In case you have missed it, because we certainly did! The new required navigation performance – Authorization required (RNP AR) manual third edition has been released. RNP AR is a complex implementation of advanced procedures and it for the most part was adapted from the original FAA standards and some tries to make it more like PANS OPS. In the process the previous editions did not play well in terms of the terms used and some of the figures made little sense and the explanation really needed some tweaking.
For many years RNP AR has been missing criteria for departures even though there are several parts around the world that implement these type of procedures, the new document does not address this issue. It has been actually slimmed down a bit about 20 pages less content which is mainly taking out some things that are better placed in other documents.
Doing a quick comparison of the table of contents we can notice the one on the left has less topics than the one on the right and just one extra.
The document itself does not present any game changing criteria at the moment but it does clarifies a few weird things that were left in previous editions, present a few graphics in color, removes terms that were FAA specific using ICAO ones and it gives us hope that things will start moving in the right direction and some other more substantial additions like RNP AR departures are included.
RNP AR is not really something that is flown by few aircrafts, yes it is still a specialized type of procedure in comparison with non precision approaches like VOR or LNAV ones , even with regards to the Instrument Landing System (ILS) procedures but year after year the number of operations that are performed using RNP AR are only bound to increase as it provides a solution to those airports with difficult access due to the surrounding terrain, however it is also being used in many places to reduce track miles and to avoid noise sensitive areas which even though PANS OPS tells us that noise abatement is not something that should make a procedure more complex than it is, reality is in many places if you want to fly you need to avoid these area.
This edition also is a good opportunity for those that are looking for initial training or refresher one to ask based on which edition it will be, consideration needs to be taken that probably the introduction of the new changes will require some old RNP AR procedures to be reviewed to check compliance and in these cases the airports were they are implemented will require assistance as the procedures were outsourced or designed somewhere else.
At FLYGHT7 we are here to help you out and if you got questions or need some help, you know where to find us! Go get your updated copy of RNP AR and keep pressing
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