Everything You Need to Know about RNAV GPS Approaches

Friday, September 07, 2018 at 09:00 PM ET

Verified

Relevant Discussion: AIM 1-1-17 through 1-1-20, 1-2-1 through 1-2-3, 5-1-16, 5-3-4, 5-4-5 through 5-4-7, P/C Glossary, OpSpec C052, FAA-H-8083-16, AC 20-138, AC 90-97, AC 90-100, AC 90-101, AC 90-105, AC 90-107, AC 90-108, TSO-C161, TSO-C162, TSO-C196, FAA Order 8260.19 Garmin

Key Takeaways:

RNAV GPS approaches are now commonplace, offering various levels of lateral and vertical guidance, categorized from basic non-precision (LNAV, LP) to those with approved vertical guidance (APV) like LNAV/VNAV and LPV.
The Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) is crucial for higher-precision RNAV approaches such as LP, LPV, and many LNAV/VNAV procedures, enabling increased lateral sensitivity and/or vertical guidance, often resulting in lower minimums.
LNAV approaches provide basic lateral guidance flown to a Minimum Descent Altitude (MDA), whereas LPV approaches offer the lowest minimums and are operationally equivalent to an ILS, demonstrating the advanced capabilities available with modern GPS navigation.

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RNAV GPS (aRea NAVigation) stand-alone instrument approaches have become commonplace as GPS and the Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) hit the mainstream.