AUSTIN, Texas, Nov. 21, 2013 – DAC International, a Greenwich AeroGroup company, announced today that the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has approved its supplemental type certificate (STC) for the ATR 42 and 72 aircraft equipped with the Universal Avionics UNS-1Lw FMS to be operated into airports that have so-called LPV (Localizer Performance with Vertical) Approach procedures in place.
LPV approaches are the highest-precision GPS/SBAS (Space Based Augmentation System) WAAS/EGNOS-enabled aviation instrument approach procedures available today that do not require specialized aircrew training requirements.
“From the pilot’s viewpoint, an LPV approach looks and flies like an Instrument Landing System (ILS) procedure, but the SBAS approach is more reliable and can be designed for every runway,” said General Manager for DAC International Francisco Hernandez. “The main difference between ILS and LPV is that LPV is based upon SBAS positioning signals, rather than a ground-based localizer and glideslope transmitter. It can provide vertical guidance as low as 200 feet Above Ground Level (AGL) which is great for the pilot.”
The UNS-1Lw FMS installation on the ATR is compatible with the SBAS systems around the world such as the US Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS), European Geostationary Overlay Navigation (EGNOS) system, the Japanese Multi-Functional Satellite Augmentation System (MSAS) and the Indian GPS And Geo-Augmented Navigation (GAGAN).
The FMS seamlessly integrates with the aircraft’s Display Systems and Automatic Flight Control and provides guidance from take-off to landing. It is compliant with B-RNAV, P-RNAV and RNAV Approaches including LPV.
As of October 2013, Europe has approximately 76 LPV approaches. The ATR installation also complies with European B-RNAV, P-RNAV and other RNAV Approach Procedures.
United States Federal Aviation Administration STC validation is currently in process on this product.
About DAC International
DAC International offers a wide range of avionics upgrade solutions for regional and major airlines, military and general and corporate aircraft, as well as MROs and OEMs worldwide. DAC uses certified solutions, including navigational, communications and display systems to help the aviation community meet new standards, as well as replacing of older systems. They offer a wide range of test equipment, including RVSM, ARINC 615(A) portable data loaders and other Ground Support Equipment (GSE) and a whole range of in-house built data converters. Additionally, they sell new-generation EFB and adapter units, such the GDC-64 Tablet Aircraft Interface Unit for iPads, plus they can supply complete integration kits with FAA or EASA STC for several types of aircraft. For more information, go to www.dacint.com.
About Greenwich AeroGroup
Greenwich AeroGroup, Inc., owns and operates providers of general, commercial, government and military aviation services including: maintenance, avionics and interior refurbishments; fixed base operations; aircraft sales, charter and management; manufacturing and engineering; component repair and overhaul; parts distribution and financial services. Current locations include: Atlantic Aero, Inc., located at Piedmont-Triad International Airport in Greensboro, N.C.; Western Aircraft, Inc., located at Gowen Field in Boise, Idaho; Summit Aviation, Inc., located at Summit Airport in Middletown, Del.; DAC International, Inc., located in Austin, Texas; Matrix Aviation, Inc., located in Wichita, Kan.; Professional Aviation Associates, Inc., located in Atlanta, Ga.; Professional Aircraft Accessories, Inc., located in Titusville, Fla.; Aero Precision Industries, located in Livermore, Calif., and NASAM, Inc., located in San Francisco, Calif. Additionally, Greenwich AeroGroup owns an interest in Helivia Aero Taxi located in Rio de Janerio. News and information are available at www.greenwichaerogroup.com.
