FAA says Rockwell Collins' Head-up guidance system (HGS) operators now have additional landing capability
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa 15 Dec. 2009. Rockwell Collins announced today that its head-up guidance system (HGS) technologywill be capable of conducting reduced Category I (CAT I) landing minima as authorized by the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) Flight Technology and Procedures Division, AFS-400, in Washington.
The CAT I minima reduction enables operators that are already certified for CAT II operations using Rockwell Collins HGS to now complete CAT I Instrument Landing System (ILS) approaches to Runway Visual Range (RVR) of 1400 feet and decision height (DH) of 150 feet at authorized Category I ILS facilities – compared with a previous RVR of 1800 feet and a DH of 200 feet. All CAT II/III equipped aircraft with Rockwell Collins HGS are eligible for these minima.
"Achieving this reduction in landing minima allows operators using Rockwell Collins HGS to provide more dependable service during low visibility weather conditions with increased safety," says Dave Austin, senior director for Head-up Guidance Systems at Rockwell Collins. "Our unique HGS symbology and proven ability to increase pilot situational awareness played a key role in obtaining the new CAT I landing authorization."
Features of Rockwell Collins HGS include the use of distinctive flight path vector, inertia caret, guidance cue, and the glideslope reference line to provide expanded awareness and capability allowing the pilot to conduct these approaches.
In addition to reducing CAT I landing minima, the FAA has established CAT II RVR of 1000 feet and DH of 100 feet on a full Category II ILS facility as the new standard minima for aircraft equipped with Rockwell Collins HGS.
