Instrument number CASA 45/12
I, PETER REGINALD FEREDAY, Executive Manager, Industry Permissions Division, a delegate of CASA, make this instrument under regulation 179A of the Civil Aviation Regulations 1988 (CAR 1988).
[Signed P. Fereday]
Peter Fereday
Executive Manager
Industry Permissions Division
30 January 2012
Instructions — primary means navigation system
1          Duration
                 This instrument:
(a)   commences on the day after registration; and
(b)   stops having effect at the end of 31 January 2014.
2          Application
                 This instrument applies to the conduct of non-precision approach procedures by Virgin Australia International Airlines Pty Ltd, Aviation Reference Number 768593 (Virgin Australia), with an RNP-capable RNAV system.
3          Instructions
                 I issue the instructions in Schedule 1.
4          Definitions
                 In this instrument:
AFM means the aircraft flight manual.
approved navigation database means a navigation database on a medium approved by the manufacturer of the aircraft as suitable for use with the aircraft.
FMC means flight management computer.
FMS means the aircraft’s flight management system.
GNSS means the Global Navigation Satellite System, a satellite navigation system used by a pilot on board an aircraft to determine position from satellite data.
GPS means the United States Government satellite navigation system known as the Global Positioning System.
method of control means autopilot or flight director.
RNAV (GNSS) approach means an area navigation instrument approach procedure.
RNP means the required navigation performance as displayed to the flight crew by the FMS.
RNP-capable RNAV system means an area navigation system fitted to an aircraft for which the AFM for the aircraft states that it is capable of meeting RNP 0.3 (or lower, as required) requirements.
XTK error means the cross-track difference between the indicated position of the aircraft and the planned position, as displayed to the flight crew by the FMS.
Schedule 1          Instructions
1          An aircraft operated by Virgin Australia under I.F.R. may use an RNP-capable RNAV system in accordance with these instructions as a non-precision approach I.F.R. radio navigation aid for a published non-precision approach procedure, including a related missed approach procedure.
2          Requirements
     (1)     The AFM must contain a statement that the aircraft is capable of meeting the requirements for RNP 0.3 or lower.
     (2)     The aircraft must be operated in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.
     (3)     The RNP-capable RNAV system must not be used as a navigation reference for flight below the lowest safe altitude/minimum sector altitude except in accordance with a published non-precision approach procedure.
     (4)     The procedure to be flown by the flight crew must be extracted from an approved navigation database.
     (5)                 Virgin Australia must inform CASA should any condition, operational bulletin, airworthiness directive or AFM amendment change or affect this instrument.
3          Procedures
     (1)                 Virgin Australia must ensure that flight crew are appropriately trained in the minimum equipment required for dispatch, commencement of the approach, the approach procedures and reasons to discontinue the approach.
     (2)     The training syllabus for training of flight crew must be included in Virgin Australia’s approved training and checking manual.
     (3)     Virgin Australia’s policy, procedures and limitations on the use of GNSS primary means navigation must be included in Virgin Australia’s operations manual.
     (4)     For flight planning purposes, Virgin Australia may retain NDB, VOR and DME in the ATC notification field regardless of the onboard equipment fitted and serviceable provided the conditions of this instrument are met.
     (5)     For the purposes of planning destination alternate minima, Virgin Australia may base the calculation upon any of the published RNAV (GNSS), RNP, RNP-AR (if authorised), NDB, VOR or DME landing minima plus the weather forecast tolerance.
     (6)     Before dispatch, the pilot in command must ensure that if GNSS is to be used as primary means navigation:
(a)   at least 2 FMCs, 2 control display units, 2 GNSS receivers and 2 inertial reference units in NAV mode are operational; and
(b)   a prediction of the RNP-GNSS based approach availability is obtained. Where the prediction indicates that RNP 0.3 may not be available:
             (i)  sufficient holding fuel must be carried for the duration of the period for which RNP 0.3 or lower is not available; or
            (ii)  the flight must be planned using conventional ground-based radio navigation aids for which the aircraft is equipped; or
           (iii)  an alternate aerodrome must be planned which also meets the requirements of this paragraph.
     (7)     Before commencing the approach, the flight crew must ensure that:
(a)   at least 2 FMCs, 1 control display unit, 1 GNSS receiver and 2 inertial reference units in NAV mode are operational; and
(b)   the instrument approach or departure procedure is selected by name from a current aircraft navigation database; and
(c)   the procedure conforms to the charted procedure; and
(d)   RNP 0.3 (or lower, as required) is displayed or selected in the FMS; and
(e)   DME updating is inhibited; and
(f)    no modification of approach, missed approach or departure waypoints are made, except as required to modify speeds or apply cold weather temperature corrections as applicable.
     (8)     At all times during the approach, the pilot in command must ensure that:
(a)   the approach is flown using a method of control that, in accordance with the AFM, permits RNP 0.3 (or lower, as required) operations to be conducted; and
(b)   the approach is flown in accordance with the current approved charted approach procedure; and
(c)   an approved method is used to monitor XTK error; and
(d)   at least 1 pilot monitors the XTK error; and
(e)   procedure centrelines, as depicted by the onboard equipment displays, are maintained; and
(f)    for normal operations XTK error is limited to 0.2 n miles.
     (9)     The pilot in command must ensure that the non-precision approach is discontinued if:
(a)   the navigation of the aircraft exceeds the manufacturer’s stated limits for the RNP 0.3 capability (or lower, as required); or
(b)   an alert is displayed indicating that the navigation system cannot meet the manufacturer’s stated limits for the RNP 0.3 capability (or lower, as required); or
(c)   a XTK error alert is annunciated; or
(d)   if the manufacturer does not provide a means of XTK error alerting — the XTK error is greater than 0.2 n miles.