Bring Space-based Navigation and Surveillance Down to Earth

The ground-based radar infrastructure that the air transportation system currently relies on is expensive to maintain and is at the end of its life cycle. Moving from radar to a space-based system as the primary ATC surveillance system allows us to limit our dependence on an aging and costly infrastructure, while increasing safety, capacity, and access.

Space-based navigation improves safety and efficiency by opening the door to precision approaches to all U.S. and Canadian runways. ALPA has long worked toward the goal of establishing at least one precision approach for each runway end served by airlines. Most precision approaches use a ground-based instrument landing system (ILS) that is expensive to install and maintain. One ILS on one runway end costs approximately US $1 million per year to maintain, not including the cost of real estate, engineering studies, and initial installation. As a result, many runway ends do not have precision approaches.

Space-based navigation could provide a precision approach and increased safety and capacity at every runway end at every airport.

To make space-based navigation and surveillance a reality, aircraft must be equipped, and regulators must develop and implement procedures, for this technology. ALPA has been at the forefront in working with the FAA and Canadian authorities to capitalize on space-based navigation and surveillance technology.