FAST technical article - June 2022

Satellite-based landing system

Facilitating straight-in approaches with precision
Airbus author: Martin Fendt - Technical editor
Airbus experts:
Mathieu Hialé-Guilhamou - Engineering Navigation Specialist 
Thierry Harquin - Engineering - ATM International Cooperation Manager

Thanks to global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) including GPS, aircraft navigation
has significantly evolved over the past 25 years. Even if *ILS (Instrument Landing System)
remains the primary means for precision approaches, new satellite navigation
technologies are now in place to perform approaches. Airbus has integrated these new
technologies with an ILS look-alike interface which benefits from the ILS operational
experience. The most recent of these to be rolled out is a new certified cockpit avionics
function for operators of the A320 and A330 families, for line-fit and retrofit – referred to
as a satellite-based/augmented landing system (SLS).
This function enables pilots to perform ‘straight-in’ approaches using satellite positioning into airports,
even in low-visibility conditions. SLS first entered service in Europe with the A350 in 2015 after Airbus
pioneered its development and introduction for *CAT1 approaches with the support of the EU Agency
for the Space Programme (EuSPA), formerly known as the European GNSS Agency (GSA), and the
European Commission. SLS is also available on the A220 Family and will be soon offered on the A380.

Facilitating precision approach access to secondary airports

SLS capability enhances the airlines’ operations by enabling stable approaches especially at airports
currently not having precision approach means; at main runways as a backup to ILS (e.g. during
maintenance), or at alternate airports in case of diversion.

Mathieu Hialé-Guilhamou Engineering Navigation Specialist explains: “It is often the ‘secondary
airports’ which are less likely to have sufficient throughput of traffic to justify the cost of installing
radio-based ILS equipment on the ground. By contrast, ILS is usually present at primary airports to
allow precision tracking of the glidepath down to the runway decision height, and is especially useful
in bad weather or when there are obstacles below the approach. Now, with the combination of SLS
capability in the aircraft and SBAS augmentation coverage in the sky, the aircraft is able to perform
accurate ILS-like CAT1 approaches in low-visibility conditions into the secondary airports too.”

SLS approach

Pilot-friendly ILS-like display symbology

Since the SLS function design was fully integrated into the cockpit display architecture it was possible
to make it very pilot friendly. The result is that with SLS pilots don’t have to change the way they fly the
aircraft because the guidance symbology presented in the cockpit (on the “Primary Flight Display” –
the PFD) looks just the same as what they are already used to for an ILS approach. In particular, the
lateral and vertical magenta moving chevrons (below and to the side of the pilot’s attitude indicator
respectively) are identical to the ILS equivalent – see PFD illustration below. In addition, along the top
of the PFD and during an SLS approach, pilots will see the same familiar guidance modes “G/S”
(vertical ‘Glide Slope’) and “LOC” (horizontal ‘Localiser’) status indications – in blue when armed or
green when active.

Diagram showing similarities between ILS and SLS mode symbols on PFD.

In fact, there are other optional landing systems available for Airbus operators (which are beyond the
scope of this article to describe individually) but which provide the same magenta lateral and vertical
symbology for pilots, as well as the familiar LOC and G/S notifications on the PFD. These include:
GBAS Landing System (GLS) and FMS Landing System (FLS) for non-precision approaches (e.g. using
VOR, DME, NDB and LOC only). Since they are presented in the same way to pilots, they form
collectively a group called “xLS”

Positioning augmented by SBAS overlay satellites

Through the aircraft’s GPS antenna, its multi-mode receiver (*MMR) receives data from GPS satellites,
known in this aviation context as the “Global Navigation Satellite System” (GNSS). In addition to those
positioning sources, the MMR also receives overlay corrections from “Satellite-Based Augmentation
Systems” (SBAS), which transmit their signal via Geostationary Satellites. One of the reasons that the
corrections are needed for accurate approaches is to counter possible ionosphere-induced position
errors. Another reason is to continuously monitor and confirm the overall integrity of the GPS signal.
Diagram showing GPS & SBAS satellite constellation architecture.
The red arrow is on the left, the measurement of error over a continent by ground stations, and the sending
by a master ground station to a geostationary satellite.
On the right the geostationary satellite sends back the GPS correction to users, like an SBAS receiver-
equipped aircraft.

The aircraft’s MMR also computes in real-time the accurate horizontal and vertical guidance which
can be streamed to the electronic flight displays and autopilot. Moreover, this allows the autopilot to
guide the aircraft along the computed reference trajectory, which can be monitored on the pilots’
displays.

Alternatively the pilot can ‘hand-fly’ the aircraft by following the magenta lateral and vertical SLS-
generated guidance chevrons (see diagram below). In this way SLS provides the aircraft with real-time
precise satellite-augmented position information to provide either the human pilot or the auto-pilot
with guidance in both the lateral and vertical axes. This is known to flight crews as “Localizer
Performance with geometrical Vertical guidance” (LPV).

PFD diagram showing closeup of horizontal and vertical guidance symbols.

SLS approaches avoid reliance on barometric altitude or radio-based ILS
“An *RNP approach (*RNP APCH) to LPV minima (ie. using SLS) has the advantage of not relying on
conventional barometric altitude nor temperature calibration. This contrasts with today’s *RNP
approaches which use *LNAV/VNAV, as well as conventional ‘non-precision approaches’ which are
affected by variations in barometric altitude and temperature,” notes Hialé-Guilhamou.

“Fortunately with SLS, since its vertical guidance is no longer barometric but geometric, and
regardless of the meteorological conditions, the aircraft’s final approach segment is always at the
same position in space. This is a huge benefit, which directly categorises an LPV approach as
‘precision approaches equivalent’ down to CAT1 minima,” he adds.

Pilots have commented that the digital SLS satellite-based data can be more resilient than a CAT1 ILS
analogue radio signal – because with SLS, the aircraft’s position relative to the trajectory is always
available. Whereas with ILS, being terrestrial and radio-based, it can sometimes be susceptible to false
localiser (denoted by ‘LOC’ on the PFD) or the glideslope (denoted by ‘G/S’) side lobes as well as
interference affecting the ILS ‘protected area’. Nevertheless, VHF-radio based ILS remains, for the time
being, the only certified means for a commercial airliner to perform a CAT2 approach or a CAT3B ‘auto-
land’ onto the runway and subsequent rollout.

Prerequisites / enablers for SBAS

While the operation is largely seamless for the pilots, behind the scenes a variety of enablers had to be
created in order for SLS to exist. These include:

Upgraded avionics on board the aircraft. These need to embody the new functions to support
SLS. These avionics include: “Multi-Mode Receiver” (MMR) – which hosts the SLS function; the
Flight Management System (FMS) – which hosts in its navigation database each discrete SLS
procedure on a per-runway/airport basis; the Flight Warning Computer (FWC) and the autopilot
(AP). To date the Honeywell FMS has been certified for use with the SBAS function, while the
Thales FMS option is planned to be ready for the introduction of the A321XLR.
Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) coverage. These are civilian-controlled space satellite
constellations providing positioning and timing data. Examples of GNSS include Europe’s Galileo,
the USA’s NAVSTAR Global Positioning System (GPS), and China’s BeiDou Navigation Satellite
System. Today all Airbus aircraft are equipped to use the GPS constellation for positioning and
navigation.
Satellite-Based Augmentation Systems (SBAS) coverage, such as the “European Geostationary
Navigation Overlay Service” (EGNOS). SBAS satellites improve the accuracy and reliability of
GNSS information by correcting any ionosphere-induced signal errors and by providing
information about the integrity of its signals. For US airspace the SBAS augmentation is
provided by the “Wide-Area Augmentation System” (WAAS) and in India by “GPS Aided GEO
Augmented Navigation” (GAGAN). Other SBAS satellites are being deployed in Japan,
Australia/New Zealand and China, and also being developed for South Korea and Africa.
 Diagram showing A320 SLS main function components.

“Until very recently, SBAS has been widely used in commercial aviation to support “Area Navigation”
for en-route lateral navigation in lieu of traditional ground-based Secondary Surveillance Radar (SSR)
beacons, especially in the United States,” explains Hialé-Guilhamou. “This is to provide more accurate
and available position data to the Air Traffic Controller, through the ADS-B (Automatic Dependant
Surveillance - Broadcast) technology – mandated in the US from 2020. And for Europe, with SLS
already operational with the A350 and A220 and now also entering service with A320 Family
operators – starting in May 2022 with easyJet – Airbus, the EU and its partners are taking SBAS to
the next level to provide vertical guidance for approaches down to CAT1 / 200 feet minima.”

Global uptake of SLS and LPV approaches

Meanwhile, in Europe, as of May 2022, there are 750 operational LPV procedures with
another 500 planned in the short/mid-term.
“With these and other parallel advances, SLS CAT1 approaches with LPV are therefore
likely to become the norm across the European Union by 2030, taking precedence over ILS
Cat 1 operations,” says Hialé-Guilhamou. “This is underscored by the European
Commission’s publication in 2018 of an “implementing regulation” which lays down
airspace usage requirements for Air Navigation Service providers, to provide services for
all operations based on “performance-based navigation” (PBN), ie. using satellite
navigation, except for Cat 2 and Cat 3 precision approaches – which will continue to use
ILS.”

A short history of SBAS…

SBAS was originally developed in the US to support its Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS)
programme. WAAS was introduced in the USA in the early 2000's primarily to provide for the needs of
general aviation. “At that time, the focus did not extend to mainline commercial aviation since ILS was
so widespread at airports frequented by larger airliners,” recalls Thierry Harquin, Engineering - ATM
International Cooperation Manager. “However, the arrival of the equivalent (EGNOS) in Europe had
pushed commercial aviation and Airbus to reconsider SBAS, leading to its adoption for the A350
programme to introduce it from the Entry Into Service (EIS).”

SBAS was also considered for other Airbus programmes, however, the required avionics development
costs were significant. Nevertheless, the deployment of SBAS procedures accelerated throughout
Europe in the mid-2010s, with capabilities allowing even CAT1 performance. France’s DGAC authority
decided to remove ILS CAT1 on secondary airports and replace them exclusively by SBAS procedures
– ie. LPV procedures, which would later be facilitated in Airbus aircraft by the SLS function.

Later, in 2016, Airbus had been looking at opportunities to launch it on the A320 and A330 as it would
be beneficial to incorporate a CAT1-equivalent precision approach capability into any airport without
any ILS infrastructure on the ground. “Airbus’ air traffic management (ATM) team answered an EU call
for tender, to develop it on the A320,” says Harquin. “The green light was duly achieved in 2017 for SLS
to be launched on the A320 and A330. Subsequent development took around 3.5 years, and continued
despite a slowdown due to the Covid pandemic. EASA certification was obtained on the A320 in
October 2021, with first delivery in May 2022.”

Definitions\Glossary:

*CAT1/2/3: Precision Category approach defines the precision in terms of ‘decision height’ and ‘runway
visual range’. (“CAT3” is the most precise of these.)
*ILS: Instrument Landing System is a system which works by sending a VHF radio beam downrange from
the runway end, with aircraft that intercept it to be guided on a continuous ‘glide-slope’ towards the runway.
*MMR: Multi-Mode Receiver is a navigational avionics system which incorporates signals from multiple
types of navigational and landing systems, including GPS, SBAS, SLS, FLS, VOR/MKR, ILS, and integrates
them into a single presentation, using the combination of signals to verify the accuracy of others. This
allows an air-transport aircraft to use the most advantageous form of navigation, without having to add
additional equipment, regardless of where the aircraft is operating in the world. Each Airbus aircraft is
equipped with two MMR computers.
*LNAV/VNAV: These straight-in approaches were the first type of GPS approach that had vertical guidance.
LNAV = Lateral Navigation. This is a term used to refer to guiding the aircraft’s lateral position using
GPS/GNSS. VNAV = Vertical Navigation. This refers to vertical guidance based on the aircraft’s barometric
altitude. LNAV/VNAV minimums higher than 250 feet above touchdown for most approaches. (SLS
approach minimums can go even lower because of the greater accuracy.)
*RNP APCH: RNP approaches are enabled by GNSS. Modern avionics can provide both lateral and vertical
guidance along a defined path when it is published as an RNP approach. These approaches are described
by a series of waypoints, legs that connect the waypoints and any speed and altitude constraints required
on that procedure. This information is held in the aircraft’s navigation database.

Airbus author:
Martin Fendt - Technical editor
Airbus experts:
Mathieu Hialé-Guilhamou - Engineering Navigation Specialist mathieu.hiale-guilhamou@airbus.com
Thierry Harquin - Engineering - ATM International Cooperation Manager
Photos and illustrations copyright Airbus. Master Films: P. Masclet

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