ENAIRE improves operations at the Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández Airport with new satellite-based navigation instrument approach procedures

Today, ENAIRE, the national air navigation service provider, in coordination with Aena, implemented satellite-based navigation instrument approach procedures at the Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández Airport.

In doing so, ENAIRE enhances the efficiency of operations, as well as accessibility to the Airport by providing it with additional instrument approach manoeuvres. Since these procedures do not depend on ground-based navaids, they provide a very useful solution as they are phased in by airlines with the proper equipment, and as an improvement or alternative to conventional approaches. To carry out this operation based on the use of satellite navigation, aircraft need to be properly equipped and their crews trained on its use. The new operation relies on the European EGNOS satellite navigation system.

The new operation relies on the European EGNOS satellite navigation system

As for the VOR/DME non-precision approach instrument procedures currently in use for RWY 28, the new satellite-based manoeuvres improve performance by providing vertical guidance to aircraft in the final phase of the approach and bringing the decision height - which is where the pilot must decide whether to continue or abort the landing - closer to the runway threshold, thus improving service continuity at the airport under low cloud ceiling conditions.

Satellite navigation at other airports

The recent implementation of satellite navigation procedures in Alicante is in addition to those already in place at the airports of Reus, Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat, Valencia, Palma, Lleida-Alguaire, Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas and others as part of ENAIRE's Plan to Implement Performance-Based Navigation (PBN) Procedures. In addition, the Málaga-Costa del Sol Airport has a satellite-based ground augmentation system called GBAS, and precision instrument operations based on this system.

This process of implementing new manoeuvres based on satellite navigation will help to further meet the requirements of the Performance-Based Navigation (PBN) Implementation Plan, laid out in ENAIRE's Strategic Plan, the 2025 Flight Plan. It also assists in complying with European Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/1048, the aim of which is to improve the efficiency of air traffic management at the European level by implementing performance-based navigation (PBN).

In order to allow these new procedures to go into operation, ENAIRE has conducted the necessary safety studies, which were duly processed with the National Aviation Safety Agency (AESA).

Through this effort, ENAIRE is making available to users of the Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández Airport satellite-based approach procedures that improve the safety and consistency of operations at the airport. And it does all this without having to set up additional land infrastructure, with the benefits this entails.

About ENAIRE

ENAIRE is the air navigation service provider in Spain.

As a company of the Ministry of Sustainable Transport and Mobility, it provides en route control services for all flights and overflights from five control centres in Madrid, Barcelona, Seville, Gran Canaria and Palma, as well as approach services to every airport in the country.

In addition, 46 airports receive communication, navigation and surveillance services from ENAIRE, which also maintains their air traffic control systems, and 21 of them, including the country's busiest airports, rely on its aerodrome air traffic control services.

ENAIRE is Europe's fourth largest air traffic manager and participates in the A6 Alliance, a coalition of air navigation providers responsible for over 80% of European air traffic, and which is seeking to modernise the air traffic management system. It is also a member of other international alliances promoting the Single European sky, such as SESAR Joint Undertaking, SESAR Deployment Manager, iTEC, CANSO and ICAO.

ENAIRE, as the responsible agency identified by the Ministry of Sustainable Transport and Mobility to implement the U-Space system in Spain, will, through its digital platform, provide the Common Information Services (CIS), which are essential to facilitate U-space services to drones and Urban Air Mobility in cooperation with local air traffic services, so that all types of aircraft can fly safely in the same airspace.

ENAIRE has received the highest score in Europe on the aviation safety key performance indicator for three years in a row. It has also been awarded the EFQM 500 Seal for its safe, efficient, innovative and sustainable management of air navigation services.