St Mary’s Airport is currently seeking approval to use a global navigation satellite system to provide guidance for landing on its runways. The aim is to reduce the number of flight cancellations and delays due to poor visibility. On 12 June 2016, successful validation flights of the area navigation instrument approach procedures were carried out on all 4 runways. These procedures make use of the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS), a satellite navigation system that enables safe flying to take place in lower cloud than is currently possible.
A report is now being compiled by the Validation Flight Company who carried out the test flights and, once complete, this will be forwarded to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) for approval. As with all new procedures at airports, it may be necessary to make adjustments to satisfy the CAA, but, subject to approval, we anticipate the system being fully operational during 2017.