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FAA approves seven Heli WAAS LPV IFPs

June 2, 2009, Orange Beach, AL – On April 1, 2009, FAA AFS-400 approved the first Helicopter Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) Localizer Performance with Vertical Guidance (LPV) Instrument Flight Procedures (IFPs) (WAAS LPV). Hickok & Associates developed the three WAAS LPV procedures, for California Shock/Trauma Air Rescue (CALSTAR), using its company-developed helicopter WAAS LPV criteria; which was approved by FAA on January 17, 2008. [February 2008: Heli-Expo 2008 news release].

All three WAAS LPV procedures are interconnected with almost 200 miles of offairway/ feeder routes, providing reduced Minimum Instrument Altitudes (MIA) enroute between the approaches. Hickok & Associates also provided CALSTAR with FAA-Approved Obstacle Departure Procedures (ODPs) for each of the three hospital sites. …also in April: CALSTAR became the first helicopter operator to obtain a WAAS LPV Supplemental Type Certificate (STC), when FAA approved the STC for its Agusta 109 helicopters. Paul G. Likens, lead pilot at CALSTAR’s Ukiah, California, base, worked with FAA and Garmin for their STC approval.

Helicopter WAAS LPV Minimums: Hickok & Associates’ WAAS LPV procedures provide CALSTAR with significantly reduced approach minimums, even in a challenging terrain environment. CALSTAR’s approach to the Ukiah Valley Medical Center provides a Decision Altitude (DA) of 972 feet Mean Sea Level (MSL), 364 feet Height Above Landing (HAL), and 3⁄4 Statute Mile (SM) visibility … which is 748 feet lower than the lowest minimums available at Ukiah Muni Airport, where the Localizer/DME minimums are 1,720 feet MSL, 1,106 feet HAL, and 1-1⁄4 SM visibility. Ukiah Muni is only 1-1⁄2 miles south from the hospital, in the same valley. Prior to their WAAS LPV approach, the ILS approach at Santa Rosa … 40 miles south of Ukiah … was the nearest airport with minimums lower than Ukiah Muni’s Localizer/DME.

Across the United States on the East Coast: On 27 April, 2009, two more of Hickok & Associates’ WAAS LPV procedures were approved by FAA AFS-400 for one of its Fortune 100 company customers, and, on 1 May, 2009, FAA approved Hickok & Associates’ WAAS LPV approach for United Technologies Flight Department (UTFlight) to its heliport in Farmington, CT. UTFlight expects its STC for the UNS-1FW in its S-76 to be completed by the end of June. …and in Texas: On 14 May, 2009, Hickok & Associates’ WAAS LPV procedure … with a HAL of 273 feet … was approved for Grand Prairie-Based CareFlite, and provides nearprecision IFR capabilities for CareFlite to North Texas Medical Center, in Gainesville, TX. Stephen M. Hickok became the first pilot authorized by FAA to perform Flight Validations (FV), which replaces flight inspection by FAA [February 2008: Heli-Expo 2008 news release]. Hickok’s FV authorization allowed Hickok & Associates to complete CareFlite’s WAAS LPV procedure to include approval by FAA in 15 weeks.

No Additional Fees for WAAS LPV (“2 for the price of 1”): Since FAA approval of Hickok & Associates’ WAAS LPV criteria, all of the helicopter procedures developed by the company have included both LNAV and WAAS LPV, for its customers committed to equipping with WAAS receivers. Hickok & Associates does not charge additional fees to add WAAS LPV when developing new original procedures. The company delivers both LNAV and WAAS LPV approach minimums so its customers have the LNAV minimums for operations while equipping their aircraft for WAAS LPV, and some of the company’s customers intend to continue operating mixed aircraft fleets with both WAAS LPV and non-WAAS LPV equipped aircraft.

Adding WAAS LPV to Existing Procedures: Hickok & Associates provides maintenance for procedures it develops, and also provides maintenance for existing procedures originally designed by other companies or FAA. For its maintenance customers equipping with WAAS receivers, Hickok & Associates can add WAAS LPV minimums to most existing LNAV procedures at a reduced cost. About Hickok & Associates, Inc.: Stephen M. Hickok, President, Hickok & Associates, Inc., has worked as project manager, chief investigator, or advisor on every helicopter GPS/GNSS criterion and policy since the early 1990’s. He was the first non-fed developer to submit completed helicopter instrument approach procedures to FAA; the first airman designated by FAA as a Procedure Evaluation Pilot (PEP), the first pilot authorized to conduct Flight Validations (FV), and has been developing helicopter GPS/GNSS instrument approaches longer than any other developer in the world. His company developed its own unique helicopter WAAS LPV criteria, and is today the only provider of helicopter WAAS LPV procedures. Hickok & Associates is developing and maintaining helicopter procedures throughout the United States, and in Europe and Asia using PANSOPS criteria.