Performance Based Navigation Rules and Advisory Circular released
Performance Based Navigation Rules and Advisory Circular released
New Southern Sky is excited to announce that, after many years of hard work and collaboration with industry, the CAA has released the rules and associated Advisory Circular (AC) relating to the Performance Based Navigation (PBN) regulatory framework.
This is a major milestone for the NSS programme, with the range of benefits that PBN provides potentially affecting all IFR aviation participants and benefiting New Zealand as a whole.
Since the inception of the NSS programme in 2014, designing and delivering the PBN regulatory framework has required many hundreds of hours of internal and external engagement. The outcome is a robust set of rules and an AC that together provide a clear guide to safe operations for aircraft equipped with, and approved to use, PBN equipment.
While the amended Part 91 rules provide the regulatory framework, AC91-21 (Operational Approvals – Performance Based Navigation) has been fully revised (following extensive consultation in December 2020) to support the regulatory framework. This includes:
- updating the rule references
- including related CAA Notices
- adding a new Appendix I, Contingency Procedures in the Event of loss of Primary Means of Navigation (PMoN)
- renumbering all subsequent appendices as a result (with Appendix I in the last Revision now being Appendix II, and so on)
- providing clarification and simplification of the PBN operation application and approval process, with reference to rules 91.261 and 91.263, and the new 91.519
- moving detailed technical and operational content to the Appendices, and
- including all RNP capabilities covered in the ICAO PBN Manual (DOC 9613 fourth edition).
It also introduces standard revision numbers and changes the order of some sections.
Please see here for a link to the release of the new AC revision.
Because of feedback from many participants, the final version of Revision 1 also differs substantially from the draft that was originally put up as part of the wider consultation. This document provides a marked-up draft of the new sections that have been added, as shown in yellow highlight.
In addition to AC91-21, AC61-18, Rev 11, (Pilot Licences and Ratings – Flight Instructor Ratings), has also been amended in line with the rule. You can find the new revision here.
Finally, we would like to thank the many participants who took the time to provide thoughtful and useful insights that helped progress the rules, and ACs, to their final state. A special thank you to Air New Zealand and Aeropath for seconding PBN specialists, Steve Kelly and James Black respectively, to the CAA for significant periods of time, to assist in delivering the PBN Regulatory Framework.
For any questions relating to Performance Based Navigation, contact certification@caa.govt.nz.