+EraSeek Posted February 7, 2003 Share Posted February 7, 2003 February 1, 2003 GPS World More than three years behind its original schedule, the GPS Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) is approaching operational readiness. The Federal Aviation Admin-istration (FAA), which is overseeing the project to improve GPS accuracy and integrity, indicated plans to complete "contractor acceptance" on January 24 and expects to commission the system in July as having initial operational capability (IOC). The FAA is also in negotiations with Inmarsat to provide WAAS transmission services on a third geostationary satellite that would be located over the central United States, according to Leo Eldredge, WAAS project manager. As with the two current Inmarsat satellites employed by WAAS, the new satellite transponder will retransmit signals generated from ground facilities, but will include those on the future GPS L5 frequency as well as on L1. Quote Link to comment
Kerry. Posted February 7, 2003 Share Posted February 7, 2003 It's an interesting question why WAAS has wallowed and really gone no where these past few years especially since SA was set to zero . WAAS badly needs that additional satellite as the present 2 give the system no redunancy what so ever. It will also be interesting how WAAS performance is (compared to), with the addition of L5. Cheers, Kerry. I never get lost everybody keeps telling me where to go Quote Link to comment
+Renegade Knight Posted February 7, 2003 Share Posted February 7, 2003 It probably took three years to clear the Environmental Impact Statment especially since the satalite is in space. Wherever you go there you are. Quote Link to comment
+BletchleyPark Posted February 8, 2003 Share Posted February 8, 2003 For aviation in the US, GPS will be replacing VOR/VORTAC navigation just as VORs replaced NDBs. If I remember correctly, NDBs will be decomissioned by 2005 and VORs by 2010. After 2010, GPS will be the only electronic system for enroute navigation. With the rapidly expanding use of GPSrs for general aviation today, it would seem that the FAA is very prudent in pushing development and deployment of additional WAAS birds. Just the other day I read a story about a GA pilot who encountered an emergency over an unfamiliar area. His panel mounted GPSr had a "nearest airport" function which, when selected, allowed him to immediately change and follow a course to land at the nearest airport. Simple GPSr function? Yes! Value of that "simple" function to the pilot? Priceless! BP Quote Link to comment
+1pilot Posted February 8, 2003 Share Posted February 8, 2003 quote:Originally posted by BletchleyPark:For aviation in the US, GPS will be replacing VOR/VORTAC navigation just as VORs replaced NDBs. If I remember correctly, NDBs will be decomissioned by 2005 and VORs by 2010. After 2010, GPS will be the only electronic system for enroute navigation. With the rapidly expanding use of GPSrs for general aviation today, it would seem that the FAA is very prudent in pushing development and deployment of additional WAAS birds. Just the other day I read a story about a GA pilot who encountered an emergency over an unfamiliar area. His panel mounted GPSr had a "nearest airport" function which, when selected, allowed him to immediately change and follow a course to land at the nearest airport. Simple GPSr function? Yes! Value of that "simple" function to the pilot? Priceless! BP Not according to the Feburary issue of Flying magazine, page 63:"Where in the 1994 briefing, the FAA told Flying that the backup system for GPS would be GPS enhanced by local area augmentation,and wide area augmentation, that may not come true, it likely won't come true in the forseeable future". "In reality, the ultimate backup system for GPS might become the ground based radar system coupled with the retention of some VORs plus the ILS system. And, Hopefully, some more satilites will go flying soon." Bob G. ********************************************************** Where are we going?......And WHY am I in this handbasket??? Quote Link to comment
+BletchleyPark Posted February 8, 2003 Share Posted February 8, 2003 I would think that the dates previously stated would be quite agressive. I believe that NDBs started popping up in the 50s and they are still with us! It makes sense that VORs remain (to some degree) as GPSr navigation becomes the standard -- certainly for "backup" reasons. And until ILS based airports can invest ($$$$!) in and deploy LAAS on a wide scale, it seems likely that ILS will be around for a while too. What worries me about the wide-spread adoption of GPS enroute is the "confidence" it may give a less experienced or less cautious VFR pilot to "press-on" in marginal conditions. BP Quote Link to comment
georapper Posted February 8, 2003 Share Posted February 8, 2003 you guys are speaking a different language. what languge is this? martian? the posts sound interesting but i only follow about 20% of them. Quote Link to comment
+EraSeek Posted February 8, 2003 Author Share Posted February 8, 2003 Here is the full article: http://www.gpsworld.com/gpsworld/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=45771 It speak a bit more to you aviation guys. Sounds like they've loosened up of the system requirements a bit for now. ''WAAS provides sufficient integrity, along with vertical and lateral positioning accuracies, to allow an aviator to reach a "go/no-go" decision point at a 250-foot elevation one mile from the an airport runway'' Quote Link to comment
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.