Public Comment Period Runs Through February 7
The Coast Guard was a little quick last year to propose pulling
the plug on the loran. The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association
(AOPA) objected, advising that the government should "look before
it leaped" on shutting down a system that still might play an
important role in the nation's navigation and airspace surveillance
system.
So now the Coast Guard is taking a more studied approach. It's
asking for public comments by February 7 on the future of
loran.
"But the first question we have to answer is what kind of
complementary system we need for GPS," said AOPA President Phil
Boyer. "Once we know that, we can then make an intelligent decision
about loran-C or deploying enhanced loran."
The issue becomes particularly important in the future as the
FAA decommissions many VORs and radar systems, and transitions to
ADS-B as the primary surveillance system for air traffic
control.
Because ADS-B requires GPS to report an aircraft's position to
ATC, a GPS failure could leave pilots without electronic navigation
and air traffic controllers blind unless an alternative positioning
system were available.
Even with WAAS, the government has yet to develop procedures to
ensure that GPS is available for aeronautical operations 100
percent of the time. Today's single-frequency system has some
degree of vulnerability to accidental or intentional
interference.
"General aviation needs robust positioning systems that ensure
we can always navigate in instrument conditions, including making
approaches to most airports," said Boyer. "We have that today with
GPS and VORs."
But the FAA's long-range plan is to decommission most VORs. And
for the future, VORs can't provide aircraft position information to
the ADS-B system. An enhanced loran system is one alternative for
backing up GPS for ADS-B and system navigation.
"Until a long-term GPS-only strategy is determined, loran should
continue operating," said Boyer. "Whatever backup system is
selected, it must be affordable, and GA pilots must be allowed a
minimum of 15 years to transition to the new system."
As Aero-News reported,
UK-based Trinity House, a company that provides maritime navigation
aides throughout England, issued a request for proposals in
December for an enhanced long-range navigation system -- dubbed
eLoran -- for pilots. That system is receiving close scrutiny in
the US, as well.