Airberlin First Airline In Europe To Use Satellite-Based Landings

GBAS (Ground Based Augmentation System)

Following the German Federal Office for Air Traffic Control’s accreditation of the ground station for the new satellite-based approach and landing system GBAS (Ground Based Augmentation System) as a primary landing system, Airberlin will be the first airline in Europe to use satellite-based landings on regular flights at Bremen Airport.

Since 2008, the German Air Traffic Control Authority (DFS) has been working closely with Airberlin on the development of the new system. In November 2009, Airberlin was the first airline worldwide to receive approval for its Boeing 737 Next Generation fleet to use the GBAS on landings up to a visual range of only 550 meters.

The new satellite-based landing system is much more precise than the instrument- based landing system (ILS) which has been used until now.

Other advantages of GBAS landings are that noise pollution on the ground is reduced because approach angles can be varied and in the future it will be possible to use the system in mountainous areas, where it was not previously possible to land using the instrument-based landing system.

ILS, MLS and GBAS

On the evening of 9th February 2012 after the first successful landing in Bremen following (the) accreditation, Tim Techt, the pilot technician for Airberlin’s Boeing fleet, said: “This innovative technology will make it possible to land more efficiently and with less noise pollution. In the future, GBAS will play a central role in the on-board navigation of our Boeing fleet.” 

Airberlin, stylized as airberlin is Germany's second largest airline, after Lufthansa, and Europe's sixth largest airline in terms of passengers. The airline operates an extensive network including holiday destinations in the Mediterranean region, the Canary Islands and North Africa as well as intercontinental destinations in Southeast Asia, the Caribbean and the Americas. 

Air Berlin concentrates on serving major German and European cities to attract business traffic. A total of 23 German cities are served, more than any other airline. Its largest hub is Berlin-Tegel Airport, followed by Düsseldorf Airport. Other important destinations are the focus cities Nuremberg Airport and Son Sant Joan Airport, Palma. 

On 26 July 2010, the Oneworld airline alliance announced that Air Berlin had been invited to join. Air Berlin will become a member of Oneworld on March 20, 2012. The airline is headquartered at the Airport Bureau Center in Charlottenburg Wilmersdorf, Berlin.

Source: avstop.com

For more detailed information about GBAS: Eurocontrol