737 Outfitted With Satellite Landing System Shows Off For Crowd

Senior military officers and pilots from the US Air Force, Army and Navy recently got a glimpse of the way many military aircraft will perform landings in the future, using the latest satellite-based Precision Approach technology.

The two dozen military observers boarded a new Qantas Airways Boeing Next-Generation 737-800 at Boeing Field January 31 and were treated to a demonstration of Boeing's advanced GLS Global Navigation Satellite Landing System for commercial aircraft.

Like the military's JPALS (Joint Precision Approach and Landing System) currently under development, Boeing's GLS system uses GPS satellite technology to provide highly accurate and stable approach and landing guidance under the worst visibility conditions.

During the flight, the Boeing 737 successfully completed 15 GLS approaches at five different airfields in the Seattle region. Boeing chief pilot Doug Benjamin, who flew the plane, and several experienced military pilots who rotated in the co-pilot seat, found GLS provided extremely accurate guidance during approaches and landings.

The GLS demonstration flight was central to a 2-day informational event hosted by Boeing at the specific request of the military. The event was organized by ARINC Engineering Services, LLC, for its long-time customer on the Land-Based JPALS program, the Air Force Electronic Systems Center (ESC) at Hanscom Air Force Base, MA.

"On behalf of the Air Force, I would like to thank our hosts and the teams from Boeing and ARINC who put this event together," stated Air Force 641st Electronic Systems Squadron Director Eric Lekberg. "This vivid demonstration of today's most advanced landing technology has been extremely encouraging for the military teams working on similar solutions."

Boeing's GLS solution works in combination with Ground-Based Augmentation System (GBAS) ground stations, which enhance the performance of GPS to provide the accuracy and integrity needed for Precision Approach operations. In addition to the fixed ground stations used for the January demonstration flight, attendees were also shown examples of smaller GBAS ground stations in alternative form factors, including a proof-of-concept man-portable JPALS system whose development was recently coordinated by ARINC.

Qantas is an early adopter of GBAS technology and has been using the Boeing GLS system in revenue service since 2006. Increasingly, airports around the world are making plans to equip with GBAS ground stations which require only a modest investment in airport infrastructure and provide better performance and capability than the existing Instrument Landing System.

FMI: www.arinc.com, www.boeing.com