The Duncan Download Blog: Business Aviation Advice & Observations

Contributed by Adrian Chene , avionics installation tech rep

For many aircraft owners, choosing which aircraft systems require upgrade can be a real challenge. None of the current publications are written with the aircraft owner in mind. Duncan Aviation has changed that. We have designed the Duncan Aviation Avionics Catalog to provide a common sense non-aviation explanation of what a modification actually does for you the owner.

DOM’s should also feel free to use this information when explaining the benefits of recommended upgrades to owners."

To discuss avionics installation solutions specific to your aircraft, contact a Duncan Aviation Avionics Installation Sales Rep.

	Domestic Inflight Internet Getting office speed when en route to Aspen. The Aircell GoGo internet is not your father’s dial-up system. It is fast. Airline passengers share one Aircell internet connection. You can have your very own. How fast, you ask? 1-3 Mbps fast. With GoGo, you get more than just the Internet. Aircell has engaged the major cellular players, providing an App that allows you to send and receive texts and phone calls to your personal phone while in flight. There is an additional initial and monthly charge for this service. What is in the Aircell system? Two electronics boxes and two belly-mounted antennas that when installed spell staying in charge in flight. The Aircell system has an STC and can be installed during most scheduled inspections without delaying your aircraft’s return.
	International Inflight Internet For the plugged-in business traveler, the notion of slipping off the grid during long transoceanic flights is not a viable option. They feel unproductive if not allowed to extend their office skyward and keep working. Cobham developed the most cost- effective international internet system for this application. The Cobham Aviator 700 internet connection runs at approximately 432Kbps during the long legs that challenge your resistance to boredom. When paired with the right router, internet connection speeds can be even faster. In addition to providing reliable internet connections, it operates as a phone system allowing your aircrew to send and receive data messages to Air Traffic Control and your maintenance teams. The Aviator 700D may also provide the satellite link for a FANS 1/A aircraft. If the antenna system can be reused, the installation can be complied with during other scheduled work with no impact to schedule. Aircraft requiring a new antenna will require more time to install the system. Either way, call us. We’ll answer all of your questions.
	Guest Entertainment Whether you want to review a presentation with your sales team on a bigger screen or are just trying to get the kids to fall asleep en route to Paris, entertainment systems remain as relevant in the air as they are on the ground. A cabin system that represents an excellent mix of value versus cost is called Venue from Rockwell Collins. State-of-the-art components provide fully digital vibrant 1080p video and crystal clear heart pounding sound at a price point similar to the low def equipment available just a few years ago. Your HD iTunes content, and ripped media at home are now available in flight via Rockwell Collin’s Skybox. Skybox stores content locally, providing a familiar environment, friendly to board members and family alike. Control of your environment has never been so easy with apps that turn your IOS device into a universal cabin remote.
	International Phone From Antarctica to Chicago you have a need to talk to people. You don’t say goodnight to a child or negotiate a delicate point of a contract via email? When you need to be clear, even in remote regions of the world, Aircell’s Axxess system is a dual-line phone that works anywhere your aircraft is. Axxess has noise-canceling handsets with two lines of communication. It is a relatively low cost system to install with a low cost per minute to use. If you decide to install it along with Aircell’s GoGo domestic internet service, you will save over $10,000. Aircell has established itself as the largest manufacturer of Iridium systems in the business jet world and maintains its position as an industry leader in domestic internet services.
	Geek Chic: Routers Matter  I will rattle off the laundry list of bad to the bone IT gizmos that have been included in this unit, because I know part of being geek chic is embracing the lingo, but listen closely; GET THIS ROUTER. I should also mention that the Satcom Direct’s Router costs less than any of its closest competitors with an increased level of versatility and added features. It streams movies securely to mobile devices from onboard media servers super-fast. The Satcom Direct router automatically establishes a secure link between the aircraft and your home or corporate network when connected outside the U.S. This secure link makes your international internet faster due to hardware level accelerators that compress and encrypt traffic so that your computer doesn’t have to. It also has cellular failover, so you aren’t spending big bucks while parked on the tarmac. Pesky hackers are fended off with all the standard Wi-Fi security options.
	ADS-B: Meeting The Mandate  A mandate is something a regulatory authority like the FAA will require to continue to operate your aircraft without limitations. ADS-B is one such mandate that is required by 2018 for Europe (EASA), 2020 in the U.S. (FAA), and right now in the pacific nations. ADS-B increases the amount of information available to Air Traffic Controllers (ATC) about your aircraft. This permits better traffic management and safety for both ATC and you.
	FANS 1/A: Why is it necessary?  Imagine a school of fish swimming in the ocean’s current. More and more fish enter the current as time goes on until there are so many that not all of them are able to fit in the current. That is essentially what has occurred over the Atlantic Ocean for aircraft. The air current for aircraft is called the North Atlantic Track (NAT). It is a shifting highway in the sky that changes depending on wind direction. A few years ago controllers began to notice this current becoming more and more crowded. FANS 1/A is a new communications method that theoretically allows controllers to pack more aircraft in this highway in the sky. It equates to fuel savings and shorter flight time. It is now being mandated for trans-Atlantic NAT aircraft.
	Crew Gizmos: Retire The Floppy  For the last 15 years, the 3.5-inch floppy disk has been the mainstay of your crew’s interface to the computers on board your aircraft. It is time to upgrade to a thumb drive. While not a quantum leap of technology, it loads faster and more reliably. Both Honeywell and Rockwell Collins have released their new thumb drive data loaders that are rugged and consistently perform. Also, an upgrade to your floppy drive in many cases is required prior to doing other upgrades to your aircraft.
	WAAS/LPV Have a better chance of landing when and where you want.  WAAS/LPV sounds more like a syndrome than a solution for problematic landing procedures. It is a series of system and software upgrades that allow your aircraft to perform better during an approach to an airport.  If your aircraft is equipped with WAAS/LPV you will be able to land at airports experiencing poor weather where you would have normally been diverted. This means more on-time landings. Also, with more and more aircraft being equipped with WAAS/LPV every day, aircraft not equipped with WAAS/LPV may have a lower resale value when it comes time to sell.
	Bunches of Mods: Batch 3+ With the current pace of Batch 3+ completion, the most important thing to know about Batch 3+ is that it is a pay me now or pay me later proposition. Aircraft not equipped will suffer dearly at time of sale and face operational limitations. With that being said, it is recommended to invest now in Batch 3+, while competition amongst aircraft shops is most likely to get you the best deal. Batch 3+ has three parts. Two are optional, one is mandatory before completing the others. Batch 3+ Part 1 (mandatory) is a general upgrade of the operational software of the avionics system. In addition to fixing some known problems, it adds future provisions to keep the aircraft viable through additional upgrades. Batch 3+ Part 2 (optional) is related to FANS 1/A. This modification allows your aircrews to keep operating in oceanic highways in the sky with better communications to air traffic control. This is due to new flying rules Batch 3+ Part 3 (optional) is related to WAAS-LPV. This modification allows the aircrews to fly into airports that are experiencing poor weather conditions with more success.
	Falcon EASy II Must Have Mods  The Easy II upgrade is not all about fancy gadgets. It is about bringing your aircraft into a new digital flight environment. Air traffic management agencies around the world are changing the rules of flight in air space over the oceans, Europe and even here in the U.S. What follows is a baseline for EASY II modifications that will maintain your aircraft’s current operational capabilities. The EASy II Baseline upgrade provides software fixes some issues and provides minor operational improvements. It also serves as a prerequisite for all other modifications. CPDLC This is a European mandate related to air traffic control operations in the European Union (EU). FANS 1/A - A mandate that improves communications from air traffic control operations to your aircrews during trans-oceanic flights.   ADS-B - A U.S. (2020) and EU (2018) mandate that increases the aircraft information available to air traffic controllers.
	Falcon EASy II Safer Nice-to-Have Options     Now let’s discuss options that can significantly increase the level of safety aboard your aircraft. It is important to note that you and your teams are not alone in this process, Duncan Aviation’s sales teams are here to help explain the advantages and costs associated with modifications in a refreshingly non-technical manner. WAAS/LPV provides improved guidance when flying in to airports experiencing bad weather. Paperless Charts make maintaining aircraft databases easier and may remove the requirement for paper charts on board (pending final approval by local aviation inspector). XM Weather improves crew situational awareness regarding inclement weather. Synthetic Vision produces a video game like display of the surrounding terrain to improve the aircrew’s situational awareness. Automatic Descent Mode will causes aircraft to fly down to breathable altitude if a loss of cabin pressure occurs

Adrian Chene is an Avionics Tech Rep for Duncan Aviation. He provides troubleshooting and technical advice on avionics installation services, and specializes in custom, integrated HSD solutions. He began working in aviation in 1996.

Contributed by Gary Harpster, Avionics Service Sales Rep.

There aren’t many days that go by where I don’t field a question or two or provide clarification about WAAS/LPV. I am happy to answer them all. The following is a question that I recently received.

Do I still have to add gas/alternate [airport] if I'm going somewhere that will be WAAS LPV only?

The quick answer is yes. Now for a more in depth look as to why.

Requirements for IFR Flight Conditions

The only reason a pilot is required to designate an alternate airport is when the forecasted weather at the intended destination is below minimums one hour before to one hour after the estimated arrival time. If these conditions are met and filing for an alternate airport is required, then additional fuel is also required. The aircraft must carry enough additional fuel to continue flying at normal cruising speed to the alternate airport and for an additional 45 minutes.

Weather minimums are:

Forecasted cloud ceiling is at least 2,000 feet above the destination airport and visibility will be at least three statute miles for at least one hour before and hour after the estimated time of arrival.

If you have any questions about WAAS, or any other avionics installation related question, please feel free to contact me or download the "Straight Talk About WAAS" booklet and "Upgrading to WAAS" guide.

Gary Harpster serves as an Avionics Installations Sales Rep. at Duncan Aviation's full-service facility in Lincoln, Neb. (LNK), specializing in Hawkers, Falcon 900, EZ2 Upgrades and Learjets. He has given WAAS presentations across the U.S., and hosted the widely viewed WAAS video series. He began his career in aviation in 1977.

Contributed by Gary Harpster, Avionics Installations Sales Rep.

VDP is the point in the approach where the pilot must make the decision to land or go around again.

The question has been asked if a pilot must adhere to the VDP missed point when a VDP icon displays on the profile view of a WAAS approach plate, and the pilot is using the lowest LPV minima.

We have also been asked if CAT terms are used in reference to WAAS, or if they are ILS nomenclature only.

Let's dive in.

VDP Missed Point Adherence

Visual Decent Point or VDP is sometimes referenced on non-precision straight in approaches for WAAS (Wide Area Augmentation System) equipped aircraft. VDP is the point in the approach where if the pilot has the runway in view, they may continue their decent using the standard 3 degree decent angle to the runway threshold. If you do not have the runway in sight at this point, you must initiate a missed approach.

VDPs are seen on approaches farther out than normal Minimum Descent Altitude (MDA) and this is normally due to terrain or obstacle considerations.

CAT Nomenclature

We have also been asked if the terms Category (CAT) 3, CAT 2 etc. are used when speaking of WAAS, or if they are only Instrument Landing System (ILS) nomenclature.

CAT terms are ILS approach nomenclature, and don't apply to WAAS. CAT 1 is the approach that we see with the ILS approaches that takes the aircraft down 200 feet Above Ground Level (AGL) and requires one half mile visibility. This is used by the vast majority of pilots in the U.S. A CAT 2 approach allows descent below 200 feet (but not less than 100 feet) with only 1,200 feet of visibility. This approach involves greater expenses, as it requires additional training for the crew and stringent testing and calibration of the navigation equipment including the radar altimeter and other navigation systems. CAT 3 is the most precise and this will take an aircraft below 100 feet with visibility of about 650 feet. Of course, this is the most stringent approach and requires further approvals and training.

If you have any questions about WAAS, or any other avionics installation related question, please feel free to contact me. I will be happy to help!

Gary Harpster serves as an Avionics Installations Sales Rep. at Duncan Aviation's full-service facility in Lincoln, Neb. (LNK), specializing in Hawkers and Learjets. He has given WAAS presentations across the U.S., co-authored the "Straight Talk About WAAS" booklet and "Upgrading to WAAS" guide, and hosted the widely viewed WAAS video series. He began his career in aviation in 1977.

Contributed by Gary Harpster, Avionics Sales Representative

The altimeter reading in an aircraft with Air Data Computers, displays the altitude based on barometric pressure.  Temperature plays a role in the accuracy of this information. When the air is cold, it is condensed and the altimeter reading will be less than the true altitude. Conversely, in hot weather the uncompensated altitude will bring the aircraft higher than the published alt constraint. That is why settings must be adjusted by the crew based on the readings provided by Air Traffic Control (ATC) or the controlling agency for the area they are flying in. This adjustment can be 100-300 feet depending on the temperature.

During an approach with WAAS/LPV, the initial vertical guidance is computed by the Flight Management System (FMS) based on the current altitude the aircraft believes it is flying at. At some point during the approach, the vertical guidance computed by the Air Data Computers will transition over to vertical guidance from GPS satellites. Once this transition occurs, the Air Data Computers are removed from the equation and the altitude error, caused by extreme temperatures is no longer a factor. With GPS, the descent is merely a mathematical equation based on current GPS altitude and selected three dimensional approach path.

Straight Talk Books

Duncan Aviation's free Straight Talk books are an aircraft operator's source for easy-to-understand information about WAAS/LPV and many other important topics in business aviation today. These publications are written by Duncan Aviation's very own aviation experts, and the authors are just a phone call away. Download your free copies at http://www.duncanaviation.aero/straighttalk.

Duncan Intelligence Live IA Seminar

Next Generation initiatives continue to become a reality in the aviation community. Get a more in depth look into the complicated subject of FANS at the next Duncan Intelligence Live IA Seminar. Steve Elofson, Duncan Aviation Avionics Sales Rep will be presenting his IA-approved class on FANS. Register now for this face-to-face forum discussion with industry experts and earn 8 hours of Inspector Authorization (IA) renewal credit.  

Gary Harpster is an Avionics Sales Representative at Duncan Aviation's Lincoln, NE, facility, specializing in the Hawker and Learjet airframe. His aviation career began in 1977.

 This field guide was the most popular download on DuncanAviation.aero last year.

2010 was a busy year. We fielded countless avionics and paint questions, launched a blog, introduced a series of field guides and beefed up our YouTube channel with some new videos. Here’s a rundown of our most popular resources on DuncanAviation.aero last year.

1. Upgrading to WAAS: Answers From Industry Experts

The WAAS/LPV field guide was our most popular download last year. It addresses common questions from operators, differences between approval processes, discrepancies in upgrade costs and considerations for planning an upgrade.

2. Paint, Maintenance & Turbine Aircraft Value

The runner-up was an aircraft paint field guide, which targets common misperceptions about exterior refurbishments. It addresses the necessity of regular paint maintenance, aircraft market value considerations and criteria for selecting an aircraft paint service provider.

3. Straight Talk About WAAS

This WAAS eBook continued to attract attention last year with its discussion about the importance of WAAS, why it impacts business aviation operators and how it works.

4. Company Video: “Our Work Speaks for Itself”

A four minute video about Duncan Aviation debuted on our YouTube channel last year, highlighting our history, service philosophy, customer observations, capabilities and facility locations.

5. Understanding WAAS/LPV Video Series

Avionics Installation Sales Rep and long-time AEA Advisory Board Member Gary Harpster hosted this five-part WAAS video series based on the presentations he gave across the country last year. The series offers more technical information on legacy interface problems, LPV approaches, GPS signals and operational benefits.

More downloads are planned for release this year, so stay tuned! Additional resources that didn’t make our top five list can be found at www.DuncanAviation.aero/downloads.

Written by Gary Harpster, Duncan Aviation Avionics Sales Rep.

How does WAAS work?

WAAS uses the existing GPS satellites that are currently in orbit for the geometric aspect of the equation, a basic triangulation from multiple satellites to your position in three dimensional space. The problem is, in using raw GPS signals, is there are various forms of interference (atmospheric disturbances, satellite position error ..etc.) that play a part in the received signal. WAAS Receivers use a very precise timing signal to filter out this error and give you a higher degree of position accuracy, so much so, that the defined vertical accuracy is more precise that your altimeter in unusual temperature (both hot or cold) conditions.

What do all those new acronyms (HAL, VAL, HPL, VPL, LPV) really mean?

These terms really are not something you as a pilot need to be concerned with, these are acronyms the manufacture wants to make sure their box meets during certification. When a manufacturer designs a WAAS receiver they test their components to meet these specifications. As a pilot, you're mostly concerned with the proper WAAS approach plate and the LPV decision altitude (DA)

HAL - Horizontal Alert Limits
VPL - Vertical Alert Limits
HPL - Horizontal Protection Limit
VPL - Vertical Protection Limit
LPV - Localizer Performance with Vertical guidance

What new rules apply to WAAS users?

No new rules really, the FAA recently published there are now over 2,200 WAAS LPV approaches and that Europe is in the process of adding WAAS approaches over there.  

How are WAAS-based approaches constructed

Before any airport is granted a WAAS approach, it must meet the design criteria called out in the FAA Advisory Circular 150/5300-13. Some of the requirements are the amount of space they consider the PFOZ Precision Obstacle Free Zone, Runway Edge Lighting, Parallel Taxiway and a Vertically Guided Airport Airspace Analysis Survey. As you can imagine the airport has to be surveyed to make sure there are no obstacles in your flight path and the decent rate can not be anymore that a typical ILS approach. You will not find a WAAS approach into a valley, where the airport is surrounded by obstacles that could potentially block your GPS signal as you near your minimums.  

What are the similarities and differences between WAAS-based approaches and ILS, VOR, or non-augmented GPS?

A WAAS with LPV approach is very similar to an ILS approach, as the aircraft receives both lateral and vertical guidance just like an ILS with the same or better precision. The main difference is ILS signals are generated from transmitters located on the ground and aimed at the designed flight path, whereas a WAAS with LPV approach is getting the signals from satellites in orbit. VOR approaches provide lateral guidance from signals generated by transmitter on the ground. VOR approaches are commonly referred to by pilots as "dive and drive" approaches, this stems from the fact that during this approach you follow a lateral signal for a certain length of time, then when you cross a predefined waypoint calculated by another external reference point you are allowed to descend again for a period of time. This method continues until you are at a minimum decent allowance where you are then required to make visual identification of the airport for landing.

Gary Harpster, Duncan Aviation Avionics Sales Rep, concludes Understanding WAAS & LPV video series by answering some important questions about LPV:

• What is it?
• What equipment is required?
• Where are LPV approaches available?

View the complete WAAS/LPV video series at www.DuncanAviation.aero/videos.

Gary Harpster continues the Understanding WAAS/LPV video series explaining how WAAS has far reaching benefits to operators, airports and the overall general aviation operation at large. 

Learn how WAAS changes navigational system accuracy, approaches, flexibility, precision, fuel savings and government and airport costs. Operational benefits and Next-Gen considerations are also discussed.

View the complete WAAS/LPV video series at www.DuncanAviation.aero/videos.