Gatwick Seeks Views From Capel on the Proposed Implementation of P-RNAV

    WEST SUSSEX, ENGLAND, September 06, 2012 /24-7PressRelease/ -- A three month public consultation by Gatwick Airport is taking place to implement a system called P-RNAV. The system, which has been trialled on a limited basis at the airport for 6 years, utilises the full navigation capability of modern aircraft and improves the track keeping for departing flights.

The proposed implementation is in line with the Civil Aviation Authority's (CAA) policy for the application of performance based navigation in UK airspace, which effectively requires all conventional departure routes from airports to be replaced with a minimum of a P-RNAV standard.

The consultation aims to get views on the proposed implementation of the P-RNAV system on all current departure routes and the process for transitioning all departing aircraft from Gatwick Airport onto the new standard of navigation within 5 years.

The consultation, run in accordance with CAA guidelines, will run until 19 October 2012 and responses will be accepted up to Friday 12th November. The full consultation document is available on the Gatwick Airport website www.gatwickairport.com/prnav

Gatwick Airport is consulting directly with the airport's consultative committee (GATCOM) and political representatives in the proposed affected areas. We are also planning to hold public events in the relevant noise affected communities. At these public events, staff from Gatwick Airport and NATS will be on hand to provide further details and to answer any questions.

Public events:

Dormansland Memorial Hall, 8.00pm on Wednesday 19th September 2012

Village Hall, Falmouth Place, Five Oak Green, TN12 6TF, 7:30pm on Monday 24th September 2012 (consultation will form part of the parish meeting)

Information on PR-NAV and Gatcom

P-RNAV stands for Precision Area Navigation. It is a navigation specification that uses the benefits of improved airborne navigation capabilities to require a track-keeping accuracy of 1 nautical mile (compared with 5 nautical miles for the next best standard) for at least 95% of the flight time, together with high integrity navigation data requirements.

GATCOM was established in 1956. It is a statutory advisory body constituted by Gatwick Airport Limited in accordance with the Civil Aviation Act 1982 (as amended by the Airports Act 1986). GATCOM does not however have any powers to enforce or impose its recommendations. It has28 appointed representatives from a wide range of interests including local authorities, civil aviation, passenger, business, tourism and community and environmental groups. A Government representative is also present at the main Committee meetings, together with Gatwick Airport Limited's Chief Executive and his senior management team.

About Gatwick Airport

Gatwick Airport is the UK's second largest airport and the busiest single-runway airport in the world. It serves more than 200 destinations in 90 countries for around 34 million passengers a year on short- and long-haul point-to-point services. It is also a major economic driver for the South-East region, generating around 23,000 on-airport jobs and a further 13,000 jobs through related activities. The airport is 28 miles south of London with excellent public transport links, including the Gatwick Express, and extensive onsite airport parking. Their website makes it easy to book Gatwick parking online. Gatwick Airport is owned by a group of international investment funds, of which Global Infrastructure Partners is the largest shareholder.

Website: http://www.gatwickairport.com

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