RNP stands for “required navigational performance,” and it indicates a special level of RNAV instrument approach made possible by a collective effort between the approach designer—in this case, Honeywell—the operator, the airport, and the FAA. Alaska Airlines was an early pioneer of the concept, which helped open up airports in its route structure such as Juneau, Alaska, to improved instrument approaches as GPS-based RNAV came into maturity.
Honeywell Receives FAA Approval for Aspen RNAV (RNP) Approach
Key Takeaways:
- RNP (Required Navigational Performance) approaches are advanced RNAV instrument procedures enabling safer and more efficient access to challenging airports by allowing flexible, curvilinear flight paths.
- The newly FAA-approved Runway 15 RNP N approach at Aspen significantly improves operational capabilities, offering lower minimums (537 ft, 1.25 mi visibility), a stable 3.5-degree approach, guided missed approaches, and night operation capability.
- Utilizing these RNP approaches requires specific pilot training and regulatory approvals (LOA C384 and C081), along with aircraft equipped with advanced RNP capabilities, currently including select Gulfstream and Dassault Falcon models.
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