Another 33 In Development And Approval Stages

The FAA has approved 32 helicopter WAAS LPV instrument flight procedures, with another procedures in various stages of development and approval. The procedures were developed by Hickok & Associates under a contract with the agency. The lowest Decision Altitude (DA) to a hospital heliport has been 207 feet height above landing (HAL).  Helicopter WAAS LPV procedures typically provide DA’s between 250 to 300 feet, as opposed to Minimum Descent Altitudes (MDA) of 460 to 500 feet for LNAV procedures.

To implement its helicopter WAAS LPV program, Hickok & Associates developed the procedures used by the manufactures for WAAS LPV supplemental type certifications of the S76, EC135/145, Augusta 109, and Bell 429 helicopters.

During the past year Hickok & Associates has also continued its development of thirty three (33) LNAV procedures, has expanded its special helicopter low-level IFR enroute network covering New Hampshire and portions of Vermont, and implemented new enroute networks in Tennessee and Iowa. The company maintains all of its own procedures, and has also taken over maintenance of twenty eight (28) existing procedures previously maintained by FAA.

The company earned FAA approval of its company’s criteria in February, 2008, and remains the only approved developer of helicopter WAAS LPV procedures and owns the only approved criteria and development software.

FMI: www.hickokgpsifr.com