The latest software upgrade to Honeywell’s FMZ-2000 Flight Management System (FMS) for flight decks is Version 6.1. This upgrade for Gulfstream GIV, GV, G300 and G400 aircraft includes improvements to the FMS and other aircraft systems. Along with the operator benefits, 6.1 FMS brings regulatory compliance and enhanced navigation functionality for today’s ever-changing airspace requirements.

• Wide Area Augmentation System-Localizer Performance with Vertical Guidance (WAAS-LPV) or Satellite-Based Augmentation System (SBAS)
• Basic improvements, including circling approaches in the navigation database, en-route and approach vector operations, and Vertical Navigation System (VNAV) temperature compensation.
• Required Navigation Performance (RNP) Special Aircraft and Aircrew Authorization Required (SAAAR) approach capability **future feature
• Future Air Navigation System (FANS) capability **future feature

**Projected Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) dates: FANS and RNP SAAAR approach capability are future enhancements to the NZ-2000, Version 6.1 software and will not be available in the initial STC release. RNP SAAAR is not expected to be available for GIV models.

WIDE AREA AUGMENTATION SYSTEM-LOCALIZER PERFORMANCE WITH VERTICAL GUIDANCE (WAAS-LPV) or SATELLITE-BASED AUGMENTATION SYSTEM (SBAS)

The Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) or Satellite-Based Augmentation System (SBAS) is an air navigational aid developed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to augment the Global Positioning System (GPS), with the goal of improving its accuracy, integrity and availability. Essentially, WAAS/SBAS is intended to enable aircraft to rely on GPS for all phases of flight, including precision approaches, to any airport within its coverage area.
By adding the Localizer Performance With Vertical Guidance (LPV) functionality to the WAAS/SBAS, operators can fly more than 1500 RNAV (GPS) approaches having associated LPV minima, which have reduced decision altitudes to as low as 200 feet Above Ground Level (AGL) and decreased visibility minimums to as low as one-half mile.

Increase your navigational accuracy and enjoy fewer flight-planning and destination restrictions with a higher degree of safety throughout the continental United States (and much of Alaska).

• Vertically guided approaches to nearly all runways provide a higher degree of safety
• The U.S. has 5,000 airports with at least one runway 3,000 feet long
• WAAS increases runway availability by enabling lower minimums (200 ft)

The Flight Management System (FMS) 6.1 upgrade for aircraft provides operators greater access to airports with several efficient approaches. Here’s a brief look at each one:

• Circling Approach
  A circling approach is an approach to a point in space. It is created because the final approach segment is not aligned within 30 degrees on the runway, or a normal descent from the missed approach point to the runway could not be constructed.
  Benefit: In some areas, a circling approach is the only type of approach that can be constructed.



• Multiple Approaches
  Multiple approaches with the same guidance (Area Navigation or RNAV) to the same runway will be added to the Navigation Database (NavDB) as they are defined, and the Flight Management System (FMS) will provide these approaches for selection by the pilot.
  Benefit: Increased availability of approaches per runway without the need for customization of the NavDB.



• Tactical Air Navigation (TACAN) Approaches
  Tactical Air Navigation (TACAN) is a ground-based navigation facility that can provide for non-precision approaches. TACAN approach procedures can be retrieved from the Navigation Database (NavDB) and displayed as a selection on the arrival pages.
  Benefit: Increased access to approaches/airfields (if TACAN equipped).



• Vectors To Final (VTF)
  Vectors to Final (VTF) are activated when the flight director mode transitions from Lateral Navigation (LNAV) to Heading (HDG). The Flight Management System (FMS) will create an approach that consists of an intercept leg leading in to the Final Approach Fix (FAF), removing any legs that existed in the approach before the FAF.
  Benefit: Simplification of a vectored approach results in crew workload reduction in a busy terminal environment.



• Temperature-Compensated Baro Vertical Navigation (VNAV)
  Temperature-Compensated Baro Vertical Navigation (VNAV) is provided to adjust altitude constraints for approach, missed approach and departures in extreme temperature conditions to ensure proper vertical guidance for obstacle clearance in descent and climb.
  Benefits: Permits pilot to apply compensation navigation database altitude constraints during nonstandard temperature conditions.

• Auto Hold To Altitude (HA)
  Hold to Altitude (HA) legs are handled in a manner similar to Heading to Altitude (VA) legs, whereby the Flight Management System (FMS) will perform an immediate exit of the holding pattern upon achieving the altitude constraint. If the aircraft has a current altitude that complies with the HA leg altitude constraint, the holding pattern will be deleted automatically by the FMS, resulting in a VA leg.
  Benefit: Implementation enhances the automatic leg sequencing ability of the Flight Management System (FMS), resulting in reduction in the crew workload while assuring compliance to holding procedure.



• Heading To Altitude/Heading To Intercept (VA/VI)
  Leg sequencing from Heading to Altitude (VA) to Heading to Intercept (VI) will be treated like a VI leg where the Flight Management System (FMS) dynamically computes the transition onto the defined course to the defined altitude. Before the 6.1 upgrade, in the LIZRD example, the XTK error would be the distance between the dashed red line and the original VI leg. Instead of turning left and remaining steady on the 180˚ heading, the FMS would instead cause Lateral Navigation (LNAV) to turn back to the right in an attempt to eliminate the XTK error.
  Benefit: Accurate flight track complies with departure procedures.



• Cross-Loading
  The Flight Management System (FMS) will introduce modifications to transfer only custom database files, including data, rather than the entire custom database. For example, if the custom database includes only two waypoints and a single flight plan, only that data would be transferred.
  Benefit: Streamlines customized database transfers, saving time.



• Magnetic Variation The magnetic variation tables embedded in the Flight Management System (FMS) will be updated to reflect the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) World Navigation Model for Epoch 2010.
  Benefit: Provides navigation accuracy for conditions where there is significant difference in magnetic variation/declination, resulting in improved situational awareness.



• Global Positioning System (GPS) Time The change will allow a pilot to accurately set the instrument panel clock to Global Positioning System (GPS) time. The GPS status page will be modified to include units of seconds for Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) time.
  Benefit: Allows more accurate monitoring of time-driven events and the ability to react more accurately, such as for waypoint reporting, when operating in Minimum Navigation Performance Standards Airspace (MNPSA).

RNP enables aircraft to fly more precise approaches, providing for lower minima operations, more favorable routing in congested or terrain-challenged airspace, noise-abatement compliance, improved safety and lower operating costs.

A combination of onboard navigation technology, precise sensors and the Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite network keep aircraft within a tightly specified airspace corridor. The aircraft can precisely fly a wide variety of desired flight paths, including curved paths, to avoid terrain and obstacles, thereby overcoming limitations of conventional instrument procedures.

Future software improvements to the 6.1 Flight Management System (FMS) allow for certification under the new AC 90-101 RNP Special Aircraft and Aircrew Authorization Required (SAAAR) guidelines. The upgrade enables RNP approaches in the SAAAR and non-SAAAR environment.

• Takes full advantage of aircraft systems’ capability
• Path conformance with high degree of accuracy and repeatability
• Monitoring and alerting of navigation performance
• Curved flight paths

*This feature will not be included on the initial release of the 6.1 Flight Management System. The G300, G400 and Gulfstream V are planned to incorporate this feature.

• Better access to terrain-challenged airports, restricted airspace
• Improved access to business airports in proximity to high-traffic airports
• Enables parallel runway, converging and adjacent airport operations
• Fewer weather-related delays, diversions due to lower minima
• Smaller environmental footprint because of reduced noise and fuel use
• Optimized routes
• Fuel savings
• Enables early, guided turns on missed approach
• More reliable (repeatable), predictable flight paths

Getting operational approval
To conduct RNP SAAAR operations with RNP levels of 0.3 nautical miles, the GV, G300 or G400 aircraft must, at a minimum, be equipped with a Flight Management System (FMS), Inertial Reference System (IRS), Global Positioning System (GPS), Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System (EGPWS) with terrain and obstacle alerting, and Honeywell FMS software.

RNP SAAAR procedures have been published by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) at airports, including Reagan National in Washington, D.C., and Palm Springs (Calif.) International. FAA Advisory Circular 90-101 requires operators to obtain approval from the FAA to fly RNP approach procedures.

The operator would need to show compliance to AC 90-101 by meeting the requirements for equipment, training, flight operations, navigation database and RNP procedures.

Future Air Navigation System (FANS) is a concept that was developed by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) with Honeywell and others in the air-transport industry to allow more aircraft to safely and efficiently utilize a given volume of airspace using automatic dependent surveillance and data link technology. FANS, which is used on transoceanic routes, plays a key role in supporting many of the evolving Communication, Navigation, Surveillance/Air Traffic Management (CNS/ATM) strategies and mandates – an evolution that has been under way for more than 10 years.

FANS encompasses a set of defined software features required within the Flight Management System (FMS):

• AFN – Air Traffic Services (ATS) Facilities Notification
• ADS-C – Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Contract
• CPDLC – Controller / Pilot Data Link Communication
• RNP – Required Navigation Performance
• Flight plan updates

When FANS is implemented, operators will be able to take advantage of several enhancements:

• Reduced separation between airplanes
• More efficient route changes
• Satellite data link communication
• More direct routings
• Fewer or no departure delays
• No altitude loss when crossing tracks

Summary
The fuel savings, added payload, en-route time reduction and maintenance cost savings provide a compelling case for making your aircraft FANS capable. Operators of long-range business jets equipped with a Flight Management System (FMS), Global Positioning System (GPS), Communications Management Unit/Data Management Unit (CMU/DMU), SATCOM and VHF Data Radio (VDR) can enjoy the benefits of FANS operation with a simple software upgrade.

*This feature will not be included on the initial release of the 6.1 Flight Management System. The G300, G400 and Gulfstream V are planned to incorporate this feature.

A list of Gulfstream sales contacts is available at http://www.gulfstream.com/contacts/product_support/

All Gulfstream and General Dynamics Aviation Services locations have exclusive capability to offer this upgrade.

• Download the Brochure
  
  
• Watch the Video
  
  
• Visit Honeywell