartPath provides more accurate position data electronically, allowing aircraft to choose flexible approach paths, improving airport operational efficiency. It also avoids signal interference issues inherent to ILS technology. The system is especially important for airports where terrain, obstacles, or airspace restrictions limit the installation and use of ILS.
Honeywell Worked Closely with Hughes Aerospace Corporation to Develop the Trial Program for SmartPath at Pudong International Airport. President and CEO of Hughes Aerospace Corporation Chris Baur said: “As a partner to Honeywell in the field of Performance-Based Navigation, Hughes has worked closely with Honeywell, the CAAC, and various airlines to develop China’s first instrument approach procedure using a GNSS landing system. This procedure utilizes advanced technologies such as curved paths and non-standard glide slopes to achieve precise navigation.”
SmartPath Advantages of the Precision Landing System
- Eliminates critical hold areas of the ILS system and reduces “hold short of runway” occurrences during taxiing, effectively alleviating apron congestion and improving airport turnaround rates.
- Supports up to 26 aircraft conducting precision approaches simultaneously. SmartPath provides precision approach procedures for all runways at an airport, eliminating the need for multiple ILS systems on multiple runways. One SmartPath system installed at Shanghai Pudong International Airport currently provides Category I precision landing functionality for all four of its runways.
- Reduces the frequency of flight calibration and validation cycles, thereby lowering overall maintenance costs.
- Compared to ILS systems, SmartPath can effectively reduce maintenance costs, saving up to $400,000 per year.
- SmartPath remains safely operational even during a failure—no single point of failure will cause system shutdown.
Related Resources
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