Matthew McDaniel Explains How to Gain a Fundamental WAAS Understanding

Collaboratively developed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Department of Transportation (DOT), WAAS is used to combat the ionosphere disturbances, clock drift, and satellite orbit errors that prevent basic GPS signals from meeting the FAA requirements necessary for precision flight approach. 

Through its system of approximately 25 ground reference stations positioned across the continental United States and Hawaii, WAAS utilizes collected data to create a GPS signal correction that is then broadcast to WAAS-enabled receivers.  The result is a GPS accuracy improvement of approximately three meters 95% of the time.

Many aircraft owners and pilots have heard of the Wide Area Augmentation System; yet, for most aviators, WAAS remains a complicated operational maze.  Matthew McDaniel, owner of Progressive Aviation Services, has developed a one-day seminar for current WAAS-pilots and pilots considering a WAAS upgrade to help build an informational foundation of both the benefit and usage of WAAS technology.  Covering all aspects of WAAS rules, regulations, and operations, the seminar addresses WAAS-enabled avionic systems and autopilots, as well as many IFR procedural items for pilots.

Aero-TV attended one of Progressive Aviation Service’s WAAS seminars, and took the opportunity to speak with McDaniel about his most suggested WAAS tips.  In the first part of his series, McDaniel explains how to appropriately tackle learning the WAAS technology.

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