EGNOS Bulletin 34 - Autumn 2020.pdf

Finnair performed the first known transcontinental roundtrip between Europe and the USA using SBAS LPV approaches at both origin and destination airports with an A350. The flight used the latest SBAS technology to approach both airports using the United States SBAS (WAAS) at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in New York and the European SBAS (EGNOS) at Vantaa Airport (HEL) in Helsinki. Finnair's A350 has the SBAS-LPV capability, which allows following GNSS-based approaches down to LPV minima using satellite-based augmentation with no need for ground navaids support at the airports. The airline received operational approval for LPV operations in US airspace and now has many more options accessing many airports in poor weather conditions. The interoperability between different SBAS services, such as WAAS and EGNOS, allows for seamless operation in areas worldwide that are covered by an SBAS. Captain Marko Valtonen, Finnair's Fleet Chief Pilot, stated that there are no differences in terms of SBAS services providers or actual approach followed, and that the Airbus A350's cockpit design and advanced avionics made it easy and transparent for the pilot.